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What’s On Arts & Culture in and around the borough of Richmond upon Thames April 2021 The Arts Richmond newsletter

Meetings that the Mayor has to chair. As we gradually come out of this pandemic, I will be centrally involved in re- building our traditional life in Richmond Borough for residents, businesses and of For all of us the past year has As a member of the Arts course all aspects of Arts and been the strangest and most Richmond Executive Culture. I look forward to difficult of times and for me, Committee, I have seen all of attending many arts, drama becoming Mayor in May 2020, our arts organisations really and music events over the only two months into the struggle as the joy of next year and meeting as pandemic, life was definitely performing and playing many Arts Richmond members not as planned! A main role of stopped and all sources of and our residents as possible. course is to raise money for revenue dried up. If you would like to donate to my nominated charities which either of the Mayor’s charities are Habitats and Heritage and please visit Dose of Nature, both www.richmond.gov.uk/mayors environmental charities _charities reflecting my theme for the Councillor Geoff Acton year. This has not been really Mayor of the Borough feasible as any form of people of Richmond upon Thames gathering has not been (Councillor St Margarets and possible and as such North Ward). everything has to be done online. My activities therefore, like the rest of the Council With the vaccination PLEASE NOTE meetings are all done via programme now progressing Due to changing Zoom and Teams which makes very well we hope to see the Government guidelines only things like raffles and return of live performances many events in the future quizzes realistically possible. sometime this summer and for may be affected. Please I did make one live London me, having been granted a contact individual societies Mayors event, representing second year’s term, a return to for up to date information. Richmond, at Westminster some of the traditional events Abbey between lockdowns last such as summer fairs, school year which was a real treat as sports fixtures, charity MAYOR GEOFF ACTON ALSO it featured both live music and fundraisers and civic GIVES US A WIND ceremonies including singing. I am an amateur ORCHESTRA UPDATE Citizenship awards, Town musician myself playing “Like many musical groups Twinning celebrations and a clarinet in the Kew Wind KWO has not been able to final return to live Council Orchestra, who haven’t played rehearse or perform since together since March last year. March 2020, however, we P a g e | 2

have kept in touch with each 2021 (covid restrictions apply) Talks, Workshops & Demos : other with online socials, email for further info: Fri 19 to Sun 28 March. Free quizzes, masterclasses and [email protected] Daily Demos: Every day at making videos for YouTube, janleejohnson.co.uk/ 11am tune into the the latest of which, a version Contemporary Textile Fair of Autumn Leaves, is available The Surrey Sculpture Society Facebook page, for a live demo to view now. Hopefully by the The Society were scheduled to by a different artist/maker. summer we can start have an exhibition at the The full schedule will be rehearsing again as we have Landmark at the end of published on the Landmark been asked to perform in February but this has obviously website nearer the date; Regents Park bandstand as been cancelled. An ambitious TICKETED TALKS Mon 22 March. part of their summer music ‘walk round’ virtual exhibition A 60 minute talk plus Q & A on programme. is being designed. Zoom: Debbie Lyddon 'Sensing Autumn and Christmas surreysculpture.org.uk Place'. She will describe the concerts are also planned and methods she uses to record details of these will be made Saturday Watercolour her experience of the available via the Arts Workshops landscape she lives in and how Richmond newsletter. We look patharvey.co.uk she evokes that experience forward to seeing live through materials and audiences again this summer! Friends of Whitton Library. processes.www.debbielyddon. Details of our events can be For more details contact: co.uk; Wed 24 March at 2pm found at [email protected] Brigitte Kaltenbacher 'Nettle www.kewwindorchestra.org.uk” - an Ancient Fibre for a Fountain Gallery If the gallery Sustainable Future'. As part of Visual Arts is not allowed to open to her MA in sustainable textiles, visitors, the exhibitions will be Brigitte Kaltenbacher has

