Summary
Cheltenham’s Literature Festival may be centred on books, writers and ideas, but on its opening evening Montpellier will also be celebrating the town’s thriving visual arts scene.
Details
On Friday 9 October, several of Montpellier’s galleries will be keeping their doors open into the evening, inviting festival visitors and local residents to wander between exhibitions, meet artists and makers, and enjoy a glass of something along the way.
At Sixteen Gallery , the evening marks the opening of its popular Postcard Show , bringing together hundreds of original artworks, each created on a 6 4 inch board and displayed anonymously. Every work is priced at £50, with £5 from each sale donated this year to Gloucestershire charity The Family Haven.
The opening event runs from 5-8pm, offering visitors first choice before the exhibition continues through the festival. Nearby, Paragon Gallery opens Literary Lions & Other Beasts , a major new exhibition by acclaimed British artist PJ Crook MBE RWA FRSA.
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Created to coincide with the Literature Festival, the exhibition explores the relationship between writers and animals, bringing together literary history, imagination and Crook’s distinctive narrative painting. The private view takes place from 5.30-8pm.
The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen will also be welcoming visitors to its exhibition at the Gardens Gallery, with an opportunity to meet makers and discover new work across contemporary craft. Their evening runs from 6-8pm, with visitors invited to enjoy a drink while exploring work both at the festival exhibition and the Guild’s Montpellier shop.
At Park Gallery , visitors can discover work by gallery artists including the extraordinarily intricate creations of Betty Pepper, alongside new work by Kerry Louise Bennett and others, with wine being served throughout the evening.
Together, the late openings offer an easy way to explore Montpellier’s galleries in one evening – and a reminder that alongside Cheltenham’s celebrated programme of literature, the town has a lively and varied community of artists, makers and independent galleries well worth discovering. Friday 9 October – Montpellier, Cheltenham. Galleries open into the evening.
Report source: Visit Cheltenham Blog
