rowan humberstone cambridge – New in Cambridge

What’s on in Cambridge – February 2020

Well, it’s grey and gloomy as I write this but we got through January and there are definite signs of Spring now. I’ve noticed buds on the trees, little froths of blossom and the birds are chirping morning and evening. Read on for details of what’s happening in the city this month … this listing is not exhaustive but is an eclectic mix of events that come to my attention. I’ll update it through the month so do check back and if you are involved in an event that you’d like me to include, please get in touch via my Contact page.

River Cam Cambridge — A winter day on the towpath

1st 10am – 1pm Family Saturday: Plant Fibres. Create your own wall hanging to take home. Free activity for children, drop in event. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

1st 10.30am – 12 noon Learn 5-a-side chess. Free, drop in event, all welcome. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Milton Road Library, CB4. http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

1st 10.30am – 4.30pm Cambridge’s Affordable Vintage Fair. Vintage, handmade, reworked and retro. Fashion, accessories and collectables from the 40’s to the 90’s. Guildhall, Market Square. FB: Cambridge’s Affordable Vintage Fair

1st 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm Children’s Workshop: Chinese Calligraphy. Celebrate Chinese New year and learn how to create characters with Chinese brushes and ink. For children aged 8+, must be accompanied by an adult. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1st 12 – 4pm Family First Saturday: Chinese New Year. Celebrate Chinese New Year with family activities which include lion dance, animals of the zodiac trail, lantern making, paper cutting. Free, drop in. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1st 2 – 4pm “Undiscovered beauty spots within an hour’s drive of Cherry Hinton”. Talk from Peter Green, Walks Co-ordinator, National Trust. All welcome, free entry, contribution invited towards expenses. Food for Thought Cafe, Cherry Hinton Baptist Church Building, corner of Fisher’s Lane and Cherry Hinton High Street.

1 – 23rd Snowdrop Trail. Discover more about snowdrop science, history, folklore and cultivation when you follow the Garden’s snowdrop routes. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

2nd – 28th The Minerva Festival. A city wide celebration of music composed by women and non-binary people. http://www.theminervafestival.org

3rd 7 – 10pm An evening at The White Hart Country Inn, Fulbourn. A two course meal and live entertainment for £20. Fundraiser for Camsight http://www.camsight.org.uk

4 – 8th 7.45pm My Fair Lady. Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society. ADC Theatre, Park Street http://www.adctheatre.com

6th 11am – 1pm Twentieth-century First Editions Exhibition. The Old Library, Magdalene College will be open for visitors to these historic book-lined rooms, with displays of items from the College’s special collections and archives which are rarely seen in public. Free entry, no need to book. Magdalene College, Magdalene Street.

7 – 16th Ahbab Festival. A festival of music, film, food and culture from the Middle East and North Africa. Cambridge Junction and multiple venues across the city. FB: @AhbabFestival

8th 1 – 4pm Chinese New Year Crafts. Celebrate Chinese New Year with CFT Chinese School. Decorate a paper lantern, paint a panda and try your hand at Chinese calligraphy and pictograms. Free, drop in event for families. Parents/carers must stay with children. Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard

8th 7pm Hungarian Music for Cello and Accordian. Cambridge Szeged Society. Free entry, retiring collection. Church of Our Lady and English Martyrs, Hills Road.

8 – 9th 11am – 4pm Rowan Art Exhibition. Buy original art at this “Celebrate Your World” art exhibition. Pictures from amateur and professional artists on sale at £45 each, raising funds to support Rowan’s student artists. Chesterton Community College, Gilbert Road, CB4 http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

9th 8.30pm King’s Voices Lent Concert. Haydn, Beethoven and Reger. King’s Voices with the King’s College Symphony Orchestra. King’s College Hall http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk

10th 7.45pm Seeking to know: A humane philosophy of science and religion. Speaker: Professor Andrew Steane, Physics Department, Oxford University. Part of the Science Meets Faith series. Wesley Church, Christ’s Pieces. Free entry, retiring collection.

