As we trundle / trudge / twirl (delete as appropriate) towards the end of 2025, I thought I’d take a look at some of the very best bits of art, design and photography coming our way in 2026.

First up though, a few bits that I mentioned in last year’s list which you can still catch in the New Year.

V&A East Storehouse
Ongoing | V&A East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London

I made it along to the V&A’s glorious new hybrid storage / gallery space in East London just a few weeks ago, and it’s stunning, and a timely reminder that we can still do very good things in this country. Objects, furniture, fashion, even part of a brutalist housing block are stacked around a vast atrium, and you’re invited to wander around, with very subtle bits of signage that encourage you to explore and investigate, essentially doing your own research as you explore. There are temporary exhibitions – there’s a David Bowie one on at the time of writing – but really it’s the building and the collection that are the heroes here.

Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke: This is What You Get
Until 18 January 2026 | Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

I’m really looking forward to visiting this in the next couple of weeks, as a Christmas treat – the exhibition of album artwork by Thom Yorke from Radiohead, and his longtime collaborator, Stanley Donwood (Donwood’s book There Will Be No Quiet is a corker). The Guardian gave the show a bashing, but the Independent loved it, and as a Radiohead fan I’m all in.

Secret Maps
Until 18 January | British Library

This will be another Christmas trip for me, the British Library’s major new exhibition revealing the stories hidden in some of history’s most mysterious maps.

Wes Anderson: The Archives
Until 26 July | Design Museum, London

This only opened last month, so there’s plenty of time to get along to see props, costumes and models from all of Wes Anderson’s films.

That’s a great selection to take us through into the New Year. Here’s what’s coming up in 2026 – exhibitions first, and at the end, a few talks and events.

I’ve Got It Covered – Lisa Sheehan
Monday 9 – Saturday 14 February 2026 | Coningsbury Gallery, London

“This exhibition celebrates the creative work of internationally renowned illustrator Lisa Sheehan, showcasing a curated selection of her editorial magazine covers. Sheehan has brought her distinctive artistic voice to more than 60 magazine titles worldwide, establishing a reputation for imaginative visual storytelling and finely crafted design. Her cover illustrations, known for their evocative detail and ability to capture the essence of contemporary editorial themes, highlight the important role of illustration in shaping the identity and cultural impact of magazines. This exhibition offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the breadth of Sheehan’s contribution to global publishing and the artistry behind the covers that inform and inspire.”

Tracey Emin
27 February to 31 August 2026 | Tate Modern, London

“This landmark exhibition traces 40 years of Emin’s groundbreaking practice, showcasing career-defining sensations alongside works never exhibited before. Through painting, video, textiles, neons, writing, sculpture, and installation, Emin continues to challenge boundaries, using the female body as a powerful tool to explore passion, pain, and healing.”

David Hockney
12 March to 31 August 2026 | Serpentine Gallery, London

I visited Hockney’s vast show at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris this year, and it was a real stunner, and I’m sure this will be fantastic too.

“One of the most influential artists of our time, David Hockney invites viewers to slow down and notice the extraordinary within the everyday in his first exhibition at Serpentine. Created specifically for this presentation, Hockney’s new paintings extend his lifelong fascination with the act of looking, affirming his belief that simple beauty is worth celebrating. The exhibition is conceived in close collaboration with the artist and brings Hockney’s celebrated ninety-metre-long frieze A Year in Normandy to London for the first time. Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, which will be on display at the British Museum in 2026, this monumental work captures the changing seasons at the artist’s former studio in Normandy.“ In the context of the exhibition at Serpentine, it opens a dialogue with the surrounding nature of Kensington Gardens.”

Murugiah: Ever Feel Like…
Opens May 2026 | Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, London

The inaugural show for the brand new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration couldn’t come at a more important time, with AI posing a tangible threat to the livelihoods of illustrators around the world.

“In his first solo exhibition, illustrator, artist and designer Murugiah brings together his eclectic love of Hollywood film, sci-fi, Japanese anime and 2000s era pop-punk to create a distinct display of his work. Murugiah: Ever Feel Like… will explore identity and mental health through vibrant prints, paintings and sketches that retain a surreal, sombre undertone.”

Holy Pop
21 May – 9 August | Somerset House, London

Somerset House shows can be a bit of a mixed bag, and there’s not much detail here on what will actually be on show, but it could be worth a punt.

“An interactive exploration of devotion, fandom and our fascination with pop culture. Step inside a colourful realm where devotion takes unexpected forms, as everyday objects reveal how admiration grows into shared identity. Personal treasures appear alongside inventive installations that chart the rituals through which fans express connection and care. Each piece hints at the values people project onto the figures who shape their lives, inviting visitors to consider how cultural icons influence belonging. Holy Pop! offers an energetic study of devotion in a fast-changing world, encouraging reflection on why these emotional attachments continue to matter for so many audiences today.”

Anish Kapoor
16 June – 18 October 2026 | Hayward Gallery, London

Okay, sure, Kapoor’s ArcelorMittal Orbit™ is a hideous carbuncle, and his purchasing of the exclusive art material rights for Vantablack was fairly douchey, but his 2009 show at the Royal Academy was pretty good, and his 2002 Marsyas installation in the Tate Modern turbine hall was utterly breathtaking. And the Hayward suits his work beautifully (he had a great show there in 1998). So I’m guessing this will be more than worth a visit.

“Bringing together the essential languages of Kapoor’s practice, this landmark exhibition focuses on the artist’s recent work alongside early seminal artworks.“

Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography
28 July – 4 October 2026 | Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

“Step into a century of American city life through photographs that capture the people who built, inhabited, and transformed urban spaces into living, breathing communities. The exhibition explores one hundred years of American urban life through the people who lived, worked, and moved through its streets. Featuring works by 34 influential photographers from 1907 to 2012, the exhibition traces how photography evolved alongside the modern city, capturing individuals and communities shaped by and shaping their environments.”

