Off the charts: Lincoln Castle’s new exhibition celebrates album artwork

Promotional graphic. Text reads "Playback. Art of the Album Sleeve". Three record covers are pictured - Frank Sinatra's, 'Come Fly With Me', The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band' and Björk's 'Post'

Music fans will be able to dive into the stories behind their favourite album covers in a brand-new exhibition launching at Lincoln Castle next month.

‘Playback: Art of the Album Sleeve’, which runs from 5 June to 24 August, will see more than 100 iconic album covers displayed in the Castle’s Victorian Prison.

The collection celebrates the art that has graced era-defining albums from the 1940s to the present day, including The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), Duran Duran’s Rio (1982), Black Country, New Road’s Ants From Up There (2022), and many more.

Visitors will also have the chance to hear the leading designers behind the covers share their inspirations, in an exclusive film featuring Farrow Design (Pet Shop Boys), Malcolm Garrett (Buzzcocks/Duran Duran), and Stylorouge (Blur/George Michael).

Entry to the Playback exhibition is free for annual pass holders and included in the price of a Castle day ticket.

Kimberley Vickers, general manager at Lincoln Castle, said:

“We’re incredibly excited to host this exhibition. Album art is so much more than packaging, these iconic covers have become era-defining images that have shaped popular culture.

“We’re channelling Johnny Cash and have chosen our Victorian Prison to display the art in – what could be more rock and roll than that!?

“With the world-class performers taking to the Castle stage for TK Maxx presents Live at Lincoln Castle, and now this Playback exhibition, it’s going to be a summer to savour for music fans.”

Collage of iconic album sleeves featured in the Playback exhibition

 

Events storming the Castle this summer include:

  • 13 to 28 June: TK Maxx presents: Live at Lincoln Castle, ft. Sting, Simple Minds, Olly Murs, and many more!
  • 26 July: Ministry of Sound presents: Ibiza Anthems with Ellie Sax
  • 30 July: Immersion Theatre presents: The Wind in the Willows
  • 2 and 3 August: The Grand Medieval Joust
  • 14 to 17 August: Outdoor Cinema experiences, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, The Greatest Showman Sing-A-Long, Mamma Mia! and Pretty Woman
  • 16 and 17 August: William Marshall’s Knight School
  • 23 to 26 August: The Asylum Steampunk Festival
  • 11 October: Lincoln Sausage Festival

To make it even easier for families to enjoy a great day out, new and flexible family tickets have been launched, offering a 15 per cent discount on full price entry.

Jump the queue! Book your tickets today and discover 1,000 years of history, where it happened. Visit: www.lincolncastle.com

Published: 29th May 2025