UK City of Culture 2021: The 8 Best Free Exhibitions To Visit
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Coventry is the UK City of Culture for 2021, and there are plenty of free exhibitions you can visit with your friends!
The city is filled with stunning art and history, with loads of cool events on offer to start the year off with a bang.
Our fabulous luxury student accommodation is situated in key locations, just a short distance away from the hotspots of the city!
We’ve done some research and found 8 of the best free exhibitions to visit this summer, bound to inspire and entertain.
Let’s take a look.
1. Coventry: Lost, Found, Imagined
Holy Trinity Church
Taking place from the 1st – 3rd July 2021, Coventry’s “Lost, Found, Imagined” has transformed a space in Coventry’s iconic Holy Trinity Church.
Including 4 artists from Coventry, Photographer John Whitmore, Illustrator Emma O’Brien, Artist Anita Sunger, and Amanda Glanville (maker of tiny glass stuff.)
Enjoy large-scale photographs of Coventry that have been transformed into sculptures and see if you can recognise the places around the city.
Click here to find out more about this fab exhibition and get ready to learn more about the city you’re studying in!
2. Life On The Breadline
Coventry Cathedral
This challenging new exhibition was a project which began in 2018, led by researchers from Coventry University, the University of Manchester, and the Queen’s Foundation.
It features photographs from Life on the Breadline’s grassroots case studies in Birmingham, London and Manchester which challenges the way we think about poverty in the UK.
The free, poignant exhibition runs from the 3rd-28th July, and we’d recommend you give this one a visit.
Click here to get tickets.
3. Radford Bubbles
Jubilee Crescent Community Centre
It’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives significantly, with many key changes we’ve had to make.
One of those changes is having our support bubble, which is what Radford Bubbles focuses on in this event.
Photographer Frank Monks leads a group of local photographers to capture group photos of you and your bubble in a purpose-built studio.
You’ll be able to keep this photo as a digital copy, where you can print it off and keep it as a memory.
This unique opportunity highlights the importance of friends and family coming together!
Click here to find out more.
4. Lunchtime Organ Music With Alessandro Bianchi
Coventry Cathedral
Wanting to be a little classy to celebrate Coventry’s City of Culture 2021 gain? Why not listen to some beautiful organ music by Alessandro Bianchi.
Taking place in Coventry Cathedral, every Monday from May 17th to October 18th there is a free 30-minute recital.
The incredible organ has 5000 pipes and is a sight to see if you’ve got a spare half an hour in between lectures!
Click here to book tickets and find out more about the event.
5. No Colour No Contrast: Exhibition
Blue Door Gallery
Celebrating Coventry as the City of Culture for 2021, this exhibition is a new project by Coventry-based textile artist Theo Wright.
It explores a stunning textile design with contrasting lines and curves, with earlier work from the artist and handwoven scarves for sale.
This exhibition is perfect for those who are into textiles, or for those who just want a nice relaxing visit to Blue Door Gallery.
We’d thoroughly recommend it! Click here for more information and tickets.
6. Lunchtime Organ Music With Mark Swinton
Coventry Cathedral
Get yourselves to another lunchtime organ music session with Mark Swinton at Coventry Cathedral for some more beautiful music.
Stop by on your lunch for a mix of modern and ancient organ music from a series of world-renowned artists.
Click here for your ticket to hear Mark Swinton work his magic!
7. The Walk
This is exactly why Coventry is the City of Culture for 2021, they have such amazing local artists and performers!
The Walk is an international arts festival with Little Amal, a 3.5-metre-tall puppet that will travel through Coventry, a city of kindness.
The journey will be around 8,000km to raise awareness of the refugee crisis, which is something that needs to be addressed and spoken about more.
She will walk for all the children, many separated from their families so that we don’t forget the challenges they have faced.
Tickets currently aren’t on sale, but keep your eye out on this link for more information on tickets and more about the event.
8. In Paint We Trust
The WATCH Centre, 12 Victoria St, Coventry CV1 5LZ
Coventry University’s Bishopsgate Student Accommodation
Running from Saturday 15th May 2021 – to Sunday 1st May 2022, In Paint, We Trust will see new artwork in certain spaces across the city.
Artists will be given opportunities to animate along pathways and walls, giving you plenty of chances to explore.
It gives artists the freedom to tell stories that are important to the city through creativity.
Click here for more information on this amazing art!
We hope you found some inspiration for these amazing City of Culture 2021 events, it’s safe to say there are plenty of free ones which is a total bonus. Coventry is a city filled with talent, art, and rich history – so why wouldn’t you want to study in this incredible place? Students, are you after some top tips on how to overcome presentation nerves? Check out our blog here for all the best top tips!
