Bristol dancers take centre stage in RWA’s major new exhibition celebrating nightlife and dance culture

The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) is turning its galleries into a dancefloor for a new exhibition this summer.

‘Dance Out’, opening on 9 May 2026, marks the first time the RWA has ever featured dance at the core of a major exhibition and accompanying live programme, and includes a newly commissioned film from renowned artist Melanie Manchot and an experiential soundtrack produced by Bristol-based DJs.

Curated by David Remfry RA and art historian James Russell, ‘Dance Out’ brings together paintings, drawings and film across decades of dance culture – from 20th century London and New York to Bristol’s contemporary nightlife.

For the first time, a fully accessible, haptic Beat Blocks dancefloor, which transforms sound frequencies into powerfully felt vibrations, will be installed in the RWA’s main gallery. For a series of late-night events, the gallery will host some of Bristol’s most exciting dance talent including Bristol Swing Riot and more.

From Bedminster to the big screen

At the heart of the exhibition is ‘Night Moves’, an immersive installation by award-winning artist Melanie Manchot. Bristol dancers devised their own routines and performed them in spaces across the night-time city from Bedminster to Birdcage Walk, with the resulting film becoming part of the RWA’s permanent collection. A citywide billboard takeover will bring the film onto Bristol’s streets, inviting conversations about dance, community and belonging before visitors step through the doors.  

Melanie says: “Dance is a dynamic, physical language, allowing us to communicate and connect through gesture, rhythm and movement. Across diverse cultures and histories, it is inherent in all of us and brings us together.

“Night-time changes cities – it brings out excitement, energy and desire, but also risk and danger. ‘Night Moves’ celebrates Bristol’s trailblazing nightlife culture and recognises its need for protection amidst financial challenges and the privatisation of public space.

“Without clubs and safe spaces, there is less dancing. Without dancing, we are less human.”

Soundtracked by Bristol DJs

A seven-hour soundtrack, featuring mixes from DJ Devolicious, Josephine Gyasi and Maze, has been curated by DJ and psychologist d4rling to respond to the artwork on display.

Entitled ‘You can dance if you want to’, it will be experienced through a sound-system built into the Beat Blocks dancefloor and showcases even more of the grassroots creatives integral to Bristol’s world-renowned dance, music and nightlife culture.

Dance across decades

‘Dance Out’ features large-scale works by David Remfry RA, who has exhibited his dancefloor watercolours in galleries around the world, and the rarely seen ‘Blue Tent’ by Denzil Forrester, which captures the energy of 1980s Black British nightlife, alongside Carnival-inspired works by Paul Dash and John Lyons, and a premiere from contemporary artist Zoe Spowage. Short films from Tracey Emin and Gillian Wearing reflect on the personal and social importance of dance and nightclub culture, and other exhibiting artists include rising star Amy Dury and Paula Rego.

RWA academician Dorcas Casey is also creating a new, large-scale sculptural work to hang in the dome over the RWA landing, which references Morris dance culture and folklore.

Dance, learn, connect: a live programme for the whole city

Throughout the exhibition, the RWA’s galleries will host a live programme of dance and dance-related events, including ballet from Rosy Piggot, Afrocuban stilt performance and salsa classes from Abelardo Salabet of ‘Salsa is Life’, and workshops with Bristol city poet Sukina Noor. The RWA has also partnered with Diaspora Festival and Many Minds to programme inclusive events to welcome Bristol’s diverse communities.

Two free exhibitions – ‘This Is Jungle’ and ‘The Human Dance’ – will run alongside ‘Dance Out’ in the Link Space and Kenny Gallery respectively.

Kathryn Johnson, head of exhibitions at the RWA, said: "Dance Out is a multimedia celebration of dance and the shared spaces which facilitate it. It has real depth, asking questions about community and belonging through extraordinary art, and is accompanied by our most ambitious live programme to date – allowing our visitors to experience our spaces in a whole new way.

“We are especially proud to be spotlighting Bristol’s grassroots dance culture with a new film commissioned from Melanie Manchot, who continues her series of nighttime dance films, and by welcoming local dancers and DJs into our galleries.”

James Russell, the RWA’s exhibition co-curator, said: "We wanted to create a lively, vibrant exhibition reaching across art forms and genres, in which the art on the walls and the people in the room feel part of the same conversation.

“Dance belongs to everyone, and we hope Bristolians feel that when they walk in."

Dance Out runs from 9 May – 9 August 2026 at the RWA. For tickets and full details, visit: rwa.org.uk.