Salisbury Cathedral celebrates joyful noise this summer in major contemporary art exhibition.
Joyful Noise – Contemporary Art Exhibition, Salisbury Cathedral. 16 May – 25 October 2026
Salisbury Cathedral has opened its major summer contemporary art exhibition celebrating joy and community.
The show reimagines the biblical call to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” as a modern look at how music and sound can unite, inspire and celebrate. It is the centrepiece of the cathedral’s theme for 2026, Joyful Noise.
Featured artists include Denzil Forrester, Christine Sun Kim, Yuri Suzuki, Sokari Douglas Camp and Phyllida Barlow, along with new commissions from Caroline Walker, Tim Etchells and Emeka Ogboh that will see painting, sculpture, video, text and sound artworks inside and outside the Cathedral.
These include a six metre-high megaphone sculpture by Phyllidda Barlow, a neon installation by Tim Etchells and a new outdoor sound installation that re-imagines the hymn, Abide With Me using specially-recorded voices from the Salisbury Cathedral Choir. It will be projected at regular times each day from the medieval Singing Gallery above the west doors.
The exhibition runs until October 25 and is kindly supported by Gore Browne Investment Management and the Cathedral’s Art Champions, Trevor and Susan Branch.
Joyful Noise has been curated by Salisbury Cathedral’s visual art curator Mollie Barnes, who said:
“I am thrilled to bring these incredible international artists and artworks to Salisbury Cathedral for Joyful Noise. This is an exhibition exploring joy and community, inside and outside these walls that have witnessed celebration and worship for centuries.”
New this year is a special Arts Late event on Friday 31 July, where visitors can explore the exhibition in the evening light, enjoy spotlight tours with the Cathedral’s visual arts curator, and enjoy live music including a short performance by artist Tim Etchells with composer Jack Sheen.
There will also be an opportunity for visitors to build their own version of Yuri Suzuki’s UTOOTO, have a go at screen printing in the Cloisters or sit and sketch the Cathedral’s architecture as dusk falls. Tickets for Art LATE are £5 in advance and can be booked via the Cathedral website.
The full programme of events throughout the summer will also include curator tours, artist talks and family activities. Details can be found on the Cathedral’s website here.