mounted in the windows and rediscovered the processes to contact details of exhibitors unlock the potential of this will be displayed. Please everyday plant and now shares contact them if you want to her experience in talks & purchase artwork. Tue 30 demos. March to Sun 11 April Tessa landmarkartscentre.org Pearson. Garden inspired NEW AFFILIATE Willow Bank paintings and monoprints in Gallery Studio Artist-led workshops bold beautiful colour with orleanshousegallery.org for one to one and small fabulous abstract sculpture by groups in watercolour Greg Pearson; Tue 13 to Sun The Bowman Gallery 25 April. Liz Bernard. Vibrant, bowmangallery.co.uk techniques acrylic painting in evocative landscapes and an art studio with garden One Paved Court Gallery: access. New: iPad seascapes in acrylic and mixed onepavedcourt.co.uk drawing/painting classes one media. Exhibiting with Geoff to one – a comprehensive Thiel (ceramicist), Joanna Lloyd intro for beginners and (glass maker), Louise Rowe Drama creatives, Exploring the (painter); Tue 27 April to Sun 9 'Brushes' app that David May Barbara Mansi. Collection Hockney uses. Discover apps, of nature inspired mosaics, uploading, digital drawing which include mosaic techniques, the Apple pencil, polysculptures in vibrant and how to home- or colours using glass, tiles and commercially-print your stones. At 26 Bridge Road, East images. iPad workshops held Molesey,KT8 9HA. at RHACC/V&A Royal Botanic fountaingallery.co.uk A Gardens/ Orleans House. Just message from the Theatre bring a fully charged iPad and Landmark Arts Centre ONLINE “We’ve commissioned six Apple pencil. Introductory 90- EXHIBITION Contemporary writers, some known to OT minute sessions from March Textiles Fair 2021. Online audiences and some new to P a g e | 3

us, to write 20-minute plays Season Two coming April with creative hub for children and that can be performed in our six more originals to choose young people with summer space and live-streamed to from, including American, Irish workshops providing both you online at home. These and British episodes. Listen performance and playwriting plays culminate in now while you cook or opportunities for aged 3-25 Inside/Outside, which furthers exercise. On all major podcast years during school holidays. our commitment to new work. platforms +. The link to support them is: Our annual Shakespeare Up wildducktheatre.com https://www.easyfundraising. Close productions for schools org.uk/causes/teddingtontc/ will this year be filmed in the Follow Us teddingtontheatreclub.org.uk auditorium so that young people doing GCSEs can still Richmond Shakespeare benefit from the project. Our What’s On Society Sat 17 to Sat 24 Apr at Education & Participation in the thriving local arts 7.45 pm (matinee on Thu 18 Director Bec Martin will direct scene. April at 3pm). Undeterred by Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet Follow us on Facebook the current lockdown, the and the filmed performances @artsrichmonduk Richmond Shakespeare Society Instagram will be available to schools to is preparing its April watch online on demand. artsrichmonduk production of Simon Gray’s These will become available to and Twitter classic comedy, the public later in the spring.” artsrichmond_uk Quartermaine’s Terms. orangetreetheatre.co.uk Regarded as his finest work and much admired by Harold Bluefire Theatre Co Series two To become a regular Pinter, the play follows several of their podcast “Famous recipient of this Newsletter, years in the lives of the People You’ve Never Heard Of” why not become a teaching staff of a Cambridge launched in April and features member? language school in the 1960’s. contributions from Frances The author takes the “lives of Barber, Moira Buffini, quiet desperation” of his seven Christopher Green and many Contact Us or Join Us characters and presents them in turn as vulnerable, funny, more, all talking about now inadequate and tragic. forgotten celebrities of the ETNA Community Centre Quartermaine’s Terms is past. The audio drama for this Room 21, hoped to be our first optimistic season is “Diary of a Nobody”, 13 Rosslyn Road step out of the current drama written by George Grossmith. Twickenham, TW1 2AR desert and an opportunity to Series one is still available if 020 8892 9446 welcome back our loyal you’ve missed an episode. Find [email protected] them wherever you usually audiences to the Mary Wallace Theatre. Box Office 07484 download your podcasts, or 927662. At the Mary Wallace directly from here: Theatre Club Theatre, The Embankment, https://famouspeopleyouvene Raise donations for TW1 3DU. verheardof.buzzsprout.com/ Teddington Theatre Club bluefiretheatre.co.uk richmondshakespeare.org.uk whenever you shop online.

