ETCH

University of Brighton Summer Shows 2026: dates, venues, and what to expect

The University of Brighton runs its 2026 graduate season as three sub-shows. The undergraduate Art, Media and Design Graduate Show opens at the end of May. Architecture and Design follows in mid June at Moulsecoomb. The MA Show closes the season in early July at Grand Parade. All three are free, all three have a private view, and the city campus sites are a short walk from the seafront.

At a glance

  • Art, Media and Design Graduate Show (UG, incl. BA Fine Art): 30 May to 7 June 2026
    • Private view: Friday 29 May 2026, 6pm to 10pm
    • Venues: Grand Parade and Edward Street, City Campus
  • Architecture and Design Graduate Show: 12 to 14 June 2026
    • Private view: Thursday 11 June 2026, 5pm to 9pm
    • Venue: Mithras House, Moulsecoomb Campus
  • Art, Media and Design MA Show: 4 to 11 July 2026
    • Private view: Friday 3 July 2026, 6pm to 10pm
    • Venue: Grand Parade, City Campus
    • Participating MA programmes: Fine Art MA, Photography MA, Sequential Design / Illustration MA

Confirmation status: Dates and private views confirmed by the University of Brighton on the Summer Shows page. Daily opening hours for 2026 were "coming soon" as of late April 2026 and will be added to this article when published.

When are the Summer Shows 2026?

Brighton splits its 2026 calendar across three blocks.

  • Late May to early June: undergraduate Art, Media and Design Show. This is the headline show for BA Fine Art and the largest single audience window.
  • Mid June: Architecture and Design Show at Moulsecoomb.
  • Early to mid July: MA Show, smaller in scale but covering the postgraduate Fine Art, Photography, and Sequential Design / Illustration cohorts.

Daily opening hours are not yet confirmed. Watch the Brighton Summer Shows page closer to each opening.

Where to find each show

Three different venues, two different campuses.

Grand Parade (City Campus): 58 to 67 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 0JY. The historic art school building, on the seafront side of the Royal Pavilion. Hosts the UG Art, Media and Design Show alongside the MA Show.

Edward Street (City Campus): 10 to 11 Pavilion Parade, Brighton BN2 1RA. Used as overflow exhibition space for parts of the UG Art, Media and Design Show.

Mithras House (Moulsecoomb Campus): Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4AT. Hosts the Architecture and Design Show. Around 10 minutes by train from Brighton station to Moulsecoomb.

Getting there:

  • Rail: Brighton mainline station is 10 minutes walk to Grand Parade. Moulsecoomb station serves Mithras House.
  • Bus: Multiple Brighton & Hove Bus routes serve all three sites.
  • Walk: From the seafront, Grand Parade is two minutes via the Royal Pavilion gardens.
  • Cycle: Brighton has solid cycle routes between the city campus and Moulsecoomb.

Private views

Three private view evenings, all free.

  • Art, Media and Design UG: Friday 29 May 2026, 6pm to 10pm at Grand Parade and Edward Street.
  • Architecture and Design UG: Thursday 11 June 2026, 5pm to 9pm at Mithras House.
  • Art, Media and Design MA: Friday 3 July 2026, 6pm to 10pm at Grand Parade.

The Friday late evenings on Grand Parade are typically the buzziest single windows for visitors and press.

Who is showing

The UG Art, Media and Design strand covers 15 undergraduate programmes including:

  • BA Fine Art
  • BA Fashion Design
  • BA Graphic Design
  • BA Animation
  • BA Film and Screen Studies
  • BA Photography
  • BA Music and Sound Design
  • BA Illustration

Architecture and Design covers 12 programmes spanning architecture, interior design, product design, and design engineering at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The MA Show participating programmes are: Fine Art MA, Photography MA, Sequential Design / Illustration MA.

Cohort sizes are not numerically published for 2026.

What makes Brighton distinctive

Brighton's degree show has three things that set it apart from London.

First, the location. Grand Parade is a five-minute walk from the seafront, the Royal Pavilion, and the Lanes. Visitors who come for the show often spend the rest of the day in Brighton itself. That makes Brighton a particularly easy day-trip from London for buyers and gallerists.

Second, photography and illustration depth. Brighton has a long tradition of strong photography and illustration cohorts. The MA Photography programme in particular has a serious reputation.

Third, the music and sound crossover. Brighton's BA Music and Sound Design feeds into the city's festival circuit (The Great Escape, Brighton Festival, Brighton Fringe), which is unusual for a degree show.

Tips for visiting

  • Day-trip from London. Brighton is one hour from Victoria. Easy.
  • Pair with the seafront. Walk along the promenade between the two ends of Grand Parade.
  • The Royal Pavilion is two minutes from the show.
  • Brighton Museum and Art Gallery is on the Pavilion grounds.
  • For the MA Show, the smaller scale means you can see everything in 90 minutes.
  • Mithras House requires a separate trip. Plan that as a half-day rather than packing it with Grand Parade.
  • The Lanes have plenty of food. Plenty of options within five minutes of Grand Parade.

Are you a graduating Brighton artist?

If you are showing at the 2026 Summer Shows and want a clean digital home for your work that visitors can scan into from the gallery wall, build your Etch page in 15 minutes. Free during the show and for thirty days after, mobile-first, with QR labels for the wall.

For pricing first works, 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 are the University of Brighton Summer Shows 2026? Three sub-shows. Art, Media and Design UG: 30 May to 7 June. Architecture and Design: 12 to 14 June. MA Show: 4 to 11 July.

Is the Brighton Graduate Show free? Yes. All three sub-shows are free with free private view RSVP.

Where is the Brighton Graduate Show held? At three venues. Grand Parade and Edward Street, City Campus, Brighton BN2 0JY/BN2 1RA. Mithras House, Moulsecoomb Campus, Brighton BN2 4AT.

Can I buy work at the Brighton Graduate Show? Yes. Most graduating artists list work for sale. Prices and contact arrangements are with each artist.

Which MA programmes show at the MA Show? Fine Art MA, Photography MA, and Sequential Design / Illustration MA.

When are the private views? Art Media Design UG: Fri 29 May, 6pm to 10pm. Architecture: Thu 11 June, 5pm to 9pm. MA: Fri 3 July, 6pm to 10pm. All free.

How do I get to Mithras House at Moulsecoomb? Train to Moulsecoomb (one stop from Brighton mainline) or several buses up Lewes Road.

Sources

Last updated 30 April 2026. Compiled by Etch from official University of Brighton listings. If you spot something out of date, email hello@etchapp.art and we will correct it within 24 hours.