Harewood’s relationship with artists and makers began in the late 18th century, when Edwin Lascelles used wealth derived from the transatlantic trade in enslaved people, and its associated industries, to build Harewood House.
He employed the finest designers and craftspeople of the time—John Carr, Robert Adam, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, and Thomas Chippendale—to create a masterpiece of Georgian art, architecture and design.
This artistic legacy continues today. Harewood has become a vibrant centre for contemporary art exhibitions in Yorkshire, commissioning and curating bold new work that explores the complexity of our heritage and the beauty of our landscape.
We work with a diverse range of artists, from emerging talents to internationally renowned names, across disciplines including sculpture, installation, fashion, photography and ceramics. These exhibitions invite visitors to reflect on Harewood’s history, reimagine its future, and engage with pressing themes of identity, environment, colonialism and cultural expression.
Honouring the Past, Reimagining the Country House
At Harewood, we are committed to acknowledging our history, including the legacies of slavery and colonialism that shaped the House, its collections and its purpose. Through the power of the arts, we aim to remember, reflect and repair, creating space for dialogue and creativity that both challenge the past and shape new futures.
From major retrospectives and artist residencies to site-specific commissions and collaborative community projects, our exhibitions help reimagine what a country house can be in the 21st century: not just a place of preservation, but one of provocation, participation and possibility.
