Art including pieces from Banksy and Damian Hirst coming to Peterborough in major exhibition

Banksy's work on one of the model houses in the Merrivale Model Village. The artist has confirmed he was behind various pieces of street art which appeared in Suffolk and Norfolk.

An exhibition of major national importance, ‘Urban’ will include original works by other artists including My Dog Sighs, Blek le Rat, Pure Evil, Kaws, and others.

‘Urban’ will open at Peterborouh Museum and Art Gallery on December 11 and run until May. Some of the items have rarely been exhibited in the UK before. It will include the unique Banksy cottage from Merrivale Model Village in Norfolk.

Most of the work that will be on display is owned by John Brandler of Essex-based Brandler Galleries. The exhibition was made possible thanks to James O’Rawe, general manager at Peterborough Workspace Limited, who approached Brandler Galleries to bring the street art to Peterborough.

James said: “This is an incredibly exciting event for the city of Peterborough and one its residents can be proud of.

“These are big international names and to have their pieces of art on display in Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery will bring people to the city and help Peterborough on the road to recovery from Covid. The positive impact on the city will be significant.”

Other events and activities linked to the exhibition over the coming months are planned including an art trail and workshops involving local street artists.

Pat Carrington, CEO at City Culture Peterborough, which runs Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, said: “We’re delighted to be able to display these incredible artworks at the city’s gallery.

“Peterborough is home to many young and dynamic artists and this exhibition embraces that. We’re planning to get our local street artists involved in ‘Urban’ as a way of recognising the creative talent in the city and bringing young people from different backgrounds into the museum to see the exhibition.”

A special preview will take place on Friday 10 December for ticket holders, who can get a first look at the exhibition before it officially opens to the public the following day.

The headline sponsor for the exhibition is Cross Keys Homes.

General admission for the exhibition is £8 for over 18s, £5 for youngsters aged 12-18 and free for under 12s. To book visit www.cityculturepeterborough.org.uk