For further information about any of the events below and to book tickets
please click on the link:
https://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/museum-events?page=1&location=Ferens%20Art%20Gallery%20#events
2026 Events at the Ferens Art Gallery
Workshops, Exhibitions and Events.
David Bowie: On Tour Exhibition 2028
Paper Lamps Workshop
with Alex Bennett
Saturday 11th July 2026 Ticketed, £69
Join professional paper artist and illustrator Alex Bennett for a hands-on creative workshop making a 3D paper lamp. In this session, participants will construct a beautifully detailed paper lamp, designed in elegant white paper. All components will be provided, with opportunities to personalise your creation through optional backdrops and architectural additions. The workshop also offers the opportunity to complete simple soldering to install the light source.
The Wonders of Moominvalley
on now until Sunday 6th September 2026
This immersive celebration honours Tove’s enduring creativity, warmth, and imagination.
Indigo Moon- Shadow Puppet Theatre
Wednesday 29th July 2026 11.00a.m. Ticketed, £15
Image credit: Bradford Museums
Join the Ferens for a shadow-puppet making workshop with shadow puppeteer Anna from the acclaimed Indigo Moon Theatre as we celebrate the world of Moomins at Ferens Art Gallery this summer! Anna will guide you through the process of making your own Moomin-inspired shadow puppets out of card in this interactive session.
All materials will be provided. The workshop is recommended for ages 6+. All children must be accompanied by their grown-ups, who are encouraged to have some creative fun too!
At the end of the session, puppets can meet each other and have a play before going home with you for further adventures!
Based in Hull, Indigo Moon Theatre are an award-winning children’s shadow-puppet theatre company that have toured nationally and internationally since 2001.
My Pockets- Moomins animation workshop with Peter Snelling
Tuesday 11th August 2026 1.00p.m. Ticketed, £15
Join the Ferens Art Gallery this summer as award-winning animators My Pockets help you make your own mini stop-motion animation capturing the magic of Moomins! The team will guide you through the process from start to finish in this interactive workshop, as you create your own animation inspired by Tove Jansson’s iconic stories.
All materials will be provided. This workshop is recommended for children aged 6+, all children must be accompanied by a grown-up. Everyone is welcome and no prior skills or knowledge are required, just fun and creativity needed!
Based in East Yorkshire, My Pockets is an award-winning film production company and arts organisation working across animation, film, music, print and more.
Shadow Box workshop with Alex Bennett
Wednesday 19th August 2026 1.00p.m. Ticketed, £15
Join professional paper artist and illustrator Alex Bennett at Ferens Art Gallery for this hands-on workshop inspired by the wonderful world of Moomins!
Alex will guide you through the process of making your own shadow-box, cutting out intricate paper designs inspired by Tove Jansson’s iconic stories.
All materials will be provided and you will be able to take your shadow-box home at the end of the session. We would recommend this workshop for ages 6 and above, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Mischief and Mystery in Moominvalley
Saturday 22nd August 2026 11.00a.m. Ticketed, £10
The gallery is delighted to welcome theatre company “Get Lost and Found” to the Ferens Art Gallery this summer, presenting: Mischief and Mystery in Moominvalley. Based on the much-loved Moominland novels by Tove Jansson, this gentle heart-warming show tells the story of a year in Moominvalley. Moomintroll wakes up in the middle of winter with a “something- wrong -feeling”. There’s no sign of his good friend Snufkin, or the note Snufkin left him. As winter turns to Spring Snufkin returns, the days lengthen into a lazy summer and “the sea brings them all the adventures they could wish for”. Autumn barges in and Snufkin leaves once more for the Lonely Mountains.
Each section of the story has an interactive element; audience members have a snowball fight, toast marshmallows around a fire and go sea-swimming. The characters of Moomintroll, Snufkin, Little My and Thingummy & Bob are brought to life with 2D rod puppets and life size 3D puppets. The show uses beautiful original music and songs, and pre-recorded narration. The iconic Tove Jansson illustrations are recreated in a magical pop up book.
The show was created in consultation with Sophia Jansson, Tove’s niece, and echoes the books’ themes: the love of nature, the value of friendship, the pain of separation and the acceptance of difference.
The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour
Image: Claude Monet The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil 1872 Oil on canvas, 52.6 x 71.8 cm
© The National Gallery, London
On now until Sunday 13th September 2026
Free, drop-in
Monet’s masterpiece, The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), will go on display at the gallery as part of The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour 2025 – 27. The artwork will form part of an exhibition co-curated with Flourish, Ferens Art Gallery’s creative group for children and young people, organised with and for disabled and neurodivergent visitors. Together, they will create a multi-sensory immersive space that is an olfactory, acoustic and tactile experience.
Immersive Music and Sound Experience –
In the Shadow of a Monet
Sunday 9th August 2026 • Ticketed, £69
Step in to the Monet exhibition as the space becomes exclusively yours for this special session.
This unique experience gives you the chance to benefit from the healing power of both music and sound. Sit back as professional musicians, Meridian Music take you through a journey incorporating live improvised music on the flute and harp alongside sound healing instruments and electronic soundscapes. Each sound is carefully designed to encourage your nervous system to enter a deep state of rest and relaxation.
Come comfortably dressed with layers, and bring along a yoga mat if you have one.
