Talks & Tours Coming Soon...

© The Mutual Security Agency

Brickmaking in Bedfordshire by Alan Cox

Thursday 18th July, 2:30pm

£5.90, (£4.70 Concessions)

As part of the exhibition, The Journey from Bunyan to the Brickworks, join author of ‘Brickmaking: A History and Gazeteer (Survey of Bedfordshire)’, Alan Cox, as he discusses the development of the brickmaking industries and the impact they have made in Bedfordshire.

Cecil Higgins Anniversary Tours
Thursday 25th July, 11.30am & 2pm
£5.90 (£4.70 Concessions)

Explore the internationally renowned Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection and celebrate 70 years since it first opened to the public.

What makes this collection so special is that, unlike other benefactors who have supported institutions with a lifetime of collecting, Cecil Higgins collected with the specific intention of opening a museum.

With mesmerising works by Picasso, JMW Turner and Edward Bawden, amazing pieces by William Burges and William Morris and porcelain by Meissen and Chelsea, this is a unique opportunity to find out more about Bedford’s benefactor, Cecil Higgins, and the wonderful collection he gave to his town.

Garden Tours - Transforming the Gardens at The Higgins Bedford 
Thursday 25th July
11:15am, Free

Explore the Castle Gardens in a free, half an hour tour, discover the history of the grounds and find out more about the volunteer-led project to rejuvenate the gardens.

Supported by SDC Community Fund, established by SDC Builders Ltd



Booking is essential for these talks and tours. To book your place, please telephone 01234 718618 or email thehiggins@bedford.gov.uk. 

Family Fun this Weekend!

There's lots to do this weekend! Don't miss out on all the great events happening for all the family to enjoy. 

This Noisy Isle
Saturday 22nd June
Performances from 10am - 3pm
Adults: £8 / Child: £6

Get involved in This Noisy Isle, an outdoor treasure-hunt style performance for 7-11 year olds and their families, inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. This interactive adventure explores the refugee crisis in a new and inventive way and gives viewers the chance to solve puzzles, meet mysterious characters, navigate the choppy seas and more.

Book Tickets Here.

Working in Collaboration with Spun Glass Theatre and The Place Theatre.

Windrush Family Day & Global Kitchen
Saturday 22nd June
12pm - 5pm, Free Entry
Held at A Different Brew Cafe

Celebrate National Windrush Day and Bedford's Windrush Generation with a day of face painting, music, folk songs, dancing, dominoes, food and Windrush stories.

Working in Collaboration with Arise In Bloom, Nubian Teachings, Friends Of Refugees, Urban Adventures (Natures Gifts), Bedfordshire Opportunities for Learning Disabilities (B.O.L.D), Retired Caribbean Nurses of Bedfordshire (RCNA).

Round and Round the Garden Family Afternoon
Sunday 23rd June
2pm - 5pm, Free Entry

Enjoy an afternoon of garden themed activities for families, view the Round and Round the Garden exhibition and discover the Book Nook and Wynding Wixam Tree. Explore with Kevin the Platypus on his new trail. Take part in art and crafts workshops including Scratch Art, Drop-in Floating Flowers and Seed Bombs with Jane Perrone.

Places are limited for Seed Bomb workshops. To book, tel 01234 718618 / e-mail thehiggins@bedford.gov.uk.

Exhibition Talks & Tours

Edward Bawden: Home and Abroad Gallery Tour
Wednesday 5th June
12pm - 12:30pm
£5.90, (£4.70 Concessions)

Join exhibition curator Victoria Partridge, for a lunchtime tour of Edward Bawden: Home and Abroad and discover how Bawden's immediate surroundings and overseas travels have influenced his art.

Image: Edward Bawden (1903—1989) Edward Bawden in Portugal —Lisbon, Lithograph after linocut, 1962 ©The Edward Bawden Estate.

Rise and Fall of the Bedfordshire Brickworks by Richard Manning

Wednesday 12th June, 2pm
£5.90, (£4.70 Concessions)

Explore the Rise and Fall of Bedfordshire’s Brickworks with Richard Manning, a former London Brick Company employee of 40 years and Managing Director until 1995. Richard will be sharing his memories of the brickmaking industries in Bedford.

Image: 'Fuelling the brick firing kilns, London Brick Company, Stewartby', 1952 © The Mutual Security Agency

Lunchtime Lecture with Professor Christiana Payne – ‘Round and Round the Garden’
Wednesday 19th June
12pm - 1pm, Free

Join Professor of History of Art at Oxford Brookes University, Christiana Payne, for a lunchtime lecture of the Round and Round the Garden exhibition. Explore our human fascination with gardens and gardening and how they have provided inspiration for artists including, Pre-Raphaelite John Everett Millais, Walter Sickert and Joan Eardley.

This lecture is sponsored by Oxford Brookes University.

Booking is essential for these talks & tours. To book your place, please telephone 01234 718618 or email thehiggins@bedford.gov.uk.

Summer Painting Review

 © Cecil Higgins Art Gallery 

Joan Eardley (1921-1963) - Ragwort no 2 c 1960

One of the many reasons I admire this painting is due to the artist’s excellent use of colour and shapes that fit in brilliantly with the summery theme of this image.

Throughout art's lengthy history, it has been proven to be very difficult to project an image of a certain scenery onto a canvas, but this painting achieves this feat. One can also say it reminds them of walking amongst a field full of flowers in a summer breeze accompanied with a clear blue sky without a cloud in sight. 

Eardley massively succeeds in bringing a season and location of a past year to life in this remarkably unique painting.

This painting is currently on display in the Round and Round the Garden exhibition.

Written by Volunteer Lauren

May Half Term - For Children & Young People

Get creative with art and craft workshops based on current exhibition 'Round and Round the Garden – A Celebration of Horticulture in Art'. Not only are there fun activities for young children, but The Higgins Bedford has also introduced workshops for young people to enjoy. 

Events for Children - National Children's Gardening Week

Each Workshop has two sessions per day that start at 11am and 2pm and are aimed at accompanied children aged 5-11, not suitable for children under 3 years old.

Cress Craft

Tuesday 28 May  £3

Decorate a wooden house and garden, then plant and grow your own mini salad.

Garden Caddy

Wednesday 29 May  £3

Assemble and decorate a little wooden caddy for carrying hand tools and small plants around the garden.

Herb Planters

Friday 31 May £3

Make and decorate a self-watering planter.

Events for Young People

All workshops start at 12:30pm, last an hour and are aimed at 12-16 year olds. No parents required.

House and Garden

Tuesday 28 May £3

Create a mini-house and garden, plant your own salad.

Handy Caddy

Wednesday 29 May £3

Create a garden caddy, handy for garden tools or art stuff.

Planter People

Friday 31 May £3

Upcycle a plastic bottle and create a cute planter.

Places are limited for all workshops and can be booked in advance by buying a ticket at The Higgins Bedford reception desk. Spare tickets can be purchased at the desk on the day. We are currently unable to take bookings online or over the phone.