Tickets can be bought online or by calling 01206 322127

Art in the Garden (families, suitable for 5 – 12 year olds)
Thursday 27th and Friday 28th July
10am – 3.30pm
£5 per participant – includes FREE garden activity book
Booking advised

Led by Valerie Osment, artist and educator

The museum is launching its Art in the Garden Activity Book with drawing, writing and imaginative activities in the museum grounds.

Thursday: Frame It! Painted Landscapes, Painted Portraits
Will you choose to paint a Frame It! landscape or Frame It! portrait using watercolours or aquarelle pencils? For landscapes, frame your garden view then paint the scene inside it. For portraits, ask a family member to pose within the frame, perhaps using the press-out artist’s palette from the Activity Book as a prop.

Friday: Design it! Leaf patterned tea towels
First play a game of Seek It! Trees, exploring the garden. Then, using leaves as templates, arranged them onto a tea towel to make an eye-catching leafy design.  Once finished you’ll have a lovely ‘designer’ tea towel to frame as an artwork or perhaps you’d just like to use it to dry the dishes with!

Busking Spot: The “In Firm” blues inspired music
Sunday 30th July
3pm – 5pm
FREE – donations welcome
In the museum grounds

The In Firm is a six-strong amateur blues-influenced band with its roots in Dedham Vale, particularly Stratford St Mary. In its current form, the band has been going for about three years, performing gigs in pubs and at charity and social events in Stratford and Dedham and occasionally further afield. The band members are all fairly mature in age terms, although this is not always reflected in their sense of humour. In addition to its youthful and charismatic vocalist, Julie, the band consists of Barry (harmonica and vocals), Paul (lead guitar), John F. (bass guitar), John T. (keyboard) and Dick (percussion). The seventh, and by no means least important, member of the team is Steve, in the role of sound engineer. The In Firm plays an eclectic mix of blues and soul including songs by Adele, The Animals, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, the Blues Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, Etta James, B.B. King, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Fleetwood Mac, Howlin’ Wolf and the Rolling Stones. The band has played gigs at a number of outdoor venues, but this will be its debut performance at Castle House.

The Garden Café will be extremely busy on this day. Please book a table in advance to avoid disappointment: 07900 683093

Artist’s Walk and Talk
Saturday 12th August
11.30am – 1pm
£6
Booking essential

With Martin Walton, an abstract artist whose work is featured in Munnings and the River.

Martin’s early influences were the East Anglian landscape artists including Munnings and Edward Seago. He says “painting is not about words but that indefinable relationship between the artist and the canvas.” Join Martin for a stroll through the museum and a discussion about pictures from a painter’s point of view.

Curator’s Tour
Wednesday 16th August
11am – 12.30pm
£12
Booking essential

Exclusive out-of-hours tour of the museum with a member of curatorial staff.

History of Art in Suffolk:
A Short Course at Flatford Mill Field Studies Centre
Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd September
£262-£342 (depending on accommodation if required)
Book online at www.field-studies-council.org

Led by Dr Bill Teatheredge

Learn about the history of art in and around Suffolk through stimulating lectures, tours and site visits providing an insight into the work of Sir Alfred Munnings, Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable. Includes exclusive out-of-hours tour of The Munnings Art Museum.

Bill Teatheredge currently works as Curatorial Associate at The Munnings Art Museum  having obtained a PhD in Art History at  Essex University.

Spirit of the Stour: Plein Air Paint Out
Friday 8th and Saturday 9th September
9.30am-3.30pm (including registration times)
£15 for one day / £25 for two days / 25% commission on sales

Cash Prize: £250 
Runner-up: £100

Sponsored by Rountree Tryon Galleries Ltd.

Special guest, Richard Allen, Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2016.

The museum invites artists to celebrate the landscapes of Munnings and Constable by participating in 1 or 2 days of painting along the banks of the river Stour.

Download your copy of the Rules and Regulations and Joining Instructions. Further enquiries to bookings@munningsmuseum.org.uk or 01206 322127.

By purchasing a ticket you agree to abide by the Rules and Regulations.

Poetry Recital
Friday 8th September
6.30pm, readings from 7pm
£6 includes glass of wine

Sponsored by Rountree Tryon Galleries Ltd.

Hosted by Dr Tim Gardiner, The Munnings Art Museum’s poet in residence 2017.

River Ramble
Saturday 9th September
1pm – 5pm
£16
Booking essential

In partnership with the National Trust at Flatford

Walk starts at Flatford (car parking fee payable).

Guided walk along the river Stour to Dedham, with an opportunity to see the plein air painting festival artists at work. Then, on to The Munnings Art Museum for tea and cake and a look at new exhibition Munnings and the River and other displays.

Please wear suitable shoes and clothing for field walking.

Spirit of the Stour: Reception and Art Sale
Sunday 10th September
12pm onwards, prize-giving 1pm
FREE ENTRY

Sponsored by Rountree Tryon Galleries Ltd.

Special guest, Richard Allen, Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2016

The two day plein air paint out culminates in this reception and prize-giving with an opportunity to buy works from the participating artists.

Curator’s Tour
Wednesday 13th September
11am – 12.30pm
£12
Booking essential

Exclusive out-of-hours tour of the museum with a member of curatorial staff.

Poetic Pictures: Writing Workshop (adults)
Saturday 16th September
10am – 2pm
£35
Booking essential

Led by Dr Tim Gardiner, ecologist, poet and children’s author and the museum’s poet in residence 2017.

Learn how to write short poems (1-5 lines) inspired by the landscape art of Sir Alfred Munnings.

All abilities.

Curator’s Talk: Munnings and the River
Wednesday 27th September
Coffee served from 11.30am, talk 12pm – 1pm
£8
Booking essential

Exhibition curator Marcia Whiting talks about Munnings’ artistic and literary responses to the river, a subject for which he held an affinity throughout his life. Opportunity to view the exhibition.

Munnings Birthday Lecture: Ripley
Saturday 7th October
Coffee served from 11.15am, lecture from 12pm
£12
Booking essential

As a fine art photographer and artist, Ripley creates large-scale and anatomically precise portraits of horses. Learn more about his working methods in this inaugural Birthday lecture.

Storytelling: Tim’s Insect Adventures (ages 4-8)
Wednesday 25th October
10.30am
£5
Booking advised

Led by Dr Tim Gardiner, ecologist, poet and children’s author and the museum’s poet in residence 2017.

Learn more about the wonderful world of insects with fun and interactive readings from Tim’s children’s books, activities, and a bug hunt around the museum grounds.