Published: Wednesday, 4th June 2025
A major national art exhibition has opened in Stoke-on-Trent as the city celebrates its Centenary year.
Stoke-on-Trent has been chosen as the first place in the UK to host an outdoor exhibition by The National Gallery.
The exhibition has seen 15 famous masterpieces from the world-famous London gallery printed at life-size and installed in Bethesda Gardens, opposite The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.
It is a huge cultural coup for Stoke-on-Trent, and a reflection of its unique cultural heritage. Not only is it a World Craft City but also an Arts Council priority area and one of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s heritage places.
The National Gallery is one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world, housing a collection of paintings from the late 13th to the early 20th century.
The exhibition in Stoke-on-Trent is part of the Art On Your Doorstep project, which will see villages, towns and cities partner with the gallery to bring a selection of its art to outdoor public spaces for anyone to enjoy without being restricted by opening hours or entry fees.
These will include:
- Renaissance Masters such as Caravaggio’s Boy bitten by a Lizard.
- The stunning candlelight painting, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump by Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’.
- Impressionist legends such as Claude Monet’s The Water-Lily Pond and Georges Seurat’s Bathers at Asnières.
- JMW Turner’s dramatic Rain, Steam, and Speed - The Great Western Railway in this bicentenary year of the steam-powered locomotive.
The exhibition opens on Wednesday, 4 June and runs until 7, January 2026.
Head of Exhibitions at The National Gallery, Alexandra Kavanagh says: 'We are delighted to be working with Stoke-On-Trent City Council on The National Gallery: Art On Your Doorstep project as we close our bicentenary year and they commence their centenary celebrations. Being able to bring masterpieces from the nation's collection to the local area, outside and free to view, is a wonderful demonstration of the historic and contemporary importance of art in everyday life.
Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “We’re so proud to be chosen to team up with the world-renowned National Gallery to showcase some of their collection outside in our city during our centenary year.
“Residents will be able to enjoy a relaxing stroll through the beautiful Bethesda Gardens and pause to enjoy work by famous artists.
“Coming face-to-face with a piece of art is the best way to experience it. Art On Your Doorstep is going to open these paintings to such a wide audience.”
The National Gallery: Art On Your Doorstep is organised by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in collaboration with the National Gallery, London.
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