Turn your everyday shopping Wild Duck Theatre Dramacube into FREE donations by buying Short Plays for Short Journeys dramacube.co.uk through easyfunding.org.uk. is a new podcast of original Teddington Theatre Club (TTC) Optik Theatre short plays fully produced by is a not for profit, registered optiktheatre.tumblr.com Wild Duck Theatre with first charity run by a team of class acting, sound effects and enthusiastic volunteers. A non- Theatre music. This pick and mix professional theatre company hamptonhilltheatre.org.uk selection of fifteen-minute who perform to high standards plays ranges from the exotic to at their own purpose-built OSO Arts Centre the family drama, each finding osoarts.org.uk facility, Hampton Hill Theatre. a very different style, The theatre also provides a atmosphere and humour. P a g e | 4

Film Summer programme, “TCS at working with domestic and the Movies”, and is hoping to international artists into

be able to perform in front of a helping musical young people live audience in July. This year to form or join bands, and is a very special year for TCS, providing the infrastructure to it’s 70th Anniversary Year! The rehearse and gig regularly, choir will be having a HUGE songwrite, and professionally celebration concert later this record, market, and release year. For more information music. Powerjam is a recipient Richmond Film Society about us and stay up to date of the Community Heroes richmondfilmsoc.org.uk visit our website and follow us Award. on social media (Facebook, powerjambands.com Dance Twitter, Instagram). Feel free

to contact us: [email protected] SHOWCOACH NEWS teddingtonchoral.co.uk

Whitton Adult Community Singing They are meeting Now the government has regularly online, using Zoom, given us the roadmap for until they can return to the the next few months to get large, well ventilated Function us out of lockdown. The No dance events listed for Hall at the Whitton vaccination programme is April. Community Centre. If you have progressing very rapidly too never sung, or only sung a so let’s hope this is the last Music little, or you just love to sing - of the restrictions. Janet Langhorne has been no need to sing in public, just go along and enjoy learning discussing a new date for some great songs. They learn the residential trip to songs from most genres - pop, Newcastle and the North gospel, classical, folk etc. This East with Heritage Travel. is a Singing Class for all adults, We hope this trip will go singing safely for health & ahead in September. wellbeing. Please contact Loulla Gorman for full details When it is safe to do so, we Teddington Choral Society TCS by email: will plan daily outings to has managed to continue [email protected] or , galleries, etc. and singing since the beginning of by phone: 07788 664957 publish details in the the pandemic and is newsletter. continuing with online The Middlesex Yeomanry rehearsals on Monday Concert Band The Band will be evenings, starting with a social back to rehearsals as soon as Richmond Opera In light of session including a quiz, permitted and plans are recent Covid developments managed by Chair, Rebecca already going ahead for a Richmond Opera have Clarke. It is followed by a summer concert in late June unfortunately had to postpone Zoom rehearsal session with an American flavour. their April production of directed either by Music mycb.org.uk Lampe's delightful baroque Director, Julian Collings, or opera, The Dragon of Wantley, accompanist, Phil Culling. TCS NEW AFFILIATE Powerjam is a to 12th-14th November. is hoping to start physical unique not-for-profit project Rehearsals will therefore begin rehearsals again as soon as and charity based in SW in August. Expressions of possible and this will be a London for both budding and interest in taking part are still quick move as the choir knows serious young musicians ages very welcome at well now how to manage 9-18. Music industry pros [email protected] socially distanced rehearsals. channel their experience richmondopera.org.uk TCS is now working on the recording, gigging, and P a g e | 5

