February 19, 2025
Art Gallery

Programme of art workshops and heritage talks to mark Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s 25th anniversary


A PACKED programme of art workshops and heritage talks for 2025 has been launched to mark Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s 25th anniversary.

The Little Elborow Street venue hosts a range of art workshops throughout the year, from monoprinting to macrame and wet felting to willow weaving.

Free heritage talks include the archaeological finds discovered at the Roman settlement of Tripontium, and the story of Lady Dorothie Fielding, the Rugby-born daughter of the Earl of Denbigh who served on the frontline during the First World War.

Vanessa Morgan hosts Stranger Than Fiction on Thursday February 6, a talk aimed at writers who want to find inspiration and period details for stories by studying old newspapers and registers.



Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has launched its 25th anniversary programme of art workshops and heritage talks.

Leicester Print Workshop hosts a drypoint printmaking workshop on Saturday February 15, where visitors can learn the drypoint process and create prints to take home.

The Leicester Print Workshop team return to the venue on Saturday June 28 to host a monoprinting workshop, while life drawing workshops take place on Thursday February 27, Thursday April 24 and Thursday June 26.

Rugby illustrator Jess Hartshorn hosts a free Creative Counsel session on Thursday February 27, revealing how to transform art into must-have merchandise, and Jamie Boots holds a two-day graphite pencil drawing workshop on Friday March 14 and Saturday March 15.

Heritage talks return on Thursday March 6 with Our Canal Heritage, an illustrated talk from Roger Butler, followed by Rugby Archaeological Society’s U-Dig talk on Saturday March 8, where director of excavations Derek Roberts reveals the secrets of searching for historical finds.

And a Creative Counsel community gathering takes place on Thursday April 24 from 4pm to 5pm, a celebration where artists and visitors to the venue can network and discuss memories of Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s first 25 years.

Later in the year, the programme includes a jewellery workshop where visitors can create a stacked ring, willow weaving and macrame workshops, and another chance to join Jamie Boots for a graphite pencil workshop.

Coun Maggie O’Rourke, Rugby Borough Council’s spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “Encouraging new audiences to engage with the arts and heritage has been central to Rugby Art Gallery and Museum’s work for 25 years, and this year’s anniversary programme of art workshops and heritage talks offers everyone the opportunity to get involved.

“It promises to be a busy year at the venue, with a number of special exhibitions and events taking place – and a few surprises too – and with limited places available at the workshops and talks, it’s best to book early to secure your place.”

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum first opened its doors in 2000 and has since cemented its status as the borough’s cultural hub – providing a permanent home for the acclaimed Rugby Collection of contemporary art, the borough’s social history collection and the Tripontium Collection, the trove of Roman artefacts excavated from a site on the outskirts of Rugby by the town’s archaeological society.

To date, the venue has welcomed more than 1.5million visitors and educated more than 50,000 school pupils through its learning programme.

Coun Neil Sandison, the council’s Liberal Democrat spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “Rugby Art Gallery and Museum has been the place to go to find out about Rugby’s cultural, heritage and social history for 25 years.

“The anniversary programme’s a celebration of our collections and exhibitions, and demonstrates how the venue intends to develop its services and offer to audiences in the future.”

Places at art workshops must be booked in advance, and fees apply. Admission to heritage talks costs £5, except for free talks hosted by Rugby Archaeological Society.

Visit www.ragm.co.uk/adultlearning for more information.





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