The 90s
1 October 2026 – 14 February 2027 | Tate Britain

How excited you are about this depends on how old you are. As a 20-something in the 90s, I’m hoping for a solid nostalgia hit, and a reminder of a time when everything wasn’t quite so relentlessly grim.

“Curated by former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful OBE, an image maker who has played a pivotal role in shaping fashion’s history, The 90s examines a seminal decade in which a groundswell of creativity changed the face of British culture. As the Cold War ended and Britain began to emerge from recession, a new dawn of optimism, freedom, and rebellion was ushered in, epitomised by a new generation of diverse creative talent. This sense of boundless opportunity resulted in art, design, fashion and music fusing into one potent cultural force, signalling an audacious renewal of British spirit. The exhibition explores how long-held hierarchies were dismantled, with high art and pop culture feeding into one another, and looks at the enduring influence of key figures who emerged from this time. The 90s brings together iconic images by photographers including Juergen Teller, Nick Knight, David Sims and Corrine Day. They will be shown alongside the work of artists like Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing, and Yinka Shonibare, as well as fashion collections by decade defining designers including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Hussein Chalayan.”

Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends
8 October 2026 – 31 January 2027 | National Portrait Gallery

“Tim Walker’s Fairyland is an exploration of queer identity, community, and love through the lens of one of Britain’s foremost photographers. Walker rose to prominence in the 1990s with his unique style of whimsical photography inspired by fairytales and adventures. He has photographed famous faces including Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga, Pet Shop Boys, Hunter Schafer, Miriam Margolyes and Frank Ocean, with his work featured in international magazines including Vogue, Vanity Fair, W, LOVE, Another Man and i-D. In preparation for this exhibition, he has spent the past five years photographing dozens of activists, performers, artists, and writers in his inimitable style. These new pictures are the result of Walker’s quest to connect with queer trailblazers in Britain and beyond. This exhibition will take visitors on a journey into Walker’s inner world – a vivid tapestry woven from his many inspirations and influences. Exuberant portraits and fantastical landscapes combine to create an unforgettable celebration. Walker’s creativity runs free, and his Fairyland is a place where everyone has the freedom to be themselves.”

Hokusai: Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji from the Iuchi Collection
20 October 2026 – 17 January 2027

“See the complete series of one of the most celebrated image cycles in art history, inviting visitors to experience Mount Fuji as Hokusai saw it nearly two centuries ago. The exhibition brings one of the world’s most iconic print series to London. Created between 1830 and 1833, the exhibition presents, for the first time in the UK, the complete set of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai, Japan’s most celebrated printmaker.”

A pretty fine selection of exhibitions for 2026 then.

And here are a few talks and events that are coming up in the first half of the year too.

Collective Power: Exploring the art and allure of collecting with David Pearson, Hugh Miller, Indiana Lawrence, Liz Mosley and The Local Type
Thursday 15 January, 7pm | St Bride Foundation, London

“From stickers and found lettering to ephemera and stories – Collective Power celebrates the creative energy behind collecting. This evening explores how collections shape our ways of seeing, making, and understanding the world. Each speaker will share their own unique approach to collecting and what these personal archives reveal about design, culture, and creativity. Across short 15-minute talks, our speakers will uncover what drives their collecting habits. Expect insights into how collections evolve, what they teach us, and the unexpected connections that emerge between objects, people, and stories. Whether you’re a designer, collector, or simply someone fascinated by what others notice and keep, Collective Power invites you to reflect on the things – and ideas – that we hold onto, and why.”

Multiplicity London
Thursday 5 February 2026, 5:30pm to 10pm | St James’s Church, Clerkenwell, London

I last went along to a Multiplicity evening back in 2019, and it was a fun, energetic evening of talks, curated by foil suppliers Foilco. It’s back in 2026 for its tenth birthday.

“A gathering for designers, studios and anyone working with visual ideas. It brings together people from across the creative community for an evening of talks, discussion and connection. The speakers are:
• Nils Leonard & Lisa Smith | Uncommon Creative Studio
• Kirsty Carter & Emma Thomas | A Practice for Everyday Life
• Joseph Lebus | Porto Rocha”

Creative Encounters: The Londoners’ Printing Press
Wednesday 4 March, 6pm | Southbank Centre, London

“Creative Encounters is delighted to welcome back Theo Hersey for an evening of collaboration, inks and prints as together we create The Londoner’s Printing Press, a one-time experiment in communal print-making. Draw and carve your own letterpress blocks to contribute to the printing tray, before using your blocks and those of others to create beautiful, text-based prints.”

Ged Palmer
Wednesday 15 April 2026 | Letter Exchange, The Art Workers’ Guild

Letter Exchange brings together practitioners in all forms of lettering arts – calligraphy, lettercutting, typography and design – and hosts monthly lectures at The Art Workers’ Guild. The talks are always interesting, and the venue is just around the corner from The Queen’s Larder, where conversation generally continues over a pint or two.

“Join award-winning lettering artist Ged Palmer as he discusses his journey from lettering artist, signwriter to visual artist and designer.”

Jane Parker – The Signmakers of Old London
Wednesday 17 June 2026 | Letter Exchange, The Art Workers’ Guild

“Jane is an independent tour guide, a Londonphile, graphic designer and typographer, who is especially interested in signage for bygone brands and businesses – today often known as ghostsigns. These old ads can appear in many forms, whether as carved and gilded shop fascias, hand-painted advertisements applied directly onto brick walls, or logos forged within metal. For this presentation Jane will focus on the sign makers themselves, the multi-skilled artisans whose handiwork still overlooks and enhances our busy modern streets.”