From crescents to fashion, Jane Austen to dragons, Jessica Hope highlights some local events and exhibitions happening in the coming year
Lace in Fashion Exhibition
From 4 February, The Fashion Museum
Drawing on the museum’s magnificent archives, along with a selection of loans from designers, The Fashion Museum will be showcasing around 50 exquisite pieces of fashion adorned in lace for its annual temporary exhibition, showing how this delicate material has been used in fashion from the 16th century up to the present day.
Supported by a grant from the Arts Council England and assisted by expert volunteers from the Lace Guild, curator Elly Summers has painstakingly catalogued the museum’s impressive lace collection, which even includes what may be the only surviving dress worn by Queen Charlotte, dating from 1805.
The oldest object in the exhibition will be a smock dating from 1580 – 1600 with Flemish bobbin lace on the sleeves and collar, while more modern pieces by Burberry also feature. Lace In Fashion complements The Fashion Museum’s major exhibition, A History of Fashion in 100 Objects, which runs until 1 January 2019. Admission to both exhibitions is included in admission to the museum.
Visit: fashionmuseum.co.uk.
The Bath Festival
19 – 28 May, various locations
The new combined arts festival, celebrating all types of music and literature, has already secured names such as internationally celebrated cellist Steven Isserlis, Schumann enthusiast Simon Callow, Philharmonia Orchestra and Brooklyn author Colm Tóibín. General booking is now open.
Visit: bathfestivals.org.uk.
History through a Lens: Iconic Photographs
25 February – 10 May, Victoria Art Gallery
This show features over 60 photographs that have challenged and changed public opinion of world events throughout modern history. You may recognise some of these images from newspaper reports, but this exhibition will show the photographs on their own as pieces of art.
The exhibition includes photojournalism from some of the most significant moments in 20th century history, including the assassination of JFK, a rare shot of the Normandy D-Day landings, and a depiction of Nelson Mandela in his cell on Robben Island.
Thirty per cent of the exhibition will include 21st century prints, with many focusing on political and social concerns that feature in present day society. The collection is curated by Tristan Lund, formerly of the Michael Hoppen Gallery.
Visit: victoriagal.org.uk.
Bruegel: Defining a Dynasty Exhibition
11 February – 4 June, The Holburne Museum
The Holburne Museum will be holding the UK’s first exhibition dedicated to the work of the Bruegel dynasty, which will include Wedding Dance in the Open Air – an oil painting in the musuem’s own collection which, after extensive conservation and technical examination, was recently confirmed as being by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. Having previously been thought to be the work of a copyist, this painting has now been confirmed as the only version of this scene in a UK public museum.
The exhibition will explore the complex Bruegel family tree through 35 works of art, including pieces from the National Gallery, Royal Collection Trust and Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Tickets: £10 adult, £9 concessions.
Visit: holburne.org or call: 01225 388569.
250 years of The Royal Crescent
Throughout 2017, various locations
19 May 2017 marks the 250th anniversary of the first stones of the world famous Royal Crescent being laid. To commemorate this masterpiece of Georgian architecture by John Wood The Younger there will be a jam-packed schedule of more than 70 events to get involved with across the city. No. 1 Royal Crescent will be holding three exhibitions throughout the year, including an exhibition of detailed models by Modern Souvenir’s Timothy Richards titled From Rome to Royal Crescent from February to June. Visit: no1royalcrescent.org.uk.
The Museum of Bath Architecture will explore how the Royal Crescent inspired some of England’s most prolific post-war architects at its Past, Present, Future: Bath, Modernism and the Smithsons exhibition from June to November. Visit: museumofbatharchitecture.org.uk. We will be bringing you further information about the celebratory schedule of events over the coming months, so keep your eyes peeled.
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200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death
200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s deathThroughout 2017, various locations
On 18 July 1817 Jane Austen died in Winchester, aged 41. This summer there will be a whole host of events to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of one of England’s most renowned novelists. Grab your ballgown or breeches and prepare to dance the evening away, just as Austen and her contemporaries would have done, at the Costumed Summer Ball on 1 July in the 18th century banqueting room of The Guildhall. Tickets will go on sale in February.
The annual Jane Austen Festival will take place from 8 – 17 September, with the world record breaking Regency Costumed Promenade taking place on Saturday 9 September. There will be more than 80 events taking place, including readings, workshops, theatre and concerts, with more than 4,000 people expected to attend. The festival’s chosen charity will be the Royal United Hospital Cancer Care Campaign which will help raise funds for a pioneering new cancer centre.
Visit: janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk.
Jazz Age Fashion and Breaking The Pattern Exhibitions
18 March – 29 October, The American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath
The American Museum in Britain is hosting two exciting exhibitions this year, with both running at the same time so you won’t miss out. 1920s Jazz Age Fashion and Photographs includes a glittering display of 100 haute couture and ready-to-wear garments from 1919 – 1929, including fashion pieces, flapper dresses and elegant evening capes. There will also be photographs by James Abbe (1883 – 1973) and film excerpts.
Alongside this, American-born Joyce Petschek will be hosting her first UK exhibition – Breaking The Pattern – which includes colourful needlework and breaks away from formal Bargello work, showing a new side of this genre.
Visit: americanmuseum.org or call: 01225 460503.
Here be Dragons
22 July – 8 October, Victoria Art Gallery
The fire-breathing creature that is the dragon continues to fascinate us, featuring frequently in literature, on screen and in art. With this in mind, Victoria Art Gallery’s family oriented summer show will see this magical beast at its centre. Some of the UK’s best children’s illustrators and writers, such as EH Shepard and Quentin Blake, will be on display – and some of the artwork will be up for sale.
Visitors will come face to face with a dragon’s den – in two and three dimensions – filled with creatures that have leapt out of their favourite books. The exhibition will be curated by John and Gill McLay, founders of Bath Children’s Literature Festival. Visit: victoriagal.org.uk.
Iford Arts Festival
27 May – 5 August, Iford Manor, Iford, Bradford on Avon, BA15 2BA
The new season includes three spectacular opera productions – La bohème, Barber of Seville and Jephtha, and the popular Picnic Promenades include performances from Clare Teal, Pee Wee Ellis and Hailey Tuck. The festival takes place in the beautiful grade one listed Peto Garden of Iford Manor.
General booking opens on 25 February, visit: ifordarts.org.uk or call the Theatre Royal Box Office: 01225 448844.
Bath Children’s Literature Festival
Friday 29 September – Sunday 8 October, various locations
September may seem like a world away, but we all know how quickly it will creep up on us. And with this in mind, we already have the dates set for Europe’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival which will be returning in 2017 for its 11th festival. And if the 2016 event is anything to go by, this year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever.
While the programme hasn’t been released yet, we can expect some great names from the children’s literature world – the 2016 line-up included David Walliams, Michael Morpurgo, Lucy Worsley and Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown. We’ll let you know more about the line-up and how to book tickets over the coming months.
Visit: bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature.
Main image: Wedding Dance in the Open Air by by Pieter Brueghel the Younger at The Holburne Museum
The post Look out 2017: The big events coming to Bath this year appeared first on The Bath Magazine.