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Art supplies including brushes and clay rest on a wooden table in an art gallery.

Jason and the Adventure of 254 free in Leicester until August: what residents need to know

A free major solo exhibition by Jason Wilsher-Mills is now running at Attenborough Arts Centre in Leicester, bringing an immersive installation of sculptures, illustrations and interactive dioramas to the University of Leicester venue.

Dates: Tuesday 9 June to Sunday 30 August 2026
Time listed: 00:00
Venue: Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 7HA
Cost: Free
Entry: The listing says “Book now”
For: General public visitors interested in contemporary art, disability, medicine, the body and childhood memory

A free Leicester exhibition built around the body

“Jason and the Adventure of 254” is presented by Wellcome Collection and Attenborough Arts Centre as a major solo exhibition by Jason Wilsher-Mills.

The exhibition is described as the artist’s largest and most personal commission to date. It draws on Wilsher-Mills’ experience of becoming disabled as a child, using the gallery space to explore the body through colour, humour and what the source describes as magic realism.

At the centre of the show is an immersive installation that reimagines the gallery as a hospital ward. Rather than treating that setting as a purely clinical space, the exhibition uses sculpture, illustration and interactive dioramas to examine how disability, medicine and the human body are seen culturally and socially.

What visitors will see at Attenborough Arts Centre

The source highlights sculptures, illustrations and interactive dioramas as the main elements of the installation. The work also reflects on family, working-class background and the role of hospital education in the artist’s childhood.

For visitors, the appeal is likely to be both visual and personal: a colourful gallery experience shaped by childhood memory, medical space and creativity, rather than a traditional wall-hung exhibition.

The exhibition is curated by Shamita Sharmacharja, Wellcome Collection Curator, and commissioned by Wellcome Collection.

Key details before planning a visit

Detail Information
Event Jason and the Adventure of 254
Type Exhibition
Dates 9 June to 30 August 2026
Listed time 00:00
Venue Attenborough Arts Centre
Address University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 7HA
Price Free
Booking status “Book now” is shown on the listing
Presented by Wellcome Collection and Attenborough Arts Centre

Why this show may suit local visitors

The long run gives Leicester visitors several weeks to fit the exhibition around summer plans. Because it is free, it may also work for families, students, gallery regulars and people looking for a low-cost cultural visit in the city.

The subject matter is specific: disability, medicine, the human body and childhood. The tone described by the organisers is not solemn alone; the listing points to humour, colour and a “joyful and subversive” approach to the body.

No accessibility, food, stall or transport details were included in the supplied event listing. Visitors relying on specific access arrangements or travel information should check directly with the venue or event organiser before attending, as the published listing notes that event details may be subject to change.

Source and booking status

The event information comes from the Visit Leicester listing, which credits Data Thistle for the What’s On data. The listing names Attenborough Arts Centre as the contact venue and gives the full address as University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 7HA.

The listing shows daily “Book now” entries from Tuesday 9 June through Sunday 30 August.

Source: Visit Leicester Events

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Amira Patel

Amira Patel

Author

Amira Patel is a Leicester-based local news editor covering community events, cultural listings, neighbourhood initiatives, and public notices across the city and county. She checks dates, venues, organiser details, local authority updates, and transport information before publication, with an emphasis on accessible reporting that helps residents understand what is happening locally and why it matters

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