There have been art exhibitions at Bluecoat since 1908 when a painting by the French Impressionist Monet was included in a group show, followed in 1911 by a Post-Impressionist exhibition that featured works by Picasso and Cézanne, alongside artists from Liverpool.
This history is documented in an ongoing list that provides information on as many shows we have been able to verify, some 500 to date. The entries, giving details such as titles, names of artists, dates and in some cases short descriptions of the exhibition, have recently been updated.
There are still gaps in the history, mainly in Bluecoat's early years as an arts centre and between the Wars. We would love to hear from you if you have information that will help identify these missing exhibitions.
Image: Alexis Teplin's Bluecoat exhibition It's My Pleasure to Participate, 2019-20. Photo by Mark Blower.