15th 1pm Come and Sing Faure Requiem. For singers of all ages and abilities who can read music. St Catherine’s College Music Society. McGrath Centre, St Catherine’s College, Trumpington Street http://www.eventbrite.co.uk

15th 7 – 9.30pm Winter Mindfulness around the Campfire. Simple guided meditations, opportunities for reflection, discussions, poetry and games exploring our relationship with the natural world, around a campfire. Byron’s Pool, Trumpington http://www.mindfulness-of-nature.com

18th 7 – 8.30pm Cafe Sci Cambridge: The Genetics of Depression. Free, non ticketed. Espresso Library, East Road. FB: Free event: The Genetics of Depression

19th 4.30 – 7.30pm Twilight at the Museums at the Botanic Garden. Bring your torch for a night time adventure around the Glasshouses and discover some seriously freaky plants. Free, no charge for entry after 4.30pm, no need to book. The Garden Shop and Cafe will be open until 7pm. Botanic Garden, Brookside http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

19th 4.30 – 7.30pm Twilight at the Museums: De-lightful! Take a journey through light and dark at this annual Twilight event which takes place across University of Cambridge Museums. Discover torch lit treasure, sensory activities, interactive theatre, stories, dance and studio art creativity. Free event. http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/events/twilight_museums

21 – 22nd 12 – 5pm Cambridge Antiquarian Book Fair. Old books, prints, maps and manuscripts. Guildhall, Market Square

21st 6.30 – 8.30pm Cam Lates: Garden Kitchen Takeover. Explore the diverse plant collections in the Glasshouse Range which will be filled with imaginative illuminations. Food and drink from The Garden Kitchen. Booking essential. Botanic Garden, Brookside http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

21st 8pm St John Passion. St John’s College Music Society with Trinity College Music Society. St John’s College Chapel. Tickets on the door.

22nd 11am – 5pm Cambridge’s Craft and Flea. Local produce, street food, collectables, crafts, vegan and more. St Barnabas Church, Mill Road

22nd 2 – 6pm Board Games Afternoon. LGBTQ+ board games social afternoon. Free admission. Cambridge Central Library, Lion Yard

25 – 29th Stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s “The Waves”. Pre-show talk on 28th. ADC Theatre, Park Street. http://www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/play/the-waves/

27th 6 – 9pm Student LATE: Love Art After Dark. A dynamic programme of art events, performances, live music, pop up talks, behind the scenes tours plus creative arts and crafts activities. Cash bar and snacks in the Courtyard Cafe. Free but booking essential. Student ID card required. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street http://www.loveartafterdark-event.getqpay.com

29th 6 – 9.30pm Mastana. South Asian cultural performances ranging from dance to music to fashion, acting, magic and more. Guildhall, Market Square http://www.fixr.co/event/82327218

29th 7.30pm Harmony in Harlem Jazz Orchestra. Duke Ellington’s Primping for the Prom. St Andrew’s Baptist Church, St Andrew’s Street. Tickets on the door or from http://www.hhjazz.co.uk

What’s on in Cambridge – December 2019

So just like that, December is here … the city is looking even more gorgeous than usual with lights twinkling and decorations everywhere. Read on for details of all types of Christmas music and services, shopping events where you’ll find those perfect handmade presents, seasonal celebrations and activities in our wonderful museums and much more. I’ll update this listing through the month so do check back and please get in touch if you’d like me to include your event.

Christmassy vibes at The Ivy Cambridge Brasserie

1st 12 noon – 4pm Museum Shop Sunday. Stalls from local suppliers including jewellery, glasswork and pottery. Mulled wine and mince pies. Free, drop in. Museum of Cambridge, Castle Street. http://www.museumofcambridge.org.uk

1st 12 noon – 4pm Studio Sunday. Practical art making workshops, no experience necessary. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

1st 1.15 – 2pm Cambridge University Instrumental Award Holders – a performance by the very best undergraduate chamber musicians. Free. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

1st 6.30pm Winter Cabaret. A seasonal mix of jazzy, sassy, jingly and soulful songs and music from The Lucy Cavendish Singers. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington. http://www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk

4th 5 – 8pm Rowan’s Winter Warmer. A festive evening where you can buy handmade gifts and cards, commission artwork and get involved in Christmas workshops. Live music, mulled wine and mince pies. Free entry. Rowan, 140 Humberstone Road, CB4 http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

5th 6.30pm Murder under the Mistletoe. Heffers’ Christmas Crime Party. Festive drinks, book buying and readings from crime authors. 10% off purchases on the evening. Heffers, Trinity Street. http://www.heffersbookshop.eventbrite.com

6th 7.30pm A Jazz Suite for Christmas. Tim Boniface and Polly Gibbons. St. Paul’s, Hills Road. http://www.stpaulsartsfest.org

6th 7.30pm Michaelmas Concert: A Musical Selection Box, to include Tchaikovsky and Gershwin. The University of Cambridge Concert Band. St Giles’ Church, CB3. Tickets on the door.

