September 2023

Salisbury Cathedral – Outreach and Workshops for ‘To Be Free’ – The Arts Society, Wessex Area

We remain very grateful to The Arts Society, Wessex for their kind support of the arts workshops during our 2023 ‘To Be Free’ exhibition. I’m happy to provide the society with the following report of activities and highlights during the exhibition.

Many of you will recall an excellent lecture entitled A Carpet Ride to Khiva given in February 2023 by veteran traveller and expert on Asian textiles, Chris Aslan. He has recently produced another highly readable book on a similar theme: Unravelling The Silk Road - Travels & Textiles in Central Asia. Published by Icon Books in June, it's also available as an e-book.

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On 20 April the Horsham Arts Society enjoyed a visit to Eltham Palace and Gardens in southeast London. The striking Art Deco mansion, which was built in the 1930s for eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, incorporates the grand hall of a mediaeval palace that was once home to Henry VIII.  Although only occupied by the Cortaulds for a few years before the Second World War they spared no expense building an ultra-modern home adjoining the medieval hall with its magnificent hammerbeam roof.

Special Interest Day 24th February 2023

The Romanovs: “Tyrants and Martyrs of Imperial Russia”

Despite late changes to the arrangements of this special occasion, it was very well attended, perhaps because of the heightened interest in Russia at present or perhaps the attraction of a Russian themed lunch.