Barnes Music Festival The West London Chamber Choir Instant Opera festival will take place During the pandemic the Choir instantopera.co.uk between 15th and 30th May continues to rehearse this year, by which time the regularly on Thursday evenings West London Chamber Choir organisers expect the from 8pm on Zoom with Hilary musicmakersoflondon.org.uk restrictions will have eased Campbell. Come and join them and audiences and performers online and hopefully in person Concordia Voices For further will be able to come together sometime soon at St Michael information contact [email protected] or safely for the usual fortnight of & All Angels, Barnes, for this visit their website excellent music-making. The term’s colourful repertoire concordiavoices.org programme is already on the ‘Over the Rainbow’, featuring website and the printed music from the renaissance to singersandsongs.com brochure will be available in the present. singersandsongs.com March/April. Tickets will go on westlondonchamberchoir.com sale later this month. Rogue Opera barnesmusicfestival.com Richmond upon Thames vip.rogueopera.co.uk/welcome Festival of the Performing Twickenham Chamber Choir Arts As it is not possible to Opéra Prélude The Helen Astrid Singing hold live events at this time, www.operaprelude.org Academy provides singing Richmond Festival is organising tuition, music workshops, a Virtual Festival in May which Rock, Jazz & Folk choirs and performing will be run in conjunction with opportunities with established Play & Perform. Competitions music professionals and will be held for young solo directors from theatre and Pianists, Instrumentalists and opera. Twickenham Chamber Singers, aged 18 and under. Choir, rehearsals online via Adjudicators will be Paul Zoom on Thursday evenings. Harris, Ben Costello, Susan Repertoire sacred, secular and Clark and Fiona McLean- popular classics. Enquiries Buechel. Video entries close helen@thehelenastridsinginga on April 30th. See the website Mood Indigo Events cademy.com for full details and click on the moodindigoevents.co.uk thehelenastridsingingacademy.com Play&Perform button. Mark's Jazz Sessions phone In Flagrante choir In Flagrante www.richmondfestival.org.uk 07799 582337 for information choir normally rehearses on

Tuesday evenings from 7.30 OSO Arts Centre Eel Pie Club pm to 8.30pm. However, since osoarts.org.uk eelpieclub.com the "lockdown" they have been having a fun weekly Landmark Arts Centre landmarkartscentre.org Landmark Arts Centre online choir session singing landmarkartscentre.org with their Musical Director,

Eamonn O'Dwyer, from 7.30 Langdon Down of OSO Arts Centre pm to 8.30pm. You are most Learning Disability langdondownmuseum.org.uk osoarts.org.uk welcome to join this as they will be continuing through the JKL-Jazz See Whitton Choral Society summer months. Singers have whittonchoralsociety.net Facebook.com/JKL-Jazz for a great time working on a wide dates of appearances in the range of songs - a love of Richmond Concerts area. The band is also always music and ability to hold a richmondconcerts.co.uk available for Weddings, Private tune is all that's required! No Parties and Corporate events. audition. For further details Richmond Orchestra on how to link in on Tuesday richmondorchestra.org.uk evenings, contact Cathy Jago [email protected]. Helen Astrid Singing Academy or see the website. thehelenastridsingingacademy.com inflagrantechoir.com P a g e | 6

and confidante of some of the COPY / FLYER yExtended; from 15 December 2020 ‘Lockdown Richmond’ cleverest men in England. The DEADLINES house and grounds are Commemorative Quilt; ONLINE We have now resumed undergoing extensive posting out the printed EVENT Tue 16 March at 7pm. renovations at the moment newsletter, therefore Online talk via Zoom The Paint and promise a real treat when we can now accept Detective - an Evening with they are finished. The flyers that can Patrick Baty. An expert on the parkland is still easily accessible. They have planned accompany it. The paint and colours of the past a vibrant list of free events deadline for items to be four centuries, Patrick Baty building on the opportunities included in the works with homeowners, of last year. They have sadly newsletter is: estates, museums, public had to cancel their Spring bodies and institutions, to daffodil tour, due to Thursday 25 March reinstate interiors of the past, continuing restrictions. English- For events in May or to create a scheme heritage.org.uk/visit/places/marble- sympathetic with the aims of a hill-house/

The deadline for flyers space and its current and to go out with the future use. Tickets: £5 - book mailing is: strawberryhillhouse.org.uk at https://bit.ly/PaintDetective

; Tue 30 March at 7pm. Online Turner’s House Wednesday turnershouse.org 7 April talk via Zoom. The History of For events in May the King's Observatory. Walks, talks and Tickets: £5 - book your tickets courses Disclaimer: Whilst every here: care has been taken to https://bit.ly/HistoryofKO; ensure the accuracy of ONLINE FAMILY WORKSHOPS Tue 6 the information in this to Fri 9 April Planets; Tue 14 to newsletter, we urge you Fri 17 April Celebrating Earth to check details with the venues before attending Day. For more information on an event. either workshop and to book, If you need help with https://bit.ly/MoRFamilies. contact details, please museumofrichmond.com The Arts Society Richmond contact our office The Arts Society Richmond is [email protected] Musical Museum continuing with a full musicalmuseum.co.uk programme of events, albeit

online via Zoom and YouTube Museums Historic Houses for the time being, with 7-day recordings also available for later viewing. Tue 6 April at 8pm Zoom Lecture. Arts Society accredited lecturer, Ian Cockburn, lectures on Moorish Architecture - the Legacy of a

