‘Grenfell’ (2019). Film still © Steve McQueen. Courtesy the artist.
Over the next three years, ‘Grenfell’ by Steve McQueen will be shown in public art galleries in six major cities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It will open at Tramway in Glasgow this spring, after which it will travel to Chapter in Cardiff, The MAC in Belfast, The Box in Plymouth, Tate Liverpool, and Midland Arts Centre in Birmingham through 2025, 2026 and 2027.
In December 2017, artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen (b. 1969, London, UK) made an artwork in response to the fire that took place earlier that year on 14 June at Grenfell Tower, North Kensington, West London. 72 people died in the tragedy. Filming the tower before it was covered with hoarding, McQueen sought to make a record so that it would not be forgotten.
Following the fire, a Government Inquiry was launched that was conducted in two phases. The findings of the first and second phase of the Inquiry have been reported, the recommendations of which are yet to be implemented, meaning a similar tragedy could happen again. There is an ongoing criminal investigation.
McQueen said, “I knew once the tower was covered up, it would start to leave people’s minds. I was determined that it never be forgotten.”
‘Grenfell’ was first presented in 2023 at Serpentine in London’s Kensington Gardens, following a period of private viewings, prioritising bereaved families and survivors. The work was then placed in the care of Tate and the London Museum.
The national tour is being coordinated by Tate in collaboration with the partner venues and is made possible thanks to support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and from Art Fund. Each presentation is free to visit and will be accompanied by a public engagement programme.
The film contains close-up imagery of the tower six months after the fire. Please let a member of our team know if you need space to pause, rest and reflect afterwards.
About the artist
Steve McQueen was born in West London in 1969 and studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths College where he first became interested in film. Over the last 30 years, Steve McQueen has been influential in expanding the way in which artists work with film. He has made several feature films with many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Film for 12 Years a Slave (2013). In 2020, he made ’Small Axe’, an anthology film series about London's West Indian community. As an artist, McQueen won the Turner Prize in 1999 and represented Great Britain at the Venice Biennale in 2009. McQueen's work is held and exhibited in public museums around the world. He lives and works in London and Amsterdam.
Project Details
‘Grenfell’ in Glasgow is a co-production by The Common Guild and Tramway and part of a UK-wide tour co-ordinated by Tate.
For details of other venues and dates, please visit Tate.
How to book
Screenings are every hour daily between 12 and 5pm
They are free to attend but booking is recommended to guarantee a place at your preferred time.
Access
Screenings take place in the main theatre at Tramway, which is reached via the first floor. There is lift access to the first floor and accessible toilets.
There is a limited amount of accessible seating for these events. Please contact Tramway box office directly.
Read
‘Never Again Grenfell’, an essay by professor and author Paul Gilroy, written to accompany Steve McQueen’s ‘Grenfell’.
Thanks
The national tour is supported by:
Art Fund, Arts Council England