Event times – 11.30pm-1.00pm and 1.45pm-3.15pm
For further details and to book tickets follow the link below:
https://www.hullmuseums.co.uk/museum-events/immersive-music-and-sound-experience-in-the-shadow-of-a-monet
David Bowie Highlights Tour to visit Ferens Art Gallery
in early 2028 as part of V&A national tour
Mick Rock, still of ‘John, I’m Only Dancing’ music video © Mick Rock 1973, 2026. Courtesy of the Estate of Mick Rock.
Ferens Art Gallery will host a landmark national tour from the V&A, celebrating the creativity and enduring cultural impact of
David Bowie
Bringing together 100 highlights from the V&A’s David Bowie archive – many that have never been on public display before – David Bowie: On Tour will travel to venues across the UK across multiple years, visiting Hull early 2028.
The tour marks the first time highlights from David Bowie’s archive have been shared on this scale across the UK, outside of London, bringing Bowie’s story and creative imagination to new audiences across the country.
Cllr Jackie Dad, deputy leader of Hull City Council and portfolio holder for culture, said:
“It is incredibly exciting to announce that in 2028, the Ferens Art Gallery will host David Bowie: On Tour, in partnership with the V&A. Hull has a legendary connection to David Bowie through the Spiders from Mars, and the mark they left on music history. David Bowie: On Tour builds on the momentum of the Ferens centenary celebrations in 2027 and reflects Hull’s long-standing contribution to music and culture. It is part of the city’s continued ambition to strengthen its profile as a world class music destination that belongs on the global stage.”
In November 2027, Ferens Art Gallery will mark its 100th anniversary with an ambitious, two-year centenary programme that places art, creativity and cultural connection at the heart of Hull. Spanning 2027–2028, the celebrations will showcase the gallery’s world-class collections, deliver major national partnerships, and invite audiences of all ages to experience art in new and inspiring ways.
At the centre of this landmark programme the David Bowie: On Tour will become a major cultural moment set to draw visitors from across the UK and beyond.
Kerri Offord, Curator of Art at Ferens Art Gallery, said: “We are incredibly excited to bring the story of David Bowie to Hull. It will be a fantastic opportunity for visitors to experience his iconic style, sound and lyrics through an eclectic array of objects. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Bowie while exploring objects that tell the story of his artistry and the man behind the many personas. For the people of Hull this will also be a truly unique experience as we explore the early years of Bowie’s career with the Spiders from Mars, and the many stories and connections in the region.”
Click on the link below for further details:
What’s on – Hull Museums and Galleries
The History of the Humber Ferry –
Hull History Hour Talk
Saturday 1st August 2026 at 1.00p.m. Ticketed £5.00
Join local historian and YouTuber Jamie Topliss-Yates (aka Hull History Nerd) to discover the history of the Humber Ferry. There has been a ferry across the Humber since Roman times, but the three steam ferries run by British Rail that crossed the river right up until the end of the 1970s are the ones that people remember fondly!
There will also be an opportunity at the end of the talk for a Q&A.
Booking essential
Hull’s Town Walls – Hull History Hour Talk
Saturday 5th September 2026 at 1.00p.m. Ticketed £5.00
Join local historian and YouTuber Jamie Topliss-Yates (aka Hull History Nerd) to discover the history of Hull’s town walls. The talk will explore the story of some of the earliest brick town walls in Europe, and their ignominious end as they made way for Hull’s entry into the Industrial Revolution. There will also be an opportunity at the end of the talk for a Q&A.
Booking essential
Hull’s Musical Heritage – Hull History Hour Talk
Saturday 3rd October 2026 at 1.30p.m. Ticketed £5.00
Join local historian Paul Schofield to discover the history of Hull’s musical heritage. This talk will explore the city’s composers, performers, venues and famous gigs.
Booking essential
Hull and East Yorkshire Deaf Centre
Centenary Exhibition
Friday 30th October – Sunday 24th January 2027
In June 1926, the custom built Hull and East Yorkshire Deaf Centre was opened for the first time by Thomas Ferens. For a hundred years the building has been the heart of Hull’s Deaf community and the exhibition will feature photographs, stories and a film telling the story of the community over the last century.
Free, drop-in
As part of the Scarborough 400 celebrations, we invite you to step back in time and take part in a special Sunday Promenade on Scarborough’s historic South Cliff.
For this unique community event participants are encouraged to dress in Victorian or Edwardian-style costume to help recreate the elegance and spectacle of a traditional seaside promenade.
Gather outside the Beeforth’s Hive on the Esplanade at 11am, before making your way — by whatever route you choose — through South Cliff Gardens and down to Scarborough Spa (route maps will be provided).
A group photograph will be taken in the Italian Gardens at approximately 11:15am, capturing the colour and spirit of the occasion. On arrival at the Spa, participants will be welcomed with a traditional glass of lemon barley water in the Platinum Lounge.
Central Tramway cliff railway are offering free rides for anyone in period costume.
Register now for what promises to be one of the highlights of the Scarborough 400 calendar.
Registration: £10 per person Children and carers: Free
Advance booking required http://scbo.co.uk
THE FRIENDS OF THE FERENS ART GALLERY
Please click the link below to view a detailed explanation of the Friends and the role of the Friends Trustees
FoFAG structure 3-fold contacts