NEW AFFILIATE Marble Hill Vanished Kingdom free for

House is a beautiful Palladian members, £5 for non- The villa set in 66 acres of members; Virtual Visit Tue 20 ONLINE EXHIBITIONS: The King's outstanding riverside parkland April at 11am Art HIstorian, Dr Observatory Sat 13 Feb to Sat in East Twickenham and was Laurence Shafe, will talk about built for the remarkable 18 Sept. The online version Absolute Monarch to Civil War Henrietta Howard, mistress of available from 13 February 1540-1650 from his "Stroll King George II when he was around Britain" series (£5 - http://bit.ly/KingsObservator Prince of Wales, and friend P a g e | 7

contribution please); If you of London; Thu 22 April – Kingston and District Branch wish to join them for any of ‘Festivals of Papua New of the Embroiderers' Guild Fri their events, please email Guinea’ with Marilyn Taylor. 23 April at 7.30pm. A talk by [email protected] The talks will run on-line via Catherine Lawes Designing for further details and to Zoom from 8 till 10 p.m. with a and Creating a Piece of arrange payment, and you will 15 minute break. Prospective Wearable Art. In this talk be sent the Zoom link 24 hours new members are warmly Catherine will show drawings in advance. invited to log on to join them made for her designs and the theartssocietyrichmond.org for one or two meetings inspiration behind them; before making a commitment pictures of construction Kew Society Wed 7 April at to become a member. Just processes, finished garments, 6pm via Zoom link. Henry VIII send an email to and some of the coats And the Men Who Made Him - [email protected] for details. themselves. At present we do a talk by Tracy Borman, the rtps.org.uk not know if the talk will be live renowned historian and or on Zoom. Please contact author. Henry is famous for Richmond Society Thu 15 April [email protected] for being the king who married six at 7.30pm a talk via Zoom more information. times. But it was the men in Changing lives through the kingstonanddistrictbranch.co.uk his life, far more than the power and influence of sport. women, who shaped this Dominic Palacio, Head of Poetry Performance notorious monarch. In this Community at Richmond Poetry Performance is pleased talk, based upon her major Rugby, speaks at a Richmond to announce that poet and new biography, Tracy Borman Society meeting about some of author, Matthew Griffiths, will will tell the story of England’s the great work they have been be in discussion with host, most famous monarch through doing for the local community Clive Rowland. Matthew will the eyes of the men who during lockdown. Book at also read a short selection of surrounded him: relations, Eventbrite. Free to Richmond his poems, which have servants, ministers, rivals, Society members, guests appeared in magazines confidants and companions. welcome for £5. including Magma, Stand and The talk is free to all and the https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ Delinquent. This session takes link will be available on the e/dominic-palacio-changing- place via Zoom on Sun 4 April day via the Kew Society lives-through-the-power-and- from 6pm to 8pm. If you website. influence-of-sport-tickets- would like to read one of your www.kewsociety.org 141744157591 own poems at this event, the

organiser of this event will do Richmond Scientific Society Richmond Local History her best to accommodate you, Wed 14 April at 8pm a Zoom Society Mon 19 April at 8pm. or if you would like to attend meeting Pharmaceuticals in Judy Weleminsky talks on Tony as a member of the virtual the Environment by Dr Leon Rampton OBE, Petersham's audience, please contact Anne Barron, Imperial College.. pioneering philanthropist. Warrington on Members will automatically Tony Rampton lived most of [email protected] receive a link to this, but his adult life at Gort House, others can email Petersham. He was chairman Barnes Literary Society To join richmond.science.society@gm of Freemans, the mail order the BLS please email ail.com for a free link. Lectures catalogue, and used his [email protected] are about 1 hour long, with considerable wealth in barnesliterarysociety.org.uk opportunities for questions. charitable work and was rss.btck.co.uk The WEA (Workers involved in various Educational Association Richmond & Twickenham government inquiries. He was Richmond) Photographic Society Thu 15 also an accomplished amateur April - ‘London and Beyond’ artist. Details on joining by wea.org.uk/london/branches/rich mond-branch with Matt Cooper, an award Zoom or at Duke Street Church winning landscape and (tbc) will be available on the Popes Grotto Preservation cityscape photographer who Society's website. Trust specialises in the photography richmondhistory.org.uk popesgrotto.org.uk P a g e | 8

