Exhibition:
Curtain Up
Exhibition dates
18th April – 21st June 2026
Opening Times
Tue – Fri | 11.00–17.00
Sat- Sun | 10.00 – 17.00
Monday | closed
FREE to visit
Featuring works by Simeon Barclay, Denzil Forrester, Joy Labinjo, Ryan Mosley, Abigail Reynolds, Bridget Smith, and major new commissions by Rowland Hill, Chris Paul Daniels and Ulla von Brandenburg.
The dynamic of congregating and witnessing something collectively is a powerful stimulant that enrichens any creative experience. Curtain Up is a group exhibition that explores how visual artists have sought to capture the shared anticipation, heightened emotions, and communal energy of being in an audience.
This exhibition, which includes specially commissioned artworks, considers live performance, music and other art forms as experiential moments, shaped by three key elements: space, event, and audience. The cinema, fairground, theatre and concert halls are all explored as backdrops to experience cultural events. But it is also about being part of a crowd that activates a shared feeling of unity and reacting to the emotional and behavioural responses of others - that creates the energy and atmosphere of a unique experience.
“For 25 years, Lowry has been bringing audiences together to share the thrill of live performance, as stages and arenas have done for thousands of years. Curtain Up is a homage to our dedicated visitors who witness spectacular performances on our stages and exhibitions in our galleries. At its core is the shared human experience and elevated emotions that connects us in these moments.” – Zoe Watson, Contemporary Curator at Lowry
