This summer at The Box Plymouth is all about expression – from pioneering artists who’ve spent a lifetime making colourful expressive paintings, to activities that give children the chance to enjoy being creative.

The first of two major new exhibitions runs from June 20 - September 20. Echoes of Us features a powerful series of works from the Government Art Collection, one of the world’s most significant collections of British and British related art. Photographs, paintings, installations and film have been organised around the themes of Belonging, Memory and Connection and selected in collaboration with a group of young people. Visitors can enjoy a ‘Bitesize’ talk in the exhibition on July 1 or August 5.

Gillian Ayres: A Life in Colour runs from July 4 - October 4. Ayres (1930-2018) was a brilliant artist who came of age in a post-war British art world dominated by men. She spent many years living in a small village in north Cornwall and produced huge vibrant paintings during her career. The exhibition is a chance to explore the life, work and legacy of a pioneering female artist. Anyone keen to find out more can enjoy a ‘Curator’s Tour’ on 16 July or 10 September or come to The Box’s next ‘Super Saturday’ on July 4.

New displays also go on show from early July, highlighting the entries to a Children and Young People’s Open, the 170th anniversary of Arts University Plymouth and 42 lighthouse models designed by local school children.

Thanks to the ‘Great British Summer Savings’ scheme you can enjoy a discount on children’s meals in The Box Kitchen & Bar from June 25 - September 1. You can also get discounted admission to Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse on The Hoe and the historic Elizabethan House on The Barbican if you want to venture further afield.