Our Contemporary Visual Arts Programme runs two major exhibitions a year, in Summer and Autumn, and an Emerging Artist Residency focusing on socially engaged practice in the Winter months. Find out What's On, learn more about our recent exhibitions or discover what we have in store here.
Upcoming Exhibitions
We are delighted to share plans for the 2025 visual arts programme with two major presentations planned from Linder Sterling and Thomas Abercromby.
Find out more
Linder
14 June - 31 August 2025
A new project with Linder collaboration with EAF (Edinburgh Art Festival) will open the season on 14 June and run until the end of the summer. Linder Sterling (a.k.a. Linder) is most notably known and celebrated for her provocative collage and performance practice that has consistently challenged gender binaries, tradition, and history over the course of five decades.
Thomas Abercromby
Autumn 2025
This autumn, Thomas Abercromby will present a new body of work exploring how gardens and gardening contribute to personal and collective healing. Drawing inspiration from Jamaica Kincaid’s reflections on cultivated and wild spaces, as well as her complex relationship with her mother, the project is deeply rooted in the memory of Thomas' late father, his garden, and his struggle with addiction.
Current Exhibitions
An Assembly or a ting
Alberta Whittle's work An Assembly or a ting will remain on site in our grounds until June 2026. Originally part of the exhibition Under the skin of the ocean, the thing urges us up wild the bothy is situated adjacent to the front lawn and provides shelter and welcome, as well as speaking to wider themes of community, property and climate emergency.
The artist's invitation to the wider public is to enjoy the space for respite and relaxation while perusing reading and drawing materials and potentially meeting new people. Mount Stuart Trust welcomes proposals from community groups and individuals for creative and well-being activities to take place inside and to date, group visits, family creative activities and yoga practice have all occurred.
Get in touch via contactus@mountstuart.com with any enquiries.
Dylan Esposito: Emerging Artist Residency
During his residency at Mount Stuart (2023/24), Dylan hosted a series of casting workshops, whilst considering different forms of communication through tactile engagement. Informed by the suggestions of local islanders, ‘Without Words’ is a collection of cast textures from across the Isle of Bute.
Find out more here.
Past Exhibitions
Oisín Byrne: smell the book
31 August - 19 October 2024
Oisín Byrne's exhibition smell the book, their first in Scotland, utilised painting, song and film inspired by the Gaelic and Irish books and pamphlets in Mount Stuart's archive.
Find out more here.
Archive
Visual Arts Archive
Our Contemporary Visual Arts Programme was established in 2001. Discover the artists we've worked with over the years.
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