York Hosts the 20th Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition

The Aesthetica Art Prize is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and York is right at the centre of the action. Since its launch in 2006, this prize has grown into a major international platform for contemporary art, and with York being a UNESCO City of Media Arts, it feels like the perfect home for it. This year's flagship exhibition, titled States of Becoming, has just opened at the York Art Gallery, running from 17 July 2026 through to 15 November 2026. You can find it in the Upper North gallery on the first floor, and the best part is that it is included in the gallery's general admission.

The exhibition features work from 20 shortlisted artists chosen from a massive longlist of 175 artists representing over 60 countries. The pieces on display cover everything from photography and film to digital media, painting, and installations. The themes are pretty heavy-hitting, tackling things like the climate crisis, new technologies, identity, and colonial histories. Some of the standouts include Felipe Castelblanco’s Tunda: A Quantic Plant and the Devil's Breath, which looks at our relationship with nature, and Claudia Behrensen’s dystopian piece Sacred Bond. There are also striking works exploring identity and memory, like DIVA’s Memoria 2020 and Magid Magid’s Faith Amongst the Ruins.

If you want to get involved beyond just looking at the art, York Art Gallery has a busy lineup of events running alongside the exhibition. From today, 18 July, until 6 September 2026, there are daily 'Draw and Discover' sessions and 'Art Shot Talks' at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, both included with your admission ticket. There are also weekend 'Open Studio: Make and Play' sessions starting today. For something more hands-on, you can book onto specific workshops like the Sketchbook Circle on 22 July for £5, or a life drawing session on 25 July for £15.

While the main hub is here in York, the 20th-anniversary celebrations are also spreading across North Yorkshire with partner exhibitions. You can find regional shows at Skipton Town Hall, the Mercer Gallery in Harrogate, and both the Scarborough Art Gallery and Woodend Gallery in Scarborough. It is a great excuse to plan a day trip over the summer to see how different spaces are marking this milestone.