website for all our members to RICHMOND & TWICKENHAM Richmond and Twickenham enjoy. The poems will then be PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY’S Historical Association circulated more widely VIRTUAL EXHIBITION history.org.uk through different social media platforms. You will find the list Visit from home Richmond Association for the of the finalists on the back page. 1 April – 20 May National Trust For information contact the Programme If the four walls of your home Manager on tel: 020 8979 VIRTUAL SPEAKERS’ INITIATIVE are starting to feel a little too 3834, email: familiar during these uncertain [email protected] times, then why not escape on nationaltrust.org.uk/features/richmon d-association a virtual tour of Richmond & Twickenham Photographic Richmond Art Society Society’s annual exhibition richmondartsociety.com which is running on-line from Arts Richmond is planning a Thursday 1 April until Thursday RHACC (Richmond and series of on-line conversations 20 May. with a range of local Hillcroft Adult and personalities from the creative Community College) You’ll be able to immerse industries and the media. yourself in some stunning rhacc.ac.uk These will give our speakers landscapes, beautiful wildlife the opportunity to discuss and some thought-provoking THE ROGER MCGOUGH their professional lives in the portraits and street scenes POETRY COMPETITION current difficult climate. from a photographic society Many congratulations to the which is one of the largest and poets whose poems have been oldest in the country. Once selected for the long list. Roger again, the work of GCSE and A McGough has made his final level students at St. decision, which will be Catherine’s School for Girls in revealed at a special Twickenham will be included. celebratory evening due to take place later in the year, The show, which boasts over once given permission by 300 images, is set in a 3D Covid 19! museum space, so visitors can explore the rooms It has not been easy to choose independently or be guided the forty finalists because of around the exhibition. It’s free the high standard of the and can be accessed from a entries. The long list will be These will be hosted by AR link on the society’s website: uploaded onto the Arts President The Right Hon Vince www.rtps.org.uk Cable. We will include Richmond website on Friday, journalists, novelists, poets, 5 March and will also be The society has around 120 performers and those involved printed in the April edition of members from beginners to in running the many arts our Newsletter. All long-listed professionals and new winners will receive a free organisations in the Borough. members are warmly copy of the Anthology, We are currently in the welcome. Email containing the forty poems as process of putting the [email protected] for details of programme together which we a permanent memento. how to join. plan to stream in April and

May. Details on the speakers Commiseration to all those This Society’s annual and and how to purchase tickets who failed to make the long popular exhibition is normally list. Arts Richmond would still will follow. held at the Landmark Arts like to celebrate your entries Centre in Teddington and by uploading them onto the hopes to return there in 2022. AR Poem A Day section of our And while no digital encounter P a g e | 9

