Exhibitions Are On At Yorkshire Sculpture Park In 2026

The world feels like it is changing faster than ever, and art can sometimes help us make sense of it all. That is the thinking behind the 2026 programme at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The team has curated a year of exhibitions that explore some big themes: resilience, inheritance and transformation.

It is a programme designed to show how artists view the world today and how they imagine the future. The full schedule brings together some of the most exciting contemporary artists working right now.

A major show for the Underground Gallery

One of the biggest highlights begins in June 2026. For the first time in its history, the Underground Gallery will host a large group exhibition of contemporary Indigenous art from North America. It is a huge moment for the UK art scene, as work like this has not been displayed at this scale before.

The show is being delivered in partnership with the Tia Collection and features leading artists such as Rose B. Simpson, Raven Halfmoon and Yatika Starr Fields. Their work explores themes like our relationship with the land, cultural and personal identity and the significance of materials. Materiality, in this context, refers to how and why an artist chooses certain materials and the stories those materials help tell. A sculpture made from clay taken from ancestral land carries a very different meaning to one made from plastic.

This exhibition places ancestral knowledge at the centre while also looking to the future with creative, forward-thinking ideas.

Dr Alex Hodby, Head of Programmes at YSP, said the artists offer urgent and impactful insights into how we relate to land and to one another. She described the exhibition as an honour for YSP and an important moment for sharing these voices with UK audiences.

Exploring histories and materials

Elsewhere in the park, the 2026 programme brings a range of exhibitions that examine craft, heritage and community.

In spring, LR Vandy will transform The Weston Gallery with an exhibition inspired by maritime and textile histories. Visitors can expect work that reflects on the sea, journeys and fabric traditions. The show explores ideas of community rituals and what the gallery calls joyful resistance, meaning finding strength and unity even in difficult times. It promises a rich exploration of heritage and shared experience.

In summer, the YSP Centre will host Jakob Rowlinson’s installation titled ROTATOR. The work will feature suspended sculptures made entirely from leather coloured with oak-gall dyes, a natural dye connected to the landscape. The installation highlights the role of craft and traditional materials in contemporary art making.

Art in the open air

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is famous for its outdoor art, and the 2026 programme adds two new pieces to its landscape.

One is a slate sculpture by Andi Walker titled Wrapped in Cold Hard Comfort. The artwork resembles a quilt and explores ideas of resilience. It plays with contrasts, using a hard material to evoke the feeling of warmth and protection.

The second outdoor work comes from Thabo Mkwananzi. His sculpture draws on ancestral wisdom and the idea of using knowledge from the past to shape the future. It links beautifully with the wider themes running throughout the 2026 programme.

Getting hands on with creativity

YSP wants visitors to do more than simply look at the art. Throughout 2026 there will be learning activities and public events to help people of all ages engage more deeply with the exhibitions. These include creative workshops, talks with artists and experts, and resources to help visitors explore the themes of resilience, inheritance and transformation.

These activities are designed to help people connect their own experiences with the stories being told in the artwork and the landscape around them.

Creativity in the YSP shop

The creative spirit of the programme also flows into the YSP shop, which will host its own mini-exhibitions from designers and makers. Featured artists include Louise Lockhart (The Printed Peanut), Annie Montgomerie and Angela Harding. Their work celebrates heritage and craft with a playful, modern twist, drawing on nature and traditional patterns.

By weaving the themes of the 2026 programme into the park’s exhibition spaces, outdoor artworks, events and shop, YSP has created a year-long journey into how contemporary artists respond to a changing world. It is a standout programme that offers something meaningful for every visitor.