Southampton City Art Gallery to Reopen in March 2026 with Major Exhibition by Emma Richardson
Southampton City Art Gallery will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday 7 March 2026, following a successful and extensive refurbishment programme that has restored and modernised one of the city’s most treasured cultural landmarks.
To mark the reopening, the gallery will host a major solo exhibition by acclaimed British artist Emma Richardson, titled “Levitate Me: Desire, Ecstasy and The Sublime.” The exhibition will feature a striking new series of oil paintings that continue Richardson’s exploration of desire, euphoria, and the awe-inspiring natural world through a female lens.
This homecoming exhibition holds particular significance for the artist, who was born and raised in Southampton and remains closely connected to the city’s creative scene. A frequent visitor to the gallery, Richardson has also selected works from the gallery’s permanent collection to be displayed alongside her own, creating a dialogue between contemporary and historic voices.
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.”
Alongside Richardson’s exhibition, the reopening will also include a rich series of new and redisplayed artworks drawn from the city’s nationally recognised collection. Highlights include:
• Masterpieces from the gallery’s internationally renowned collection, with the public invited to help select which works go on display;
• A showcase of new acquisitions entering the city’s collection for the first time;
• A display of rarely seen works on paper, digitised and made available online through the Arts Council England (ACE)-supported Unlocking Collections project;
• A photographic record of the refurbishment captured by award-winning Southampton-based architectural photographer Joe Low.
The extensive refurbishment project ensures that both the Grade II* listed Civic Centre building and the nationally significant art collection are preserved for future generations. The work was supported by a £2.23 million grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), administered by Arts Council England.
Councillor Alex Winning, Leader of the Council, said the reopening marked an important milestone in Southampton’s cultural story:
“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, also welcomed the announcement:
“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.”
The gallery’s reopening marks a major moment for the city’s cultural landscape, promising renewed access to its extensive art holdings and a fresh platform for local and national talent.
