UK AIDS Memorial Quilt to be Displayed in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall

Tate will offer visitors a rare opportunity to view the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt in its Turbine Hall from 12 to 16 June 2025. The quilt, which began in 1989, consists of 42 quilts and 23 individual panels representing 384 individuals affected by HIV and AIDS. Laid out in a grid across the floor of the Turbine Hall, the quilt echoes its previous outdoor displays, raising awareness of the ongoing AIDS pandemic and serving as a poignant tribute to those who have been lost.

UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, c. 1989-ongoinG (Quilt 27: Nick Game, Paul Ashton, NAZ Project, Stevie, Space, Bev, Paul, Body Positive Newcastle Upon Tyne, Steve). Courtesy of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt is part of the world’s largest community art project, which began in the USA in 1985. American activist Cleve Jones initiated the project by inviting people to create textile panels to commemorate loved ones lost to AIDS. These panels were sewn into larger quilts and displayed publicly as a form of protest to highlight the HIV and AIDS crisis. In the late 1980s, Scottish activist Alistair Hulme witnessed one of these early displays in San Francisco and began coordinating the creation of a UK version of the quilt. One of its most notable public exhibitions was the ‘Quilts of Love’ display in June 1994 at Hyde Park Corner, London, which featured panels from both the US and the UK, along with sections designed by fashion designers.

Today, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt is cared for and displayed by the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership, formed by seven HIV support charities in 2014. It stands as an important reminder of those lost to the virus and the continued impact of HIV on communities worldwide. While access to antiretroviral medication has allowed many to live with HIV, the availability of this treatment still varies dramatically across the globe. Siobhán Lanigan of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership emphasised the importance of making the quilt visible, saying that the display in the Turbine Hall will reach its largest audience yet and help break the stigma still associated with HIV.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in live name readings on Saturday, 14 June, at 11am and 2pm.

Find out more about the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt by visiting their website.

Date: 12–16 June 2025. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG. Price: Free. tate.org.uk.