Kettle’s Yard artwork selected for vast UK-wide exhibition

The nation's ten favourite pieces of British art were selected from a longlist and will now go on display on thousands of poster and billboard sites across the UK from August 12-25.

A projected audience of 90% of the UK’s adult population will enjoy the top ten and 47 other beautiful artworks instead of advertising for two weeks this summer.

Cities, towns and villages in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will see poster sites ranging from billboards to bus stops transformed into artworks across high streets, major roads, tube, train and metro stations, supermarkets, shopping malls, office buildings, cinemas, health clubs and bars. 2,000 London buses and 1,000 black cabs will transport the artworks around the city.

The top ten artworks range from Wallis’ Five Ships – Mount’s Bay, to outstanding 19th century paintings like Waterhouse's The Lady of Shalott and Millais' Ophelia.

Turner's The Fighting Temeraire, L. S. Lowry’s Going to the Match and the sculptural installation, Cold Dark Matter, by Cornelia Parker also made the top ten.

Using image-recognition and augmented reality technology via blippar, each physical poster will be interactive, enabling the public to point their phones at the art to access instantaneous information about each piece, visit the collection, and socially share their favourites. Prints of many of the artworks can also be bought through the site via project partner, Easyart, with all profits going to the artist and Art Everywhere. 

The project is supported by many leading artists including Damien Hirst who said: “Art is for everyone, and everyone who has access to it will benefit from it. This project is amazing and gives the public a voice and an opportunity to choose what they want to see on their streets“

Art Everywhere is a collaborative project between Richard Reed, (co-founder of Innocent Drinks), the Art Fund, Tate, and the poster industry. Reed initiated the idea for Art Everywhere. His passion for the arts led to the idea of having a public celebration across Britain. He said: “This is a joyful project with no agenda other than to flood our streets with art and celebrate the creative talents and legacy of the UK.”

The top ten works are: 1. The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse, 2. Ophelia by John Everett Millais, 3. Head V1 by Francis Bacon, 4. Gassed by John Singer Sargent, 5. Man’s Head (Self Portrait I) by Lucian Freud, 6. The Fighting Temeraire by JMW Turner, 7. Five Ships – Mount’s Bay by Alfred Wallis, 8. Going to the Match by L.S. Lowry, 9. Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Battersea Bridge by James Whistler, 10. Cold Dark Matter by Cornelia Parker.