Slade School of Fine Art Degree Show 2026
The Slade is one of the oldest, most-watched fine art schools in the UK, and its annual Degree Show is one of the few graduate exhibitions where buyers, gallerists, and curators routinely commit on the night. The Slade confirms that the 2026 Degree Shows take place in May and June 2026, with the BA and MA running as two separate exhibitions back to back. Exact 2026 dates have not yet been published. This page will be updated as soon as they are.
At a glance
- Show: Slade Degree Shows 2026 (BA/BFA and MA/MFA, two separate runs)
- Confirmed window: May and June 2026
- 2025 dates as a planning proxy: BA/BFA 23 to 29 May 2025. MA/MFA 14 to 22 June 2025.
- Venue: Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT
- Admission: Free; private view requires a free timed Eventbrite ticket
- Closest stations: Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street, Euston
Confirmation status: The Slade has confirmed shows take place in May and June 2026 but exact dates are not yet published. Use the 2025 dates above only as a planning proxy. Final 2026 dates will appear on the official Slade page and this article will be updated within 24 hours of publication.
When does the Slade Degree Show 2026 take place?
The Slade traditionally runs two distinct shows. The undergraduate BA and BFA show comes first, in late May. The MA and MFA show follows in mid June. Each runs for around a week.
Based on the 2025 schedule, plan for:
- BA / BFA Degree Show 2026: roughly the last week of May.
- MA / MFA Degree Show 2026: roughly the second or third week of June.
Public hours in 2025 were weekdays 10am to 8pm and weekends 10am to 5pm. We will update this page once the Slade publishes 2026 hours, but the school's pattern has been very consistent for several years, so this is a safe planning bet.
Where to find it
The Slade is on Gower Street in Bloomsbury, inside the UCL main quad. It has been there since 1871 and the building still looks like it. Enter through the UCL main gates on Gower Street; the Slade entrance is signed off the quad.
Getting there:
- Tube: Euston Square (Hammersmith and City, Circle, Metropolitan), Warren Street (Victoria, Northern), and Goodge Street (Northern) are all five to ten minutes on foot.
- Rail: Euston is the closest mainline station, around eight minutes walk.
- Bus: 24, 29, 73, 134, 390 stop on Gower Street or Tottenham Court Road.
- Walk: Easy from the British Museum, the British Library, or Tottenham Court Road.
The Slade campus is compact compared to the RCA or CSM, but the show typically uses the Woburn Studios annexe and the larger Slade Research Centre as well as the main building. Map at reception.
Private view and opening night
The Slade runs public-facing private views with timed Eventbrite tickets. They are free, open to anyone with a ticket, and they sell out fast. Tickets typically go live two to three weeks before the opening. Sign up to the Slade newsletter or follow @sladedegreeshow on Instagram to catch the booking link as soon as it lands.
Based on 2025, expect:
- BA / BFA opening night: Thursday before the public weekend, typically 5pm to 9:30pm.
- MA / MFA opening night: Friday before the public weekend, typically 5pm onwards.
Both are widely attended by alumni, gallerists, and the wider London art crowd. If you want to talk to the artists rather than fight for elbow space, the daytime sessions in the back half of the run are calmer.
What makes the Slade distinctive
The Slade is one of the smallest of the major UK art schools by cohort, and it has a deep reputation for painting and drawing in particular. Alumni include Lucian Freud, Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley, Tacita Dean, and Rachel Whiteread. The Slade does not typically theme its degree shows or create a unifying show identity in the way RCA does. The work is what it is, hung carefully in studios that have been working studios for the year.
That gives the Slade Degree Show a particular quietness compared to the bigger UAL shows. There is less spectacle and more space to look slowly at one piece. Buyers tend to be older and the conversations longer.
Tips for visiting
- Go midweek if you can. The opening evenings and the first Saturday are crowded; Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons are noticeably quieter.
- Bring water. The Slade buildings get warm in early summer and aircon is patchy.
- Book private view tickets the moment they go live. They go fast.
- Combine with a Bloomsbury day out. UCL is a five-minute walk from the British Museum and Foundling Museum if you want a longer art day.
- Cash is unusual at the Slade now. Most artists accept bank transfer, Stripe, or platform-mediated payment.
Are you a graduating artist showing at the Slade?
If you are showing at the Slade in 2026 and want a clean way for visitors to see prices and reserve work without giving out your phone number, build your exhibition page on Etch. Free during the show and for thirty days after. Mobile-first by design, with QR labels you can print for the wall.
For pricing, see how to price your degree-show artwork. For private view night logistics, see how to run a private view: the checklist.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Slade Degree Show 2026? The Slade has confirmed shows take place in May and June 2026 but exact dates are not yet published. Based on 2025, expect the BA/BFA in the last week of May and the MA/MFA in mid June. We will update this page when the dates publish.
Is the Slade Degree Show free? Yes. General admission is free. The opening night private views require a free timed Eventbrite ticket, which is also free.
Where is the Slade Degree Show held? At the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT.
Can the public attend the private view? Yes, with a free Eventbrite ticket. Tickets sell out quickly, so book early.
Can I buy work at the Slade Degree Show? Yes. Most graduating artists list work for sale. Prices and payment are arranged directly between buyer and artist.
How do I find out the 2026 dates? The dates will appear on the official Slade Degree Shows page and on @sladedegreeshow. We update this article within 24 hours of any official announcement.
Sources
Last updated 6 May 2026. Compiled by Etch from official UCL Slade listings. If 2026 dates have published since this date, email hello@etchapp.art and we will refresh within 24 hours.