British Art Show

The British Art Show (BAS) is a major survey exhibition organised every five years to showcase contemporary British Art. Each time it is organised, the show tours to four UK cities. It has become so large that it usually requires a number of venues in each city to accommodate it. As a snapshot of contemporary British Art, the exhibition has some equivalence to the biennial exhibitions of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

The exhibition is normally curated by two or three people who are appointed for their knowledge of contemporary art. Previously these had been artists and critics, but more recently they have been curators.

The 1990 show caused controversy as it did not include any Scottish artists, even though it opened in Glasgow as part of the city's European Capital of Culture programme.

The 1995 show, curated by Richard Cork, Rose Finn-Kelcey and Thomas Lawson, was highly regarded as it spotlighted the emergence of the Young British Artists.

The 2000 show was selected by Jacqui Poncelet, Pippa Coles and Matthew Higgs, and included more than 50 artists.

The 2005 BAS, curated by Andrea Schlieker and Alex Farquharson, included a large number of artists born outside the UK. As the exhibition opened at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, concern was voiced that few of the artists came from the North East of England. BAS 6 was in Baltic, Gateshead until Jan 8. It then travelled to Manchester (Jan 28-April 2), Nottingham (April 22-June 25) and Bristol (July 15-Sept 17)

The British Art Show is widely recognised as the most ambitious and influential exhibition of contemporary British art. Organised by Hayward Touring, it takes place every five years and tours to four different cities across the UK. Its seventh incarnation opened in Nottingham, and toured for the first time in 20 years to the Hayward Gallery at Southbank Centre, followed by venues in Glasgow and Plymouth. It was curated by Lisa Le Feuvre and Tom Morton.

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