Royal Ascot week is unlike anything else in the British calendar. Five extraordinary days of world-class racing, breathtaking fashion, and an atmosphere that fizzes from the first morning to the last dance. This June, Creed Gallery — Ascot's contemporary art gallery — is taking centre stage at one of the most stylish events of the summer, bringing live painting, original artworks for sale, and three of the most exciting artists in the UK right to the heart of the action.
We're thrilled to announce that Creed Gallery has partnered with Royal Ascot Festival 2026 to bring you The Royal Ascot Gallery Experience. For the full week of the festival, our main operation will be right there on site — with three extraordinary artists painting live, ten original artworks hanging and available to purchase, and our team present throughout to help you find something truly special.
Our Ascot gallery will also remain open during the week for anyone who wants to visit us directly, though the beating heart of Creed Gallery that week will be at the festival itself.
What is Royal Ascot Festival 2026?
Running from Tuesday 16th to Saturday 20th June 2026 at Station Hill, Ascot (SL5 9EG), the Royal Ascot Festival is the ultimate pre and after-party alongside the racing. Daily from 10am to 10pm, the festival brings together live bands, top DJs, a vibrant VIP area, incredible food trucks and an electric atmosphere that never lets up.
Think style, celebration and community — with extraordinary art woven through the heart of it this year, thanks to Creed Gallery.
Tickets and full event details are available at Eventbrite.
Original Artworks for Sale at the Festival
Alongside our live painting programme, Creed Gallery will be hanging original artworks at Royal Ascot Festival — all available to purchase on the day. Carefully curated for the occasion, these works represent some of the finest contemporary art available through the gallery, presented in the unique and celebratory setting of one of Britain's most iconic annual events.
Whether you're a seasoned collector or buying your first piece, our team will be at the festival throughout the week to guide you and answer any questions. This is a genuinely rare opportunity to acquire exceptional art in an exceptional setting.
Meet the Artists Painting Live at the Festival
Each day of Royal Ascot Festival week, a world-class artist will be painting live on site — creating new work in real time for you to watch, meet them in person, and discover. Here's who's joining us:
Tuesday 16th June — Helena Jay - @helenajayart
We open the week with the remarkable Helena Jay — a London-based international artist whose work has graced the pages of British Vogue and House & Garden magazine, and been exhibited at the Florence Biennale, the London Biennale, and the Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid.
Helena's practice is unlike anything you'll encounter elsewhere. Her paintings explore the unseen threads that connect all living things — layered, deeply considered works rich with hidden symbols and meaning, rooted in ecological philosophy and the belief that everything in our world is fundamentally interconnected. In a time of increasing noise and distraction, Helena's art offers something truly rare: a moment to feel, to reflect, and to reconnect.
Seeing Helena paint live at Royal Ascot Festival on Tuesday 16th June is a genuinely special way to open the week — world-class art being created in real time, by an artist whose work has been celebrated in the pages of British Vogue. Come and find her, watch the canvas come to life, and take a moment to discover what her art is truly saying.
Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th June — David Henty, Master Art Forger - @davidhentyartforger
If you've never heard of David Henty, prepare to be fascinated.
Acclaimed as "the brushstroke alchemist" and widely regarded as the world's number one art forger, David's story is one of the most extraordinary in the art world. His journey began in prison in the mid-1990s — serving time for forgery — where an unexpected passion for painting was ignited. What followed was a remarkable transformation: from convicted forger to one of the most technically accomplished copyists alive today.
David has spent over 25 years perfecting the techniques, brushwork and idiosyncrasies of history's greatest painters — Caravaggio, Picasso, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Basquiat and more. His copies are so convincing that many have been sold by art dealers and auction houses as originals, unknowingly held in collections around the world. He's been featured on the BBC, Radio 4, Sky Arts and Sky News, and there's even a film about his life in production — "Picasso Before Breakfast" — with the script being written by Nick Moran of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame.
Today David works entirely above board, selling his extraordinary copies openly and with full transparency through galleries across the UK, including Creed Gallery in Ascot. His works are highly collectable, deeply fascinating, and utterly unlike anything else you'll encounter.
Watching David Henty paint live at Royal Ascot Festival is a genuinely unmissable experience. He'll be on site for both Wednesday and Thursday — giving you two chances to witness the brushstroke alchemist at work.
Friday 19th & Saturday 20th June — Thirsty Bstrd - @thirstybstrd
We close the week in spectacular style with the internationally acclaimed Thirsty Bstrd — the Parisian street and pop artist whose real name is Julien Surdeau, and whose bold, provocative work has been exhibited in galleries and art fairs across New York, London and Tokyo.
