September | Temporary Exhibition
Preview Night: A Fair Story & New Era
25 September 2026
A Fair Story: A contemporary exploration of travelling Showmen
Photography by Jo Metson Scott, and poetry by Sheldon Chadwick.
26 September 2026 – 10 January 2027
As Nottingham prepares to welcome the return of Goose Fair this October, a new exhibition at Nottingham Castle will offer visitors a rare glimpse behind the lights, music and excitement of one of the UK’s oldest and most famous fairs.
Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery is proud to host this new temporary exhibition: A Fair Story: A contemporary exploration of travelling Showmen
A Fair Story shines a light on the people, families and traditions behind one of Nottingham’s most cherished events. It explores the lives, history and culture of Britain’s travelling Showmen community through powerful photography, poetry and personal stories.
A result of a 10 year-long project that explores the lives, traditions and resilience of Britain’s Travelling Showmen through photographs, poetry and personal stories. Focused on the community behind Nottingham’s historic Goose Fair, the exhibition celebrates their cultural heritage, innovation and family-centred way of life while addressing prejudice and highlighting their enduring contribution to British fairground culture.
Standard admission applies.
Pay Once, Visit All Year Round with our Annual Pass.
The exhibition is a collaboration between Sheldon Chadwick, a poet, researcher and seventh-generation Showman, and Jo Metson Scott, a Nottingham-raised, London-based documentary photographer who has spent more than a decade documenting the Showmen community within her home town. Together they invite audiences beyond the fairground frontage to discover the traditions, skills, challenges and resilience that sustain Britain’s travelling fairs.
Travelling Showmen are a distinct cultural community with their own history and way of life. Behind every fair is a network of families who build, transport, maintain and operate rides and attractions, often passing specialist skills and knowledge down through generations. In 2021, Showmen were recognised as a distinct ethnic and occupational identity within the national census for the first time.
Alongside celebrating this rich heritage, A Fair Story highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the Showmen community, including prejudice linked to their travelling way of life. The exhibition aims to foster greater understanding of a community that has played a significant role in Britain’s social and cultural history for centuries.
With Goose Fair attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, the exhibition provides a timely opportunity for local audiences to connect with a hidden aspect of a much-loved Nottingham tradition.
