One of the world’s pre-eminent prizes for contemporary art, the Turner Prize 2026, is to be hosted at MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.
The Turner Prize, which is organised by Tate, is one of the world’s leading artistic accolades and is awarded annually to a British visual artist. ‘British’ can mean an artist working primarily in Britain or an artist born in Britain working globally.
The prize has helped launch the careers and reputations of numerous internationally renowned artists including Damien Hirst, Steve McQueen, Grayson Perry, Antony Gormley, Veronica Ryan, Lubaina Himid and most recently, Jasleen Kaur.
Following Bradford’s hosting of the 2025 Turner Prize, the exhibition of work by the four shortlisted artists for Turner Prize 2026 will open in Autumn 2026 at MIMA, with the announcement of the winner in December 2026.
Tees Valley Combined Authority is working in partnership with MIMA and Teesside University to bring the Turner Prize exhibition to MIMA, Middlesbrough in 2026 and develop a connected programme of activity and sector support across the Tees Valley as part of its Growth Programme for the Creative and Visitor Economies.
Recently lauded by the chairman of Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, as a 'beacon anda catalyst' for social and economic development, MIMA is at the heart of Middlesbrough’s thriving visual arts scene.
Its work to centre artists within communities has encouraged more young artists to remain in the region, while it also acts as a creative magnet, encouraging artists to choose Middlesbrough as their base.
MIMA’s impact is immediately evident through the grassroots galleries and art organisations established throughout the town, while large-scale public art including Claes Oldenburg’s ‘Bottle of Notes’ and ‘Temenos’ by Anish Kapoor, a previous Turner Prize winner, are a short walk from the gallery.
Hosting this globally significant prize is part of Middlesbrough’s ambitious plans to further develop arts and cultural organisations alongside its rapidly growing tech sector.
In 2025, cultural leaders in the town launched Towards 2030, a road map to the town’s bicentenary and Teesside University’s centenary. Investment of over £80m, from a cross-section of public and private organisations, has kickstarted this strategy, developing new creative production facilities, galleries, artist studios, workshops, community resources and creative workspaces alongside two Grade II historic buildings restored and repurposed for contemporary cultural and creative production.
Hosting the Turner Prize, builds on these ambitious plans, cementing Middlesbrough’s reputation as a cultural and creative hub and demonstrating its commitment to artists and art.
Main Image: MIMA Building, Courtesy MIMA