Some of the most exciting and renowned modern art will be coming to Suffolk next spring when Moments, a new exhibition celebrating the best in contemporary art, brings work by Banksy, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Rachel List and the Connor Brothers to Bury St Edmunds.

Moments will be installed at Moyse’s Hall Museum and will run from Sunday February 14 until Sunday May 30, 2021. The exhibition is being staged in association with Essex-based Brandler Galleries who work closely with the artists.

Amongst the highlights will be a few artworks by Banksy, including his ‘Heart Boy’, which was originally painted on a wall in Islington, London in 2009, but has never been exhibited in the UK before. Some of the artworks and prints will be for sale.

The exhibition, which is already attracting national attention, will be supplemented by a range of workshops, live art demonstrations, artist talks and pop-up activities themed around the concept of ‘moments’, some will be suitable for school and college students. These activities will take place at various locations around the town including The Apex entertainment centre. Where possible, ‘Moments’ will also link with local community art groups to offer workshops for all ages and levels of experience.

The event will be launched on Saturday, February 13, 2021 with an Art at Night preview at Moyse’s Hall attended by artist Rachel List. She gained prominence during the first lockdown with her painting ‘NHS Angel’. Rachel will be finishing a new piece of work for inclusion in the exhibition, which will be kept on permanent display at Moyse’s Hall Museum.

Together with support from West Suffolk College and University of Suffolk, Moyse’s Hall Museum and Brandler Galleries will be seeking West Suffolk’s next great artist through a competition. There will also be an art trail to view installations around Bury St Edmunds such as in The Apex, Charter Square and Abbey Gardens.

Cllr Jo Rayner, cabinet member for Leisure and Culture at West Suffolk Council said: “We are looking forward to welcoming this fantastic collection of modern art to West Suffolk. This will be of national importance and interest with some items having never been part of a UK exhibition before. On a local level we are looking at how, subject to any restrictions, we might be able to put in workshops and other activities to engage with schools and families.”

John Brandler, from Brandler Galleries added: “This exhibition will be very special to me as I want it to be inclusive involving children, youths and adults in creating art and an even more beautiful town. It will no doubt attract a lot of cultural tourism to Bury St Edmunds, but I am just as excited about the additional things happening around the exhibition, such as the free workshops with local schools and special evening events with renowned artists such as Pure Evil and the Connor Brothers. We’ll also be running four charity events during the exhibition, benefitting the entire local community. It is not just about showing art but also about opening people’s eyes to see what is around them”.

Tickets at £10 per person, including wine and canapes, will be offered on a first come first served basis. Book online via Moyse’s Hall or What’s On West Suffolk, or call The Apex on 01284 758000.

Admission into ‘Moments’ between February 14 and May 30, 2021 will be priced at £5 for adults, £3 concessions and children aged 5-16 years and £15 for a family (2+3).

Timed viewing slots of one hour must be pre-booked either online at www.moyseshall.org, in person at The Apex or by telephoning The Apex box office on 01284 758000. An optional £3 donation per transaction will be put towards staging future events at Moyse’s Hall; there will also be donation points around the galleries. Covid-19 measures in place at the time will be followed including social distancing, track and trace and the wearing of masks.