2026 LEEDS SUMMER GROUP SHOW
Leeds Summer Group Show is an open call exhibition founded in 2015. What began as a small independent project has grown into an annual showcase, bringing together emerging and established artists from across the UK and offering a snapshot of contemporary practice. We’re pleased to return to Leeds Playhouse, a vibrant cultural venue in the heart of the city. With its commitment to creativity, accessibility and community, it provides an ideal setting for this diverse and wide-ranging exhibition.
The 2026 exhibition runs from 1–30 May and forms part of Situation Leeds, a city-wide programme taking place across two weeks in May, situating the show within a broader celebration of contemporary art and culture. Many of the works featured are available to purchase, offering an opportunity to support artists directly and to begin or develop a collection. For enquiries, please use the online contact form.
THE SELECTION PANEL
Diane Howse is an artist, curator and gallerist with extensive experience developing exhibitions and artist-led initiatives. She founded the Harewood Contemporary programme and was a co-founder of Project Space Leeds, which later became Yorkshire Contemporary. Diane has held key roles at Spacex Gallery in Exeter and Watershed in Bristol, and continues to work closely with Harewood House on its contemporary programme. Her own work has been widely exhibited, and she remains actively engaged in the arts nationally and across Yorkshire through a range of trustee and advisory roles.
Olivia Stross is a trustee of the Leeds Art Fund and organises their events programme. After returning to Yorkshire to serve as a funding officer for Yorkshire Arts, Olivia later worked as a freelance arts consultant with clients including Arts Council England, local authorities, arts organisations and individual artists. She studied Art History at the University of Nottingham and was a founding trustee of Pyramid, the Leeds based inclusive arts collective
Courtney Spencer is an Australian artist and curator based in Yorkshire. She founded the Leeds Summer Group Show in 2015 and, in 2022, established The Art Court, a curatorial platform supporting artists and collectors across the North. She has curated over 40 exhibitions and worked with more than 500 artists, and has delivered projects with the National Trust, British Library, Leeds Museums & Galleries, Leeds Playhouse, The Mercer in Harrogate, Light Night Leeds, Rushbond and Eye Room.