A new exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery is set to chart 200 years of British poster design, from Victorian playbills to bold modern graphics.
Image © Gordon Nicoll / British Railways / B&NES Council
The show looks at how posters have promoted theatre, entertainment, travel, transport, political campaigns and even First World War recruitment, reflecting changing tastes and social attitudes.
Bath features prominently, with designs advertising Theatre Royal productions, the Bath & West Show, Walcot Street community events and Bath Festivals.
Two Richard III posters for the Theatre Royal – an 1805 text-only playbill and a vivid 1989 design featuring Derek Jacobi – highlight how dramatically poster styles have evolved.
Highlights also include posters by Bath designers Clifford and Rosemary Ellis, known for their work for London Transport and Shell in the 1930s, and classic railway posters promoting Bath’s Georgian architecture and Roman Baths.
Councillor Kevin Guy, leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Poster Power! brings colour, creativity and history into the city, highlighting the impact of graphic design on everyday life and social change.”
The exhibition is family-friendly, with a children’s train linked to the railway posters, a farm-themed activity area, hands-on activities, a fuzzy felt animal wall, a free trail and school holiday crafts.
Poster Power! runs until 10th May 2026. Entry is £9 for adults, £4 for children over six, and free for under-6s and Bath & North East Somerset residents with a Discovery Card.
