October Gallery presents a special conversation with James Barnor, the internationally acclaimed photographer whose pioneering work has helped shape the history of African photography.

In discussion with curator Eleri Fanshawe, Barnor will reflect on a remarkable career spanning more than seven decades and share insights into the images that have established him as one of the most influential photographers of his generation.

The talk will take place on the ground floor of the gallery.

Join us for a special opportunity to explore the exhibition Poetic Threads at October Gallery with exhibiting artist Xanthe Somers, and curator Eleri Fanshawe. Following the walkthrough, families will then have the opportunity to sit and make together, creating your own artwork inspired by Somers’ bright ceramic vessels.

Please note: this event is first-come, first-served, and when we are at capacity, we have a one in one out policy.

A 20 page full colour catalogue to accompany the exhibition Sokari Douglas Camp CBE: Fashion & Fortune Catalogue with an interview by Gerard Houghton.

Rise is the first solo museum exhibition by LR Vandy, created for The Weston Gallery at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Working with rope and found materials, Vandy explores power dynamics, cultural traditions and the legacies of international trade through large-scale, materially resonant installations.

Rise is the first solo museum exhibition by LR Vandy, created for The Weston Gallery at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Working with rope and found materials, Vandy explores power dynamics, cultural traditions and the legacies of international trade through large-scale, materially resonant installations. Outside the gallery, visitors encounter Dancing in Time: The Ties That Bind Us, a monumental five-metre rope monolith originally commissioned by National Museums Liverpool and previously presented on Liverpool’s historic dockside. The work extends Vandy’s investigation into connection, labour and collective histories.

Spanning 125 years of Black music-making in Britain, The Music is Black: A British Story explores how Black British music has profoundly shaped the nation’s cultural landscape. Bringing together stories from across four continents and 12 decades, the exhibition traces narratives of creativity, resilience and innovation.

Included in the exhibition are works by Sokari Douglas Camp CBE and LR Vandy, whose practices engage with histories of heritage, dance and cultural expression.

For nearly fifty years, October Gallery Trust has nurtured and promoted extraordinary artists from a multitude of cultures, decades before it became common practice. It has historically been valued as a nexus of artistic, intellectual and ecological collaboration, aligned to a prolific cross-cultural educational programme.

Your support will help us continue offering individuals and communities a welcoming, globally minded oasis. Help preserve our historic Bloomsbury Gallery as a sanctuary for creativity, ecology and education.