Tate Liverpool are collaborating with the Bluecoat to bring Steve McQueen’s film installation Grenfell to Liverpool. Tate has been coordinating a national tour of the artwork since 2025, and it will be presented at the Bluecoat from 16 May to 21 June.
In December 2017, artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen (b.1969, London) made an artwork in response to the fire that took place earlier that year on 14 June at Grenfell Tower. 72 people died in the tragedy. Filming the tower before it was covered with hoarding, McQueen sought to create a record so that it would not be forgotten.
Following the fire, a Government Inquiry was launched that was conducted in two phases. The findings of the first and second phase of the Inquiry have been reported, the recommendations of which are yet to be implemented, meaning a similar tragedy could happen again. There is an ongoing criminal investigation.
Steve McQueen said “I knew once the tower was covered up, it would start to leave people’s minds. I was determined that it never be forgotten.”
Grenfell was first presented in 2023 at Serpentine in London’s Kensington Gardens, following a period of private viewings, prioritising bereaved families and survivors. The work was then placed in the care of Tate and London Museum.
Bringing Grenfell to Liverpool has long been an ambition as it speaks to the city’s history with social justice campaigns to tackle inequalities in housing, health, welfare, and crime. The city has a rich history of social action and Grenfell United have worked alongside the Hillsborough families to support the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Law.
The presentation of Grenfell by Steve McQueen is free but tickets should be booked in advance as the work is intended to be seen from the start, so latecomers cannot be admitted. Following a period of community outreach and private viewings with the bereaved and survivors and the local community, the artwork will be on view to the public.
This national tour is being coordinated by Tate in collaboration with the partner venues and is made possible thanks to support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and from Art Fund. The presentation will be accompanied by a public engagement programme of talks, workshops and community events supported by the Grenfell Foundation.
Content note
Visitors are advised that the film contains close-up aerial imagery of the tower six months after the fire. This includes views inside the building and contractors at work. Some visitors may find the imagery upsetting. Each venue will help any visitors who need an opportunity to pause, rest and reflect after viewing the work.
Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen has been in conversation with Grenfell bereaved and survivor groups and individuals from the wider community at different times over the last seven years. He has engaged in these discussions so that Grenfell is delivered sensitively and with the consideration of the bereaved and survivors at the forefront. The production of the work was self-funded by McQueen, it is not a commercial project and will not be sold.
Steve McQueen was born in West London in 1969 and studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths College where he first became interested in film. Over more than 30 years, McQueen has been influential in expanding the way in which artists work with film. He has made several feature films with many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Film for 12 Years a Slave. His most recent film, Blitz, was released in 2024. As an artist, McQueen won the Turner Prize in 1999 and has exhibited in public museums around the world. He lives and works in London and Amsterdam.