7th 8.50 – 10.30am Mill Road History Walk with Cambridge Green Badge Guides. Meet at the Romsey R on Cavendish Road. http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk

7th 10am – 1pm Family Saturday. Get festive and make all sorts of Christmas decorations using natural materials. Free. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

7th 10.30am – 4.30pm Mill Road Winter Fair. Live music, local crafts, art, entertainment, food. Mill Road. FB Mill Road Winter Fair 2019

7th 11.30am Bridging Binaries: LGBTQ+ Tour. Explore the spectrum of identities that exist across time, place and culture in Cambridge collections. Free. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

7th 1 – 1.30pm Come and Sing Carols. An informal, friendly “come and sing” carolling session for shoppers, friends and visitors. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade

7th 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Activities and art making on the theme of festive fun. Free, drop in. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

7th 4 – 5pm Blue Christmas. A service of jazz and prayer for everyone who doesn’t find the holidays so happy. Michaelhouse Chapel, Trinity Street

7th 7pm Messiah by Candlelight. Eboracum Baroque. A charity concert in aid of Cancer Research. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade. http://www.eboracumbaroque.co.uk

8th 7.30pm Christmas Orchestral and Choral Concert. Dvorak, Mendelssohn and Czech Christmas music. The Academy of Great St Mary’s. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade. http://www.adcticketing.com

8th 7.30pm A Christmas Concert by The King’s Men Cambridge. Trumpington Parish Church, Grantchester Road, CB2. http://www.the-kings-men-trumpington.eventbrite.co.uk

8th 7.30pm Messiah. Choir of Clare College with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Trinity College Chapel. http://www.adcticketing.com

9th 7.45pm Brokenness, compassion and identity in rehabilitation after brain injury. Speaker: Dr Andrew Bateman. Part of the Science meets Faith series. Free admission, retiring collection. Wesley Church, Christ’s Pieces

12th 7.30pm Music for an English Advent: Gabriel’s Message. Carols and estampies from medieval England. Mediva Ensemble. Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street. http://www.CambridgeEarlyMusic.org

12th 8pm A Winter Union. Five leading lights of the British roots scene present an evening of seasonal songs, new and old. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington. http://www.cambridgelive.org.uk

13th 7.30pm – 2.30am Reach Up Disco Wonderland with DJ Andy Smith and XL Records founder Nick Halkes. 2648 Bar, Trinity Street. https://skdl.co/kFnLqa45X0

13 – 14th 7.30pm A Christmas Carol. Adapted and performed by Martin Prest in a one man show. The Leper Chapel, Newmarket Road. Wrap up warm as the Chapel can be cold! http://www.adcticketing.com

14th 10.30 – 11.15am Sharing Stories. Stories from around the world told, read and sung. Free, drop in. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. http://www.friendsofmiltonroadlibrary.org.uk

14th 3 – 3.30pm amd 4 – 4.30pm Michaelhouse Candlelit Carols. Come and sing traditional Christmas carols in the candlelit chapel. Michaelhouse Chapel, Trinity Street

14th 6 – 11pm Cambridge African Network Christmas Party. Food, Santa Claus, music and dancing. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington. http://www.cambridgeafricannetwork.org

15th 10am – 4pm Victorian Christmas Celebration. Family friendly Victorian Christmas day with craft activities, music, mince pies and more. Cambridge Museum of Technology, Cheddars Lane. http://www.museumoftechnology.com

15th 6.30 – 8pm Carols by Candlelight, accompanied by Cottenham Brass Band. Hosted by Cambridge Past, Present and Future. The Leper Chapel, Newmarket Road. Free event, donations appreciated. http://www.cambridgeppf.org

15th 8pm Music for Advent and Christmas. Josquin, Howells and carols for audience participation. Fairhaven Singers. Trinity College Chapel. http://www.fairhavensingers.org.uk

18th 1.15 – 2pm The Food of Christmas Past. A talk with Ivan Day, Feast & Fast food historian. Free. Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