Working with spray paint, stencils and mixed media, Thirsty Bstrd creates pieces that are visually arresting and impossible to ignore — vibrant, sharp-witted works that blend street art, pop art and contemporary culture into something entirely his own. His art takes on society, politics and consumerism through powerful imagery and a rebellious spirit, reimagining cultural icons and everyday objects in ways that make you stop, look twice, and think.
There's no better way to close out Royal Ascot week than with Thirsty Bstrd painting live at the festival on Friday and Saturday — bringing the energy of the Parisian street art scene to one of Britain's most iconic summer events. Come and find him, watch something extraordinary take shape in real time, and soak up the atmosphere.
Also: Creed Gallery in Ascot Remains Open
While our main focus during Royal Ascot week is at the festival, our contemporary art gallery in Ascot will also be open as usual throughout the week. If you'd prefer a quieter, more relaxed browsing experience away from the festival, you're very welcome to visit us directly.
Our team offers private art advisory and in-home consultations for collectors looking for more personalised guidance — simply get in touch to arrange.
📍 Creed Gallery, Ascot, Berkshire
🖼️ Full collection on display and available to purchase
🎨 Works by our Royal Ascot Festival artists also available
How to Get Tickets for Royal Ascot Festival 2026
The Royal Ascot Festival runs 16–20 June 2026 at Station Hill, Ascot (SL5 9EG), daily from 10am to 10pm. Tickets are available now at Eventbrite.
Follow us on Instagram @creed.gallery for live updates, behind-the-scenes moments and a first look at the works on display throughout the week.
We can't wait to see you there. 🎨
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is painting live at Royal Ascot Festival 2026? Creed Gallery is proud to present three extraordinary artists at Royal Ascot Festival 2026: Helena Jay on Tuesday 16th June, master art forger David Henty on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th June, and Thirsty Bstrd on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June.
Who is David Henty? David Henty is widely regarded as the world's most accomplished art forger and copyist. He began his career in prison in the mid-1990s and has since spent over 25 years perfecting the techniques of master painters including Picasso, Van Gogh, Caravaggio and Basquiat. Featured on the BBC, Radio 4 and Sky Arts, he now sells his extraordinary works openly and legitimately through galleries across the UK, including Creed Gallery in Ascot.
Who is Helena Jay? Helena Jay is a London-based international artist whose work explores ecological philosophy, interconnection, and the unseen threads that bind all living things. Her layered, symbol-rich paintings have been featured in British Vogue and House & Garden magazine, and exhibited at the Florence Biennale, the London Biennale, and the Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid. She is represented by Creed Gallery in Ascot.
Who is Thirsty Bstrd? Thirsty Bstrd is an internationally acclaimed Parisian street and pop artist, real name Julien Surdeau. Working with spray paint, stencils and mixed media, his bold, satirical works critique society, politics and consumerism through powerful pop-culture imagery and a rebellious spirit. His work has been exhibited in galleries and art fairs across New York, London and Tokyo, and he has collaborated with major brands and high-profile art projects worldwide. Thirsty Bstrd is appearing at Royal Ascot Festival 2026 with Creed Gallery.
Can I buy art at Royal Ascot Festival 2026? Yes — Creed Gallery will be hanging ten original artworks at Royal Ascot Festival, all available to purchase on the day. Works created live by our artists during the week will also be available. Our team will be at the festival throughout to help you find the right piece.
Is Creed Gallery open during Royal Ascot week? Yes — Creed Gallery in Ascot will be open as usual throughout Royal Ascot week, 16–20 June 2026. However our main presence that week will be at Royal Ascot Festival itself, where our artists will be painting live and ten original artworks will be on display for sale.
Where does the live painting take place? Live painting by Helena Jay, David Henty and Thirsty Bstrd takes place at Royal Ascot Festival, Station Hill, Ascot, SL5 9EG. The festival runs daily from 10am to 10pm. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.
How many artworks will be for sale at Royal Ascot Festival? Creed Gallery will be displaying ten original artworks at Royal Ascot Festival 2026, all available to purchase. Our team will be present throughout the week to assist.
Royal Ascot Festival 2026 promises to be an extraordinary week — and The Royal Ascot Gallery Experience with Creed Gallery is going to be right at the centre of it. Whether you discover Helena Jay's deeply moving ecological paintings, stand transfixed watching the world's most notorious art forger bring a Picasso to life, or find yourself captivated by Thirsty Bstrd's fearless Parisian street art, this is a week where art and Ascot come together in the most memorable way. Come and find us at the festival, explore the ten original artworks on display, and take something truly special home. We'll see you there. 🎨
Want to explore our full collection before the festival? Browse our artworks or get in touch to arrange a private viewing or art advisory consultation at Creed Gallery, Ascot.