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Goldsmiths Degree Show 2026: dates, venue, and what to expect

Goldsmiths is the New Cross art school behind Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, Lucian Freud's youngest students, and most of the Young British Artist generation. Its annual Fine Art Degree Show is one of the more conceptually charged shows in the UK calendar, with work spread across six campus buildings. 2026 BA Fine Art and MFA Fine Art dates have not yet been published as of April 2026. This page collects the 2025 schedule as a planning proxy and will be updated as soon as Goldsmiths confirms its 2026 dates.

At a glance

  • BA strand: Undergraduate Art Degree Show: Fine Art; Fine Art and History of Art; Textiles
  • MFA strand: MFA Fine Art, MA Artists' Film and Moving Image, MA Art and Ecology, plus Graduate Diploma
  • Confirmed window: Summer 2026
  • 2025 dates as a planning proxy: BA Fine Art 20 to 23 June 2025. MFA Fine Art 18 to 22 July 2025.
  • Venue: Goldsmiths, 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London SE14 6NW
  • Show buildings: Ben Pimlott Building, Deptford Town Hall, Laurie Grove Baths, Lockwood Annexe, St James Hatcham Building, Studio B
  • Admission: Free
  • Closest stations: New Cross, New Cross Gate

Confirmation status: 2026 Fine Art dates have not been published on the official Goldsmiths page as of April 2026. Use the 2025 dates as a planning approximation. We will refresh this page within 24 hours of an official announcement.

When is the Goldsmiths Degree Show 2026?

Goldsmiths runs two distinct shows. The undergraduate BA Fine Art Degree Show traditionally lands in late June, and the MFA Fine Art show usually falls in mid to late July. Following the 2025 cadence:

  • BA Fine Art Degree Show 2026: plan for late June.
  • MFA Fine Art Degree Show 2026: plan for mid to late July.

In 2025, the BA was open 10am to 7pm daily. MFA hours were not specified on the official page. We will update this article when Goldsmiths confirms 2026 hours.

Where to find it

The Goldsmiths campus is in New Cross, south-east London. The main address is 8 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW. Unlike the RCA or CSM, the show does not happen in a single building. Goldsmiths spreads its Fine Art Degree Show across six different campus and off-campus buildings:

  • Ben Pimlott Building: Will Alsop's building with the metal sculpture on the roof, often used for studio shows.
  • Deptford Town Hall Building: Edwardian baroque, on the New Cross Road frontage.
  • Laurie Grove Baths: former Victorian public baths, now studio space, for sculpture and installation.
  • Lockwood Annexe: mid-block off Lewisham Way.
  • St James Hatcham Building: the deconsecrated church, used for performance and screen-based work.
  • Studio B.

Pick up a campus map at reception when you arrive. Plan around two to three hours minimum if you want to see all six buildings.

Getting there:

  • Overground: New Cross Gate is on the East London line, about five minutes walk to the main entrance.
  • National Rail: New Cross is on the Southeastern services from London Bridge, again five minutes to the gates.
  • Bus: Many routes including 21, 36, 53, 136, 171, 172, 177, 188, 225, 321, 343, 436, 453.

Private view and opening night

Goldsmiths runs invite-led but typically public-friendly private views.

Based on 2025:

  • BA private view: Thursday before opening, 6pm to 9pm.
  • MFA private view: Thursday before opening, 6pm to 9pm.

Goldsmiths private views have a particular reputation for being one of the buzziest evenings on the UK degree-show calendar. Expect alumni, gallerists, and the wider south London art community in the courtyard. The actual hanging usually finishes minutes before the doors open.

Who is showing

The BA Fine Art strand groups three undergraduate programmes:

  1. BA Fine Art
  2. BA Fine Art and History of Art
  3. BA Textiles

The MFA strand groups four postgraduate programmes:

  1. MFA Fine Art (the headline programme)
  2. MA Artists' Film and Moving Image
  3. MA Art and Ecology
  4. Graduate Diploma

Cohort sizes are not published on the official page, but Goldsmiths BA Fine Art has historically been around 80 to 100 graduates per year and MFA Fine Art a tighter 20 to 30.

What makes Goldsmiths distinctive

Goldsmiths is the school most associated with the Young British Artists. Hirst, Lucas, Whiteread, Wallinger, Hume, and Quinn all came out of the Goldsmiths Fine Art programme between 1986 and 1993. The cultural fingerprint that left on the school is a willingness to put conceptual risk before craft polish.

Practically that means the Goldsmiths show can feel less commercially polished than the RCA but often more genuinely strange. Expect installation, video, performance, and sculpture in unexpected materials alongside the painting and drawing. Some of the most interesting work each year sits in pieces that need 30 seconds of standing time to read.

Tips for visiting

  • Allow longer than you think. Six buildings means real walking. Wear comfortable shoes.
  • Start at the Ben Pimlott Building and pick up the show map from reception.
  • Visit on a sunny day if you can. The campus is at its best when the courtyards are busy.
  • The campus has cafes but they get busy. The New Cross Road has dozens of food options for a longer break.
  • Stay for the area. New Cross has South London Gallery a short ride away on the bus, plus Goldsmiths CCA on campus.

Are you a graduating artist showing at Goldsmiths?

If you are showing at Goldsmiths Fine Art Degree Show 2026 and want a clean digital home for your work, build your exhibition page on Etch. Free during the show and for thirty days after, with QR labels you can print for the studio walls. Visitors scan, see the price, reserve, and you do not have to do the price-haggle DM dance.

For pricing first works, see how to price your degree-show artwork. For your studio open evening, see how to run a private view: the checklist.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Goldsmiths Degree Show 2026? Goldsmiths has not yet published 2026 Fine Art dates as of April 2026. Based on 2025, plan for the BA in late June and the MFA in mid to late July. This page will be updated when official dates publish.

Is the Goldsmiths Degree Show free? Yes. The show is free and open to the public.

Where is the Goldsmiths Degree Show? On the Goldsmiths campus at 8 Lewisham Way, New Cross, London SE14 6NW. The show runs across six campus buildings.

How long should I plan for a visit? Two to three hours minimum to see all six buildings. Half a day is more comfortable.

Can I buy work at the Goldsmiths Degree Show? Yes. Most graduating artists list work for sale, with prices and payment arranged directly between buyer and artist.

Are the private views open to the public? They are typically invite-led but in recent years have been open to the public. Watch the Goldsmiths Art page and @goldsmithsart for booking links.

Sources

Last updated 28 April 2026. Compiled by Etch from official Goldsmiths listings. If 2026 dates have published since, email hello@etchapp.art and we will refresh within 24 hours.