David Bowie: On Tour at Showtown

Get ready for an unforgettable celebration of one of music’s greatest icons. From 30 June to 26 September 2027, DAVID BOWIE: ON TOUR comes to Showtown in Blackpool. The V&A has announced that a national tour of highlights from its incredible David Bowie archive will travel across the UK for the very first time and will kick off at V&A Dundee in November 2026 before visiting Blackpool’s Showtown in June 2027 and then travelling to the Bowes Museum in County Durham, the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull and finally Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, with further venues to be announced. 

David Bowie: On Tour at Showtown will be the only chance for North West visitors to experience over 100 highlights from the V&A’s famous David Bowie archive in this thrilling celebration of the creativity and enduring cultural impact of the iconic superstar of Sound and Vision. Items will include Bowie’s legendary costumes, musical instruments, career spanning photography and personal treasures, including the stopwatch he used when songwriting; plus never-before-seen items including Polaroids of make-up tests, a Ziggy Stardust-era acoustic guitar, unrealised scripts, and handwritten lyrics, performance notes and costumes from Bowie’s final albums.

Across four fascinating sections, David Bowie: On Tour takes audiences behind the scenes for a rare glimpse into Bowie’s creative process, exploring how he created his ever-evolving image, music and screen work.

The opening section, Bowie Through a Lens, explores how photography shaped Bowie’s image and identity, featuring work by Terry O’Neill, Mick Rock, Sukita, Brian Ward and more. 

The second section, All the Somebody People, focuses on Bowie onstage and in the studio across four defining eras:

• Ziggy Stardust, which features a seminal acoustic guitar from the era on display for the very first time.
• Bowie’s Berlin, which highlights his pioneering use of techniques and recording equipment in the studio with Tony Visconti and Brian Eno.
• Let’s Dance, which reveals how Bowie created the blueprint for major stadium tours.
• ★ (Blackstar), which explores Bowie’s symbolism in recalling previous eras through his final recording, giving never-before-seen insight into the album’s creation. 

The third section, Hooked to the Silver Screen, reveals Bowie’s groundbreaking performances on TV and the silver screen, and the final section, I Can’t Give Everything Away, explores the items and personal possessions Bowie chose to keep, showing a creative mind constantly thinking about the next project.

Sign up to the Showtown newsletter www.showtownblackpool.co.uk/bowie to hear when bookings go live later this year. 

Where: Showtown, Blackpool, FY1 4TQ

When: Wednesday 30 June to Sunday 26 September 2027 

Further Information available HERE

Venue details