Six major cities across the UK will feature a new exhibition dedicated to the Grenfell tragedy over the next three years.
12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen’s film installation, Grenfell, made in response to the 2017 fire in which 72 people perished, will be shown in public art galleries opening at Tramway in Glasgow this spring.
It will then travel to Chapter in Cardiff, The MAC in Belfast, The Box in Plymouth, Tate Liverpool, and Midland Arts Centre in Birmingham.
On 14 June 2017, a blaze broke out in the 24-storey block, claiming 72 lives including 18 children. It began with a faulty fridge but became the worst structural fire in Britain since the Blitz.
Six months later, the Oscar-winning London-born artist and filmmaker made the artwork in response to the fire. He filmed the building before it was covered in hoarding, in a bid to create a record that would ensure it was not forgotten.
“I knew once the tower was covered up, it would start to leave people’s minds,” he said. “I was determined that it never be forgotten.”
Last year, a damning final report concluded that all deaths were preventable and that the building had been coated in flammable cladding as a result of “systematic dishonesty”. A criminal investigation is ongoing.
Families and survivors lashed out at the long delay to hold anyone to account, as the Crown Prosecution Service warned that any criminal charges are unlikely to be brought until the end of 2026.
Grenfell was first presented at Serpentine in London’s Kensington Gardens in 2023. Its public display followed a period of private viewings, prioritising bereaved families and survivors. The work was then placed in the care of Tate and London Museum.
The national tour is being coordinated by Tate in collaboration with the partner venues and is made possible thanks to support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and from Art Fund.
Each presentation will be free to visit and will be accompanied by a public engagement programme of talks, workshops and community events supported by the Grenfell Foundation.
Dates for the installations are listed below
Tramway, Glasgow, in partnership with The Common Guild
8 – 23 March 2025
Chapter, Cardiff
10 May – 15 June 2025
The MAC, Belfast
17 July – 21 September 2025
The Box, Plymouth
In 2026. Dates to be announced
Tate Liverpool
In 2026-27. Dates to be announced
Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham
In 2027. Dates to be announced
