Southampton City Art Gallery is getting ready to reopen in March 2026

Southampton City Art Gallery will reopen on Saturday 7 March 2026 after a successful refurbishment programme. As part of a series of exciting new displays, the opening exhibition will be by acclaimed British artist Emma Richardson

‘Levitate Me: Desire, Ecstasy and The Sublime’ is a major solo exhibition of new work which will feature a striking series of oil paintings that continue Richardson’s exploration of desire, euphoria, and the awe-inspiring natural world through a female lens. 

This exhibition holds particular significance in Southampton, where Richardson was born and lived for much of her life. A regular visitor to the gallery, Richardson has selected works from the city’s collection, to be shown alongside her own, highlighting both the influence and relevance of specific artists, and creating a dialogue between contemporary and historic voices.

The rest of the reopening displays will feature: 

• Highlights from our internationally renowned collection, with an opportunity for the general public to choose artworks for display. Please watch our social media channels for more details
• A diverse selection of artworks that have most recently been added into the city’s collection, on display in the gallery for the first time
• A rich display of rarely seen works on paper that have been digitised and made available online during the gallery’s temporary closure, as part of the Arts Council England (ACE) supported Unlocking Collections project
• Photographs of the refurbishment programme by award winning Southampton-based architectural photographer Joe Low

The completion of the refurbishment work ensures that this part of the Grade II* listed Civic Centre and the nationally important art collection are preserved for current and future generations. A grant of £2.23 million was received from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), which is administered by the ACE. 

Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of the Council, said: “After a lot of hard work and a complex refurbishment programme I’m really excited that we will be reopening in March next year!  We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors back to our beautiful Art Gallery – all part of creating a vibrant cultural destination.  

“We are honoured that our opening exhibition is by an artist born right here in our city. It’s great to be able to play a small part in supporting Emma Richardson’s artistic journey, alongside her successful musical career - and is just one example of the amazing talent we have right here in Southampton.”  

Phil Gibby, Area Director, Arts Council England, South West, said: “This is fantastic news for Southampton - a place of strategic importance to Arts Council England, and where communities can now reconnect with their local gallery and learn from the stories and objects that shape their city. I’m especially pleased to see the re-opening marked by an exhibition from an artist who has been supported through our Developing Your Creative Practice programme. 

“We’re proud to have invested in the Gallery’s transformation through the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and our Unlocking Collections programme, helping to make its significant collections fully accessible to all. I look forward to witnessing the positive impacts this new chapter brings.” 

Emma Richardson, said: “Southampton is my hometown and I have many fond memories of creating music and art here, as well as performing and exhibiting in the city. I frequently visit the gallery and have always been inspired by the exhibition programme and extraordinary permanent collection. To be showing my paintings in this magnificent space is an absolute honour and I am thrilled to be the first artist invited to exhibit at the gallery after the refurbishment.”