Arts4Kent is a fund-raising charity which raises funds for the arts by organising an annual programme of events in London and the South East, including art- and architecture-related walks, lectures, visits to art exhibitions, historic homes and buildings (many not normally open to the public) and also the occasional foreign trip.
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NEWS
Happy New Year to you all. Just a reminder that our February lecture will be given this year by the celebrated cultural historian and biographer Lucy Hughes-Hallett. Lucy will be talking to us about the ‘Handsomest Man in 17th century Europe’. More details on who this was and how to book are below.
The visit to Leighton House in Holland Park in April is fully booked.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
GEORGE VILLIERS, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM: THE HANDSOMEST MAN IN 17th CENTURY EUROPE
By LUCY HUGHES-HALLETT
Friday 14th February
Time: 1.45pm for 2.00pm
Venue: The Kippington Centre, Kippington Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2LL
George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, was the favourite of King James I – who addressed him as ‘my sweet child and wife’ – and subsequently chief minister to King Charles I. Buckingham was a beauty, and he surrounded himself with beautiful things. He was a discerning patron, Inigo Jones renovated his houses, John Tradescant was his garden designer. In his great house on the Strand he put together a collection of art works as fine as King Charles’s. Lucy will show us some of the magnificent paintings he owned – the Titians, the Tintorettos, the Veroneses. Buckingham was also a patron, commissioning boldly innovative new work. Most remarkable are the portraits of him by painters including Van Honthorst, Van Dyck and Rubens – images by great artists of a man known as ‘the handsomest-bodied man in Europe’.
Lucy Hughes-Hallett is a cultural historian and biographer. Her book on Gabriele d’Annunzio, The Pike, was described inThe Sunday Times as ‘the biography of the decade’. It won all three of the UK’s most prestigious prizes for non-fiction – the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Duff Cooper Prize and the Costa Biography Award. Lucy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Historical Association. She has written on books, theatre and the visual arts for publications including The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Observer, The New Statesman and the TLS. She was Chair of the Judges for the 2021 International Booker Prize.
Coffee will be available from 1.45pm and the talk will be followed by Afternoon Tea, with home-made sandwiches, cakes and biscuits.
TIckets: £27.50 per person, to include refreshments and Afternoon Tea.
To attend this lecture please contact John Power at johnapower@outlook.com
PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR OF LEIGHTON HOUSE
Thursday 24th April
Time: 11.15 for 11.30am
Meet: 12 Holland Park Road, London W14 8LZ
Originally the studio home of Frederic Leighton, a leading exponent of 19th-century classical art, Leighton House is one of the most remarkable buildings of the 19C. It was inspired in part by Leighton’s extensive travels through Europe and North Africa and each room reflects a different and fascinating aspect of his outstanding collection of high Victorian art, including works by Leighton himself.
Also included in our visit will be the chance to see the Leighton and Landscapes, Impressions from Nature Exhibition.
FULLY BOOKED
CITY GARDENS AND POCKET PARKS
A private walking tour with Ian Swankie
Thursday 12th June
Time: 11am
Meet: TBC
The City of London is known for its skyscrapers, financial institutions, Wren Churches and medieval alleyways, but there are also dozens of green spaces in the Square Mile. These include formal parks, atmospheric graveyards, roof gardens, vertical gardens and cleverly designed spaces providing respite from the bustle of the City. While some of these gardens have a backdrop of glitzy glass offices, several also sit adjacent to ancient churches. We will see a selection of these on this summer walk. The route is about 4km long and mostly level. If it is possible, we will try to end the walk at a church to listen to a lunchtime concert, but this will entirely depend on where we finish and whether there is a concert taking place.
TIckets: £25 per person
DATES FOR THE DIARY: OTHER EVENTS IN 2025
July (TBC) - Firle Place near Lewes
Tuesday 9th December - Turner and Constable Exhibition at Tate BritainTalk up your brand.Use this space to add more details about your site, a customer quote, or to talk about important news.
RECENT EVENTS
WHICH ARTS4KENT MEMBERS HAVE ENJOYED
A VIEW FROM A TV ROSTRUM a lecture given by JAMES BRAXTON
October 2024
James gave us a very entertaining insight into the antiques world and stories from behind the scenes and TV rostrum.
MARC CHAGALL STAINED GLASS at ALL SAINTS, TUDELEY
September 2024
The popularity of this visit was such that there were two guided tours, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Fortunately the sun shone so that the windows could be seen at their best. The detailed explanation as to the history of the installation and the techniques used in the making of the windows made for a hugely enjoyable visit. Many of those attending, which included someone who had met Marc Chagall, were so impressed by the stained glass that they intended to make a return visit.
MARC CHAGALL STAINED GLASS at ALL SAINTS, TUDELEY
September 2024
The popularity of this visit was such that there were two guided tours, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Fortunately the sun shone so that the windows could be seen at their best. The detailed explanation as to the history of the installation and the techniques used in the making of the windows made for a hugely enjoyable visit. Many of those attending, which included someone who had met Marc Chagall, were so impressed by the stained glass that they intended to make a return visit.
WALKING TOUR OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
July 2024
Things you never knew about Tunbridge Wells
ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE
June 2024
A very well attended and interesting tour with retired, award winning journalist, Tim Wood. The morning included an extensive walk around the Royal Courts, interlaced with various tales of erstwhile high profile cases together with the history and architecture of the building. This was continued with a walk around Lincoln’s Inn in the sunshine and ended with lunch at the Viaduct Tavern.
The afternoon continued where everyone was free to visit court proceedings at any of the sessions being held at The Old Bailey. There were several interesting cases being heard so we were spoilt for choice on which to view. A good and fascinating day for all those who attended.
EXPRESSIONISTS at TATE MODERN
May 2024
A fascinating lecture which gave us not only an understanding of the art, but also of the characters involved and the history that shaped their work.
”The lecture was so interesting and enabled us to enjoy such an excellent exhibition to the full, a thoroughly enjoyable day.”
”Thank you for organising the outing today. It was the perfect combination of excellent talk followed by splendid exhibition.”
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