Funny People - Art and Humour by Artists and Comedians
This winter Lowry (Salford) presents Funny People, a major new exhibition bringing together comedic artists and artistic comedians including Magda Archer, Jenny Eclair, Olaf Falafel, Ryan Gander, Harry Hill, Jessica Hynes, Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves), Harold Offeh, Sarah Lucas, David Shrigley, Olivia Sterling, Katy Wix and many more. Through painting, sculpture, film, performance and installation, Funny People explores ideas that range from the absurd and surreal to the political and deeply personal. Visitors to the exhibition can also take part in a special Taskmaster challenge devised exclusively for the exhibition by the show's creator Alex Horne.
Jointly curated by Lowry's Contemporary Curator Zoe Watson and comedy writer, performer and host of the acclaimed Secret Artists podcast, Annie McGrath, Funny People brings together leading contemporary artists and household comedy names whose work inhabits the space between comedy and visual art.
In a world shaped by information overload, political uncertainty and global crises, artists and comedians employ humour as a tool in their practice to critique contemporary conditions or provide moments of relief and human connection. Through satire, absurdity, observation and parody, Funny People explores humour as both a subject and a critical lens, inviting audiences to reflect on, question and laugh at the world around them.
Funny People will also include a humorous audio guide by Manchester comedian Edy Hurst, a commissioned performance by Rebecca Moss and a takeover by Manchester comedy collective Fight Club.
The full list of exhibiting artists and comedians includes: Magda Archer, Claire Dorsett, Jenny Eclair, Olaf Falafel, Ryan Gander, Rosie Gibbens, Marty Gleeson, Ella Golt, Winnie Hall, Emma Hart, Harry Hill, Andy Holden, Jessica Hynes, Sarah Lucas, Annie McGrath, Jim Moir, Rebecca Moss, Rory Mullen, Simon Munnery, Harold Offeh, Janette Parris, Amrit Randhawa, David Shrigley, Olivia Sterling, Isy Suttie, Chester Tenneson, Katy Wix, John Wood and Paul Harrison, and Wilfrid Wood.
Zoe Watson, Contemporary Curator at Lowry says, “Funny People is a perfect Venn diagram bringing together art and humour in our galleries. It feels especially at home at Lowry, where we host many comedians across our stages. By exploring many different facets of humour, the exhibition reflects the richness and complexity of everyday human experience.”
Co-curated by Zoe Watson & Annie McGrath
Concept Development by Emalee Beddoes & Chester Tenneson
Funny People opens in Lowry’s Andrew Law Galleries on 21 November 2026 and runs until 17 January 2027, before touring to The Burton at Bideford in North Devon in summer 2027. Supported by Arts Council England and Salford City Council, Lowry presents a regularly changing programme of contemporary exhibitions alongside the permanent LS Lowry Collection.