can fully emulate the physical Philippa Charles. “Our trustees "At a time when all the experience of visiting an were impressed by the theatres and galleries are shut exhibition, the virtual platform entrepreneurial spirit shown it is wonderful to somehow which RTPS has embodied, across the arts in response to tap into the extraordinary comes very close. Covid-19 and it was a privilege reservoirs of creativity in the to hear what organisations had country and celebrate the GARFIELD WESTON’S £30M been doing to not only survive diversity of range and thought ARTS RESCUE FUND but also to reinvent the way and feelings that exist," Sir they reach audiences.” Since Antony said. He has suggested Those involved with the Arts April 2020, the foundation has animals as the theme for the will be grateful that the given away over £75 million in first two weeks of The Great funding to support charities Big Art Exhibition. Every two Garfield Weston Foundation across the UK, and its chair, weeks, a different artist will has shown marvellous support (although it would seem that Guy Weston, was knighted in choose a subject for the public the application process is now the New Year’s Honours List. to respond to in what the closed). A new one-off £30m https://garfieldweston.org/ap organisers hope will be a Covid rescue fund for the arts ply-to-us/ rolling nationwide exhibition, was announced on Mon 1 Feb ending on 30 April. by this Foundation. With ANTONY GORMLEY’S BIG ART Sonia Boyce, who is grants ranging from £100,000 XHIBITION E representing Britain at next to £1.5m the new Weston Culture Fund is aimed at year's prestigious Venice museums, galleries, cultural Biennale, will follow Sir Antony centres and creative arts with a theme of portraiture. organisations, including Other artists taking part include the Turner Prize- regional theatres and touring winners Anish Kapoor and dance companies, in response Jeremy Deller, as well as the to the “devastating impact” of Chinese dissident artist Ai closures forced by Covid-19. Running from 28 January Weiwei, who currently lives in It had been intended to limit to 7 May Cambridge. Directors at many the fund to £25m, but the Museums and leading artists of the UK's museums have ceiling was increased by the are inviting the British public suggested paintings and foundation’s trustees “after to take part in what they hope sculptures that might inspire seeing the level of creativity will be the biggest art people as they prepare to and determination from arts exhibition ever mounted. The paint, draw, sculpt or build organisations who have been Great Big Art Exhibition is their own artwork. hit by the pandemic and are being launched by Sir Antony fighting hard to ‘keep the Gormley, who is asking people Why don’t you have a go at lights on’”. to make an artwork at home creating artwork and and put it in their window or encourage your friends and The foundation has received garden. The Angel of the North family to take part? It doesn’t requests for help totalling sculptor said the ambition was have to be a perfect painting, more than £128m. More than to create a country-wide show drawing or sculpture – it just 100 are to benefit from the of imagination and optimism, means you can have fun and new fund, ranging from Ballet inspired by the rainbow satisfaction expressing Cymru and Chatham Historic images people made to yourself. So many of us are Dockyard to the London celebrate the NHS and only able to go on a local walk Symphony Orchestra and the keyworkers during the first so it will give us pleasure and National Theatre. “Our lockdown. Details of how to interest if we can see artwork cultural sector is at the heart take part, including a free that is quirky, beautiful or just of our local communities activity pack, are available thoughtful. If you know providing not only from arts organisation people who are members of entertainment but education FirstSite. art societies or who are and inspiration for many” said the foundation’s director practising artists, please tell them about this initiative and P a g e | 10

let them know about the Jo Humphreys website address which is at Janet Langhorne the end of this piece. Jim Millard Encourage everyone to engage Heather Montford in such a positive enterprise as Lesley Pollesche we need all the positivity we MANY THANKS TO ALL OUR Gillian Thorpe can get. TREMENDOUS SUPPORTERS Anne Warrington firstsite.uk Linda White Arts Richmond is blessed to KEEPING OUR CULTURAL have some wonderful people CO-OPTED TEAM MEMBERS who work very hard to put on INSTITUTIONS GOING many cultural events, Sue Bell (Drama) So many cultural societies, encourage self-expression and Clive Bradley (Literature) performers, theatres, creativity in Richmond Laurie Coombs (Drama) musicians, galleries and arts borough and beyond. Heather Morgan (Showcoach) centres have been very Foremost of these are the Sue Ribbans (Visual Arts) hard hit during this Committee and the Patrons, pandemic. They have lost amongst others. We thank PRESIDENTS 2020-2021 so much of their revenue them for such valued support. and many institutions have Here is the current list of the The Right Honourable Sir Vince also spent out large sums of Presidents and Patrons. Cable and Lady Rachel Cable money investing in online activities so that we can still TRUSTEES PATRONS have access to enjoyable cultural pursuits. Clive Bradley Ms Diana Armfield John Coombs Ms Marcia Ashton Let’s all support them in any Sandra Green Sir OM, way we can. It would be Gillian Thorpe CH,KBE great if anyone who is a Rachel Tranter Ms Claire Ireland member of a society could Mr Gyles Brandreth continue to pay their EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Mrs Sara Burn Edwards membership (even if access The Right Honourable Sir Vince to their offering has been VICE PRESIDENTS Cable and Lady Rachel Cable very limited recently). Have Ms Liz Crowther you any favourite venues, John Coombs Mr Clive Francis such as a theatre, art or Hilary Dodman Mr Michael Frayn & Ms Claire community centre, music Pam Frazer Tomalin venue or gallery? If they Sandra Green Mr are fundraising at the Edie Purdue Mr Julian Glover & Ms Isla Blair moment in order to keep Sir Jeremy Hanley KCMG afloat, it could be good to CHAIR Ms Lee Langley donate to that (even if it is a Nicholas George Sir Trevor McDonald small amount) in order to Mr Roger McGough CBE keep them going. TREASURER Mr James Naughtie Lady Camilla Panufnik When, at last, these venues Simon Bartlett Mr Alan Price and societies can welcome Jean Wit (Assistant Treasurer) Ms Helena Richardson us back, let us give them a Ms Anne M. Sebba helping hand by booking COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mr Colin Squire tickets, telling our friends Mr John Stapleton about their marvellous Cllr Geoff Acton Mr Colin Starkey output or content and Nancy Baldwin Mr Sam Walters MBE & Ms regularly supporting them Peter Cregeen Auriol Smith in any way we can. Hilary Dodman Mrs Kay Williams Pam Frazer P a g e | 11

