Rugby Art Gallery and Museum launches 25th anniversary programme of art workshops and heritage talks

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 6 February, a talk aimed at writers who want to find inspiration and period details for stories by studying old newspapers and registers.

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

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

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

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

And a Creative Counsel community gathering takes place on Thursday 24 April 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. 

Places at art workshops must be booked in advance (fees apply). Admission to heritage talks costs £5 (bar free talks hosted by Rugby Archaeological Society).

To book and view the full programme of art workshops and heritage talks, visit www.ragm.co.uk/adultlearning

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder 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 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 1.5 million visitors and educated more than 50,000 school pupils through its learning programme.

Cllr Neil Sandison, Rugby Borough 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."

For more information about exhibitions and events at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, visit www.ragm.co.uk