19th 7 – 9pm Mindfulness around a Campfire – Winter Solstice celebration. Guided meditations, reflections, discussions, poetry, games and toasty pre Christmas treats around a campfire. Milton Country Park, CB24. Tickets from clairethompson@mindfulness-of-nature.com

19th 7.30 – 10pm Light Up EACH Life Cambridge Concert. We Are Sound and Evelyn Glennie perform a selection of uplifting songs in celebration of the children and families cared for at East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade. http://www.each.org.uk

20th 10.30am – 12.30pm GPS Christmas Treasure Hunt. Track down some special Christmas plants growing in the garden. A family activity. Booking essential. Botanic Garden, Brookside. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

20th 7.30pm Celebrate Christmas with John Rutter and Bach Choir Voices. Traditional carols and works by John Rutter. Our Lady and the English Martyrs Catholic Church, Hills Road http://www.cambridgesummermusic.com

22nd 4 – 5.15pm and 6.30 – 7.45pm Carols by Candlelight. A traditional candlelit service of lessons and carols at the University Church. Arrive early to be sure of a seat. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade

24th 4 – 5pm Christmas Eve Crib Service. Carols, bible stories and an impro Nativity. For children and their families. Come as you are or in Nativity fancy dress. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade

25th 11.15am – 12.15pm Christmas Day Choral Mattins. Favourite carols, beautiful music, scripture and story. Great St Mary’s Church, King’s Parade

What’s on in Cambridge – February

It may be midwinter out there but there’s still plenty happening in the city! I’ll add to this listing as the month unfurls so please do get in touch if you know of an event that could be included.

Snowdrops at Cambridge University Botanic Garden — Snowdrops at the Botanic Garden

2nd 10am – 1pm Family Saturday – Prehistoric Plants. Find out about the plants that were around at the time of the dinosaurs and make your own plant fossil to take home. Botanic Garden. Free event. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk Read more about the Botanic Garden here

2nd 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Art activities on the theme of Chinese New Year, in collaboration with Cambridge China Centre. Fitzwilliam Museum. Free event. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

2nd 7.30pm Impromptu Shakespeare. A semi-regular meet up for Shakespeare lovers to explore their theatrical side. Salisbury Arms, Tenison Road. http://www.facebook.com/groups/impromptushakespeare or email shakespearereadthrough@gmail.com Read more about this Shakespeare group here

3rd 7.30pm “Romantic Russia” concert. Sampson Orchestra. Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gliere. West Road Concert Hall. Tickets bought from Cam Sight will be donated to the charity. http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

4th 7pm Curry Night, raising money for Cam Sight. Prana, Mill Road http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

7 – 9th 7.45pm The Mikado. Cambridge University G & S Society. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

9th 2 – 5.30pm An Introduction to Nature Poetry. Study day with Cambridge scholars Paul Chirico and Oliver Goldstein. How does 19th century poetry speak to us now, in a time of climate change? Stapleford Granary CB22. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/nature/ Read more about Literature Cambridge here

9 – 10th 11am – 4pm Rowan “Cambridge Seen” Art Exhibition and sale. Works created by local artists, on sale at £45 each, raising funds to help Rowan’s student artists lead a more fulfilled life. Long Road Sixth Form College, CB2 http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk Read more about Rowan here

11 – 17th 10.30am – 6pm “Illuminating Cambridge Libraries”, a pop-up exhibition by photographer, Sara Rawlinson. Heong Gallery, Downing College. http://www.sararawlinson.com Read more about Sara and her work here and here

13th 7.30pm Spanglish Speed Dating – Valentine Special. The Emperor Tapas pub, Hills Road. Facebook: @SpanishCentreUK

13th 7.30pm An Evening with Preti Taneja, author of “We That Are Young”, a dazzling re-writing of King Lear, set in modern India. Stapleford Granary, CB22. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/taneja/ Read more about Literature Cambridge here

15 – 17th Ahbab Festival, celebrating Middle Eastern and North African culture in music, film and food. Cambridge Junction. http://www.junction.co.uk

15 – 16th Sat noon – 6pm/Sun 10am – 5pm Cambridge Book Fair. 85 booksellers and refreshment by Indigo Cafe. The Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.pbfa.org

16th 11am – 5pm Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Festival, “Affecting Every Existence”. Fisher’s Building, St John’s College. Facebook: @CambridgeClimateForum

