The curator of the 10th British Art Show argues that fear of outsiders has become a defining issue in Britain, drawing on political rhetoric, anti-migrant protests and riots. Opening in Coventry this week, the touring exhibition uses contemporary art to explore belonging and what it means to be British.

Titled *A Chorus of Strangers*, the show features artists including Alvaro Barrington, Lindsey Mendick, Jesse Darling and Jasleen Kaur. Its title also recalls the 1517 Evil May Day riot in London, when a crowd attacked immigrant residents and their businesses; the article links that history to today’s debates about difference and national identity.