PITMAN: The Exhibition

Times 

10am - 4pm

Price

Included with Annual Pass Admission 

To mark the 10th anniversary of PITMAN, an acclaimed dance work by Eliot Smith Dance inspired by the story and paintings of the Ashington Group, PITMAN: The Exhibition brings together ten new photographic interpretations of the production.

Inspired by ten paintings created by the Ashington Group – the collective of Ashington coal miners who became internationally acclaimed artists and are also known as the Pitmen Painters – PITMAN brings their creativity, resilience and community spirit to life through choreography, theatrical design and music.

For this exhibition, award-winning photographer John Lyons has photographed ten moments from the dance at Woodhorn Museum, each capturing a section of PITMAN and creating a visual journey through the work. Created with the kind permission of the Ashington Group Trustees, the photographs return to the paintings and artistic legacy that originally inspired Eliot Smith's choreography.

From painting to dance and now photography, PITMAN: The Exhibition offers a new perspective on the work and the stories of North East mining communities, characters and everyday experiences that continue to inspire it.

The exhibition takes place simultaneously at Alnwick Playhouse, Dance City and Woodhorn Museum from 26 October to 13 November 2026, allowing audiences across the North East to experience the work in different settings.

At Woodhorn Museum, the exhibition has been curated specifically for the Ashington Group Gallery, placing John Lyons' photographs in direct dialogue with works and the legacy of the Ashington Group. This brings the contemporary interpretations of PITMAN back to the place and artistic community that provided much of the inspiration for the original production.