Last updated: 28 October 2026
Peter James Houghton is the self-taught Salford artist who paints the empty precincts, underpasses and condemned buildings of northern towns before they disappear. Here you will find our take on his work, his current and upcoming shows, how to buy a Peter James Houghton painting, and his small panel in this year’s War Child auction.
Our take on Peter James Houghton
Houghton paints the parts of northern towns that most people walk past: shopping precincts, underpasses, bins, tired seaside resorts and blocks awaiting demolition. There are never any people in them. He grew up in East Lancashire playing in the ruins of old cotton mills, and he has lived in Salford for about 20 years. “Stillness, silence, nothingness is what informs my painting,” he writes on his own website.
His War Child piece, Old Salford Police HQ, is acrylic on panel. A flat-roofed concrete canopy stands alone on a wide, wet forecourt. Behind it, a lemon-yellow sky fades into dusk over fences, lamp posts and distant blocks. A toppled red barrier lies under the canopy, a pink graffiti tag marks the wall at the left, and the puddles in the foreground break the light into smeared pinks, greys and blues.
He explains the aim on his site: “I hope by painting these places it gives them a kind of dignified end-of-life before their fate turns them to rubble.” His recent run of prizes, including first prize at the RBSA Prize in Birmingham in 2024 and a Jackson’s Painting Prize shortlisting in 2025, shows how quickly his profile is growing, and this lot is an affordable way in.
Peter James Houghton: the essentials
- A self-taught painter, originally from East Lancashire and based in Salford for around 20 years, according to his own site.
- Won first prize at the RBSA Prize in Birmingham in 2024, plus the Blackburn Open and the CCA Open the same year.
- Shortlisted for the Jackson’s Painting Prize in 2025 and longlisted in 2026.
- Showed at Salford Museum & Art Gallery in Two Artists, One City (2024 to 2025), and the museum has his work in its collection.
- Has shown in the RSA Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh, the ING Discerning Eye at the Mall Galleries and the Soho Open in London, all in 2025.
Where to see Peter James Houghton now
- Coming up: Sound & Vision 2026, a War Child charity auction online from 27 October to 12 November 2026, with the works on view at Iconic Images Gallery, London, 6 to 8 November. The piece is Old Salford Police HQ (2026), acrylic on panel, 21 x 15 cm (8.3 x 5.9 in), lot page.
- Coming up: ING Discerning Eye (group), Mall Galleries, London, 13 to 21 November 2026, according to the artist’s exhibitions page.
- Now: The Landscape Open 2026 (group), Salisbury Museum, 17 October 2026 to 31 January 2027.
- Now: Salford Open 2026 (group), Salford, 19 September to 29 November 2026.
- Here Where You Are Standing (solo), The Modernist, Manchester, 9 January to 28 February 2026, as listed by Creative Tourist.
How to buy a Peter James Houghton painting
Peter James Houghton’s signed limited edition prints have all sold out, and he says a new print run is coming in late 2026. For now, his small paintings sell directly and through galleries:
- Bonny Street 1: a small acrylic on board of the old police headquarters and car park in Blackpool, image 20 x 25 cm (7.9 x 9.8 in), box framed, £195 from Water Street Gallery.
- Old Salford Police HQ, 2026: a small acrylic on panel in the War Child Sound & Vision auction, bidding from £100 until 12 November 2026 (bid here).
- Paintings and print waiting list: through the contact form on his website.
Peter James Houghton FAQs
Where is Peter James Houghton based?
Salford. He grew up in East Lancashire and moved to Salford around 20 years ago.
What does Peter James Houghton paint?
Empty northern townscapes in acrylic: shopping precincts, underpasses, bins, seaside resorts and buildings awaiting demolition, always without people.
Can I buy a Peter James Houghton print?
Not right now. His last prints sold out, and he plans a new run in late 2026; you can join the waiting list through his website.
Where can I see his work in London?
His War Child piece is on view at Iconic Images Gallery from 6 to 8 November 2026, and he is in the ING Discerning Eye at the Mall Galleries from 13 to 21 November.
More from CoolCuration
- British Art Fair review: modern British painting at the Saatchi Gallery.
- Freelands Painting Prize review: new painting worth seeing in London.
- Best affordable art in the UK: prints and originals under £500.
- Art on a Postcard: another charity art sale where small works by big names go for less.
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Main image: Peter James Houghton, Old Salford Police HQ (detail), 2026. © Peter James Houghton, courtesy War Child. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and market figures last checked: 28 October 2026.
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