Small Wonders: Reimagining British Art
Marking 75 years since the Festival of Britain, Hayward Gallery Touring presents an exhibition bringing together artists who have participated in the British Art Show, at The Base this autumn
Fifty acclaimed artists work to appear in new exhibition at The Base
We are delighted to welcome Small Wonders: Reimagining British Art (Friday 11 September - Sunday 15 November 2026) this autumn, bringing a major exhibition from Hayward Gallery Touring to West Berkshire that brings together 50 acclaimed artists who have participated in the renowned British Art Show since its inception in 1979.
The exhibition marks 75 years since the Festival of Britain and offers a fresh and thought-provoking look at almost five decades of British contemporary art. Widely recognised as the UK’s most important recurring exhibition of contemporary art, the British Art Show has played a significant role in shaping conversations around contemporary artistic practice and showcasing some of the country’s most influential artists.
For Small Wonders: Reimagining British Art, each of the 50 artists has created a new, small-scale work in response to their original British Art Show presentation. The exhibition takes inspiration from Marcel Duchamp’s La Boîte-en-Valise (‘Box in a Suitcase’), his concept of a ‘portable museum’ bringing together a collection of works on a miniature scale. In a similar spirit, the exhibition creates a compact but remarkably broad portrait of British art, bringing together artists and ideas from across generations and practices.
Image credits (left to right): P101 1 R1 Credit Pablo Bronstein, Tai Shani Cardinal Prologue II 2026 A Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition from Southbank Centre London, TA23 7470 D Credit Tomma Abts.
Participating artists include Turner Prize 2026 nominees Simeon Barclay and Marguerite Humeau. The exhibition also features past Turner Prize winners Wolfgang Tillmans (2000), Tomma Abts (2006) and Tai Shani (2019), alongside artists whose work is held in major international collections including Tate and MoMA, such as Mandy El-Sayegh, Eva Rothschild and Pablo Bronstein. Other notable artists include Zarina Bhimji and Mona Hatoum, with many more exciting artists to discover throughout the exhibition.
The exhibition features new commissions from artists including Fiona Rae, Lawrence Lek, Tai Shani, Hetain Patel, Simeon Barclay and Varda Caivano that respond directly to their earlier British Art Show presentations, while artists such as Frank Bowling, Mona Hatoum and Michael Craig-Martin have included work that reflects the evolution of their practices in later years. Utilising a range of materials, from paint, threads and steel to receipt notes, film stills, vacuum packing and mirrors, these reimaginings offer a unique overview of nearly half a century of British art history.
More ways to experience Small Wonders...
The exhibition will be accompanied by an engaging programme of events at The Base, offering visitors opportunities to explore the works through music, conversation, comedy and family-friendly activities.
On Wednesday 30 September, Gillian Fox, Associate Curator at the Hayward Gallery, will join visitors at The Base for Exploring Small Wonders, an insightful talk diving a little deeper into the artists and works featured in the exhibition and exploring the significance of this contemporary reimagining of the Festival of Britain, 75 years on.
For those who like their art history with a comedic edge, Wednesday 14 October sees art historian and comedian Verity Babbs present the talk, Art History’s Funniest Bits. Drawing on stories from her book The History of Art in One Sentence, Babbs will explore 500 years of artists behaving badly, extraordinary artworks and some of the more surprising stories behind art history, encouraging audiences to see familiar artists in an entirely new light.
Younger visitors and their parents and carers can enjoy Songs and Stories in the Gallery(Saturday 19 September, Friday 2 October, Saturday 24 October and Thursday 12 November). Led by professional singer Louise Ashdown, these sessions combine songs, stories, sensory play and movement in a warm and welcoming environment.
The programme also includes Relaxed Days on 17 September and 22 October, a Family Day with free craft activities on 10 October, and Gallery Lates on 30 September and 14 October, when visitors can enjoy a complimentary drink from local Renegade Brewery and explore the exhibition until 8pm.
Small Wonders: Reimagining British Art runs at The Base from Friday 11 September to Sunday 15 November and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, with selected late openings for events. Base Passes, offering unlimited access to exhibitions from £25, are available alongside individual exhibition and event tickets for free admission to this exhibition.