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for our members and we make every effort to A lack of response will NOT be accepted as your ensure ease of access for all. agreement. Literature: We run literary events throughout the year including our annual Book Picnic on Richmond I am paying £20 electronically for my membership. Green, and Young Writers’ Festival, as well as events Bank details: Arts Richmond Co-operative Bank, Sort in the Richmond upon Thames Literature Festival.

Code 08-92-99 Account No. 65130096. Please Drama: We promote the performances of local

professional and amateur theatre companies and include ‘mmship’ in reference run the Swan Drama Awards – our local version of

the Oscars – rewarding amateur talent in the In the future I would like to pay £20 by standing borough – as well as a New Plays Festival. order for a yearly subscription Music: We promote the extensive programme of

concerts organised by concert societies, choral and I would like my payments to be treated as being other music groups throughout the borough and run Gift Aid donations an annual Choral Workshop with eminent local

conductors.

Visual Arts and Photography: We promote the work Please return this form to: of local artists and run exhibitions and competitions Room 21, ETNA 13 Rosslyn Rd, Twickenham TW1 2AR offering the opportunity to buy paintings, prints and

photographs at affordable prices.

Heritage and Museums: We promote the events

and exhibitions taking place at the large number of

historic places in the local area.www.artsrichmond.org.uk

@artsrichmonduk artsrichmonduk @ArtsRichmonduk

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ROGER MCGOUGH POETRY COMPETITION FINALISTS in no particular order NAME TITLE Vera Meister The Flamenco Dancer Trevor Breedon Painting the Town Tony Trafford Riding Tandem Trisha Broomfield Voices Claudia Court Doing Time Claudia Court No Wonder Molly Turley I Don't Know Who I Am/I Know Who I am Simon Tindale Soulchord Kathleen Bell Library Card Simon Tindale IZ UIZ? Simon Williams Five Guesses Simon Williams A Russian Woman Folds Towels Janet Hatherley Ghazal: Through Sim Smailes Identity Crisis Ezekiel Foster-Eardley Identity Deficit Valerie Purcell A Piece of Shrapnel Stuart Fortey Love in the Electronic Age Stuart Fortey (Self-) Portrait 1503 Dorinda Ann MacDowell Remember Me? Livvy Sutherland i-land Roger Kirkpatrick Myers-Briggs Psychometric Test (Haiku) Sue Proffitt The Old House Sue Proffitt The Map Maker Patricia Cammish Our Cat Walked Through Their Backyard Claire Collison The Art of Conversation Lara Fraknena By Grand Army Plaza, the Die Was Cast Lara Fraknena Mr and Mrs and Ms Roger Elkin Brad from Joe Soaps Hand Car Wash Cindy Vincent You Don't Sound Like You Come from Essex Joe Williams Six Suits Joe Williams People in Shops Joe Williams Introducing the Band David Bleiman Reclaim the Name Jenny Mitchell The Security Guard…. Mark Totterdell 1998 Anne Kealy Taproot Audrey Ardern-Jones Ghazal Voice David Paterson The Earl of Oxford Outed Duncan Forbes Self Knowledge David Pratt Bernard