Hull Museums and Ferens Art Gallery have announced an exciting exhibition programme for 2025.
The new programme begins at the Ferens on Friday 14 February with an exhibition exploring stories of women and the sea from around the world. Featuring works by Pre-Raphaelite superstars John William Waterhouse, Evelyn De Morgan and Edward Burne-Jones alongside contemporary works, Sirens: Women and the Sea explores the story behind the siren, mythological female creatures whose song lured sailors to their deaths.
The exhibition will also showcase new music from folk musician and Ferens Artist in Residence Maddie Morris. Maddie has taken inspiration from the characters in the Ferens’ Ulysses and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper. Working with community groups, the sirens and Ulysses have been given contemporary voices and tell a new ‘Siren Song’. Visitors will be able to listen to the new songs at the exhibition.
To accompany Sirens: Women and the Sea, the Future Ferens group have responded with an exhibition exploring artistic responses to the story of the Sirens. The Future Ferens are a group of 18–25-year-old volunteers who are artists, future curators, and creatives. Their exhibition, Sirens: Out of the Blue, showcases a series of works created by the Future Ferens exploring themes of gender, myth, and depictions of the siren in recent history.
Autumn 2025 will see the work of amateur and professional artists celebrated in the annual Open Exhibition. Running since 1967, the Open sponsored by the Friends of the Ferens and BSB Architecture, provides an exciting opportunity for artists to display and sell artwork. Further details of how artists can submit work for the 2025 Open is available at www.FerensOpen.co.uk.
Young artists will also have the chance to display their artwork in the gallery during the autumn in the Young Artist Open Exhibition, with competition prizes sponsored by Friends of the Ferens and the Arts Society Hull and East Riding. The exhibition is open to children aged 15 and under with a huge variety of work, from paintings and drawings, to pastels, collage, and prints submitted each year. Further details on how to enter are available on the Hull Museums and Ferens Art Gallery website.
Over at the Streetlife Museum, the year begins with an exhibition exploring over 100 years of the Polish community in Hull. The exhibition titled Czesc Hull to my!: Hi Hull it’s us will be presented in Polish and English. This exhibition opens 29 March and runs until 29 June.
In the summer, the decade that saw glam rock bands, sunshine holidays and great British TV shows mixed with rising inflation, power cuts and endless strikes will be the focus of the Glam and Gloom Britain in the 1970s exhibition.
In autumn, Streetlife exhibitions will feature local archaeology and art created with Case Training.
At Wilberforce House, modern slavery in Hull and the people working to tackle it will be the focus of the Uncovering Modern Slavery exhibition in February. The summer slot will showcase projects by members of the Hull Curriculum Schools project and in the autumn the popular Echoes of our Heritage exhibition exploring the rich history of Black music will go back on display.
Cllr Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure said: “I’m really excited by the 2025 programme and the fantastic variety of exhibitions and events on offer from Hull Museums.
“With the first-class free facilities we’re lucky to have at Hull Museums, I already know it will prove to be an incredibly popular year for residents and visitors.”
Jane Avison, Museums and Gallery Manager at Hull Culture and Leisure Ltd (HCAL) said: “Following a really successful 2024, we can’t wait to get started with this year’s fantastic programme.”
The events programme will include three large scale events including Festival of Archaeology, the ever-popular Victorian Christmas, as well as Colliderfest, a new four-day science and arts extravaganza, created in partnership with the University of Hull, Hull Maritime and Hull City Council.
Alongside the large-scale events there will be a programme of talks, tours, workshops and family activities to accompany the exhibitions alongside regular events throughout the year and school holidays. Full details can be found at www.HullMuseums.co.uk
Hull Museums and Ferens Art Gallery are open Monday-Saturday 10am-4.30pm and Sunday 11am-4pm, entry is free. Find out more at www.HullMuseums.co.uk
