Turner 250: A Year Celebrating Britain’s Greatest Artist
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- 22 Jan 2025
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Cultural institutions across Britain have announced Turner 250, a year-long festival dedicated to the life and works of the renowned painter JMW Turner. Taking place throughout 2025, this program commemorates the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, inviting everyone to engage with his legacy through a series of special exhibitions and events.
Born on April 23, 1775, JMW Turner is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential British artist of all time. From his humble beginnings, Turner traveled extensively across the UK, capturing its dramatic landscapes and redefining the genre of landscape painting. His iconic works continue to resonate in British cultural life, as evidenced by his image on the £20 note and his status as a pivotal figure in the history of art.
The Turner 250 festival will feature over 30 projects organized by various venues, including major national organizations such as Tate, the BBC, and Art UK. Exhibitions will be held in cities including London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich, Bath, and Sussex, focusing on key themes in Turner’s life and work, as well as his connections to other historical figures like Jane Austen and John Constable.
The festival will celebrate Turner’s influence on modern and contemporary art through displays, commissions, and events in London and Margate. A highlight of the year will be the Turner Prize, which will take place in Bradford as part of the UK City of Culture program.
Throughout the year, a variety of books, films, and digital content will be released, including a complete catalogue of Turner’s 37,500 sketches and watercolours available on Tate’s website. A major new BBC documentary will bring Turner’s life and art to a wider audience, alongside a screening of Mike Leigh’s award-winning film Mr. Turner at BFI Southbank.
Additionally, talks and workshops will showcase new scholarship and ideas inspired by Turner. Notable events include an international conference at Tate Britain, a summit exploring art’s connection to the natural world at Turner Contemporary, and the Turner Society’s annual Kurt Pantzer memorial lecture.
Turner’s 250th anniversary will also be celebrated internationally, with exhibitions planned in Connecticut, Cincinnati, and Shanghai, as well as a special exhibition in Dublin.
The highlight of Turner’s birthday on April 23, 2025, will feature the announcement of the artists shortlisted for the Turner Prize, an exhibition of Turner’s rarely-seen wildlife images at Turner’s House in Twickenham, and the opening of a newly refreshed room in Tate Britain’s Clore Gallery, showcasing a permanent free display of 100 of Turner’s works.
Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant remarked, "Turner was one of this country’s greatest artists. An innovator who created some of our best-known canvasses, he reshaped British art. The 250th anniversary of his birth will be an opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in our outstanding artistic heritage."
Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate, added, “Turner is a standout figure in the story of British creativity. It is Tate’s privilege to care for the world’s biggest collection of his art and showcase it to the widest possible public.”
Suzy Klein, Head of BBC Arts & Classical Music TV, expressed excitement about the collaboration with Tate, stating, “We’re thrilled to be working with Tate to celebrate Britain’s most celebrated artist and be granted unprecedented access to Turner’s vast collection of rarely seen sketches.”
Turner 250 promises to be a landmark celebration of JMW Turner’s artistic legacy, offering a rich array of exhibitions, events, and educational opportunities throughout 2025. As the festival unfolds, it will not only honor Turner’s contributions to art but also inspire new generations to appreciate and engage with the beauty of British cultural heritage.
