Grundy Art Gallery's Autumn Programme is bursting with colour, creativity and community

Grundy Art Gallery is unveiling a bright new season of exciting exhibitions and creative commissions that celebrate storytelling, community and imagination, all with a bold splash of Blackpool sparkle.

The powerful new autumn programme will run from Saturday 18th October to Saturday 20th December at the popular Blackpool gallery and brings together major works by internationally acclaimed artist Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE, a dynamic multi-disciplinary collaboration with SIGNAL Film and Media and a heartfelt new commission from artist Dawn Ward.

From larger-than-life adventures to playful seaside-inspired sculptures and fascinating historical and personal perspectives, there’s plenty to discover at Blackpool’s home of contemporary art this autumn…

Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE: Jason and the Adventure of the 254 is to be presented across Grundy’s galleries 1, 2 and 3. A Wellcome Collection exhibition, Jason and the Adventure of the 254 showcases the renowned artist’s largest and most personal work to date. Drawing on Jason’s experience of becoming disabled as a child, the exhibition is a joyful and subversive exploration of the human body. An immersive installation of huge sculptures, vibrant illustrations and interactive dioramas, Jason and the Adventure of the 254 delves into the transformative moment of Wilsher-Mills’ diagnosis of an autoimmune condition, triggered by contracting chickenpox at the age of eleven, and uses the artist’s trademark humour to challenge the cultural and societal perceptions surrounding disability, medicine and the human body.

Gallery 4 will host After the Archive – a captivating multi-disciplinary exhibition of archive image inspired, painting, collage, video, installation, photography and sculpture from emerging artistic voices from Barrow and Blackpool that explores the  rich and diverse history of these areas.

This creative collaboration from Grundy Art Gallery and the award-winning film and digital arts charity SIGNAL, brings together two inter-generational groups of artists, archivists, adventurers, community workers and young explorers and draws inspiration from the remarkable Sankey Photography Archive - an expansive visual record of working class life across the North West spanning more than 70 years. Led by artists Jack Brown and Tina Dempsey, this exhibition is part of Signal’s heritage project, Sankey: Lives Through the Lens, and is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

For Dawn Ward: Dawn & Tony, striking large scale ‘stickers’ of Dawn’s artworks will be presented on the building’s exterior glass panels, inviting both visitors and passers-by to encounter art beyond the gallery walls. Dawn’s work draws on the language of romantic love and matrimony and this emotionally charged exhibition is inspired by her relationship with fellow artist, Tony Holmes, who sadly passed away in 2024. This exhibition is also inspired by the theme of love that threads throughout the work of Jason Wilsher-Mills and is taking place as part of Grundy’s Forecourt Gallery commission programme. Dawn Ward is one of the artists who works as part of the pARTnership – Grundy’s ongoing professional development project for artists with a learning-disability, which is funded by Arts Council England.

Grundy is also bringing art to the streets with Blackpool Rock: Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE - a dazzling new commission created with Lightpool Festival. On show along the Promenade from Wednesday 15th October to Saturday 1st November, the work takes inspiration from Blackpool’s rich dance heritage and depicts a joyful couple decorated with badges designed by local people through workshops run with LeftCoast, Blackpool and the Fylde College, Blackpool Council Adult Services and Creative Fusion. In true Wilsher-Mills style the figures are both playful and thought-provoking: wearing theatrical masks, revealing anatomical interiors and proudly celebrating disability. Blackpool Rock launches at Lightpool before moving to a second location as part of Grundy’s autumn programme.

Leader of Blackpool Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Cllr Lynn Williams, said of the new autumn programme: “These exciting new exhibitions perfectly reflect what makes Blackpool special - our creativity, our communities and our ambition. Jason Wilsher-Mills’ work is full of colour, humour and heart, and it’s wonderful that Blackpool is able to showcase his latest projects, for which we are hugely grateful to the Wellcome Collection.

“The Grundy is also thrilled to be hosting fresh collaborations with local and regional artists and continues to play a vital role in our town, not just as a gallery, but as a place where everyone can feel welcome, be inspired and see their own stories reflected in art. We’re proud to offer a fun new season that’s accessible for all, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from every part of the community this autumn.”

Grundy Art Gallery Curator, Paulette Brien, added: “With this new autumn programme we’re especially keen to welcome more people from across Blackpool, Lancashire and the wider North West to experience our exciting activity.

We want residents and visitors alike to see our gallery as part of their day out in Blackpool - a place where they can connect with bold, inspiring art while enjoying everything else the town has to offer.”

From epic adventures to intimate commissions, Grundy’s autumn programme invites audiences to discover, reflect and be inspired. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore art that’s fun, thought-provoking and made for everyone.

Grundy Art Gallery Autumn Programme Launch. ALL WELCOME:

Pre-launch late night opening Friday 17th October from 5pm to 9pm.

Launch Saturday 18th October from 11am to 12.30pm.

Late Night Opening Thursday 23rd and Thursday 30th October from 5pm to 9pm to coincide with Lightpool Festival and Blackpool Illuminations.

Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE: Jason and the Adventure of the 254; SIGNAL’s After the Archive and Dawn Ward: Dawn & Tony will run from Saturday 18th October to Saturday 20th December 2025 at Grundy Art Gallery, Queen Street, Blackpool. Grundy is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 4:20pm (last entry). Closed Sundays, Mondays and Bank Holidays. Admission is FREE.

Blackpool Rock: Jason Wilsher-Mills MBE will run offsite on Blackpool Promenade as part of Lightpool Festival from Wednesday 15th October to Saturday 1st November 2025, before moving to a second location from Saturday 15th November to Saturday 20th December as part of Grundy’s autumn programme.

For further information please visit www.thegrundy.org or call 01253 478170.