When and where is Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy?
Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy is at The Box in Plymouth from 24 January to 31 May 2026.
What can you expect from Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy?
In an exhibition which marks 100 years since her birth, 'Pride and Joy' will be the most extensive display of Beryl Cook's work to date with more than 80 works, from iconic paintings to rarely seen treasures from private collections and the Cook family archives.
The exhibition will fundamentally reassess Cook's significance as a chronicler of everyday life during a time of great change in Britain.
2026 marks both Cook's centenary and 50 years since the 1976 Sunday Times feature that launched her career following her first exhibition at Plymouth Arts Centre in 1975. She produced an estimated 500 paintings during her lifetime, many of which have become instantly recognisable through their commercial success. But, although her colourful paintings made her beloved by millions, critics consistently dismissed her work as mere kitsch.
Pride and Joy argues for a radical reassessment. Through subjects such as drag queens, working-class women at bingo halls, plus-size bodies celebrating their physicality and LGBTQ+ nightlife, Cook documented communities and identities that were actively marginalised with genuine affection, technical mastery and unflinching honesty. Her work from the 1970s to 2000s captures working-class joy, body positivity, and queer culture with a sophistication that's only now being fully recognised.
How to you get to Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy at The Box
The Box is conveniently located just a 10-15 minute walk from Plymouth train station. There are regular direct train services from London, Bristol and Cornwall.