SOMERSET Art Weeks Festival 2026 will take place across more than 90 venues throughout Somerset, bringing together artists, communities and cultural partners for a county-wide celebration of creativity, culture and connection.

Organised by arts charity Somerset Art Works (SAW), the 2026 festival theme, Cultural Connections, invites audiences to explore the stories, journeys and relationships that have shaped Somerset from prehistoric to the present day.

Through exhibitions, commissions, workshops and community projects, the festival will examine migration, heritage and identity, highlighting the rich variety of cultural influences that continue to define the county.

The festival programme will feature group exhibitions, curated shows and events by SAW members and invited artists, alongside special commissions, SAW artist-led projects and new work by bursary artists.

A major partnership project with South West Heritage Trust will form a key part of the festival programme based at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury.

The museum’s Abbey Barn will host SAW commissions by internationally acclaimed artists Candace Bahouth, Helen Cammock and Gladys Paulus, whose practices reflect different experiences of heritage, place and belonging.

The Mapstone Gallery will offer Journeys to Somerset: Exploring Cultural Connections Through Space and Time, an exhibition bringing together archaeological objects and contemporary artworks to explore migration and movement across landscapes over thousands of years.

A programme of family-friendly workshops, talks, events and creative activities will take place throughout the festival, offering opportunities for visitors of all ages to engage with Somerset's vibrant artistic community.

At a time when climate change and political instability are expected to increase global migration, the festival invites reflection on movement as a constant part of human history.

By exploring connections across time, communities and cultures, Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2026 aims to foster understanding, celebrate diversity and create meaningful opportunities for learning, creativity and dialogue.

Full details of the festival from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October will be announced later this summer.