16th 8pm Stravinsky “The Rite of Spring” and Rachmaninov “Symphonic Dances”. Cambridge University Orchestra. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

20th 4.30 – 7.30pm Twilight at the Museums. Explore 14 local museums and collections after dark. Free, drop in event with activities and themed trails across the venues. http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk

21st 6.30 – 8.30pm Cam Late: Botanic Nights. An evening in the Glasshouse Range with craft beer and atmospheric light displays. Over 18’s only. Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk Read more about the Botanic Garden here

26th 7.30pm Academy of Ancient Music, Lucie Horsch with Richard Egarr. Vivaldi and Bach. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets

Glasshouse at Cambridge University Botanic Garden — Glasshouse at the Botanic Garden

What’s on in Cambridge – December 2018

There’s so much wonderful stuff going on in the city this month. On this listing, you’ll find carol concerts, Christmas music, ballet, pantomime, Dickens and more! Please get in touch if you know of other events that I can include here.

Holly wreath

1 – 9th 10 – 4pm Anglian Pottery Christmas Selling Exhibition. All Saints’ Church, Jesus Lane. Free entry. http://www.anglianpotters.org.uk

1st 10.30 – 4.30pm Mill Road Winter Fair. Facebook: Mill Road Winter Fair 2018 Read more about last year’s Mill Road Winter Fair here

1st Cambridge Made Christmas Fair. St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, CB2. Facebook: Cambridge Made Christmas Fair 2018 Read more about Cambridge Made and last year’s Christmas Fair here

1st 7.30pm Christmas Oratorio, JS Bach. Clare College Choir and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Trinity College Chapel. http://www.adcticketing.com

1st 7.30pm Messiah. Handel. St John’s Voices and Cambridge Baroque Camerata. St John’s College Chapel. http://www.adcticketing.com

1st Dec – 6 Jan Aladdin. Cambridge Arts Theatre. http://www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

2nd 5.30pm Candlelit Service of music and readings for Advent. Great St Mary’s Church http://www.gsm.cam.ac.uk

4th 7.30pm “The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance.” Cambridge ghost stories for Christmas with Robert Lloyd Parry of Nunkie Productions. Cambridge Museum of Technology, Cheddars Lane, CB5. http://www.museumoftechnology.com http://www.nunkie.co.uk

5th 5 – 8pm Rowan Winter Warmer. http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk Read more about Rowan, their Winter Warmer and the upcoming “Cambridge Seen” art exhibition here

5 – 31st Snow White. Cambridge Junction. http://www.junction.co.uk

7 – 8th 7.30pm A Christmas Carol. Adapted and performed by Martin Prest. The Leper Chapel, Newmarket Road, CB5. http://www.adcticketing.com

8th 3pm In Dulci Jubilo. Erasmus Chamber Choir and Ensemble. Bach, Buxtehude and Bellis. Choral preludes, motets and carols for Advent and Christmas. St Columba’s Church, Downing Street. Free entry.

8th 7pm Messiah by candlelight. Handel. Eboracum Baroque. Great St Mary’s Church. In aid of Cancer Research. http://www.eboracumbaroque.co.uk

8th 7.30pm Bernstein on Broadway. Cambridge Philharmonic. West Road Concert Hall http://www.cambridgephilharmonic.com

8th 8pm Music for Advent and Christmas. Music by Parsons, Darke and Dove and carols for audience participation. Fairhaven Singers. Trinity College Chapel. http://www.fairhavensingers.org.uk

10th 7.30pm Mr Charles Dickens presents A Christmas Carol. Mumford Theatre, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road. http://www.anglia.ac.uk/mumfordtheatre

11th 7.30pm O Holy Night. Seasonal music, festive favourites and Christmas carols. Choir of Jesus College. Jesus College Chapel. http://www.adcticketing.com

11th 7.45pm The Soldier by Rachel Wagstaff. A play based on the life of Rupert Brooke. In support of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester. http://www.meshtheatre.com/tickets.html

12th 5 – 8pm Fairtrade Christmas gift shopping evening. Cafe Abantu, Hobson Street. Ethical shopping with complimentary mulled wine and mince pies. Read more about Cafe Abantu here

12th 8pm A Ceremony of Carols. Seasonal music for choir and harp. Britten, Rutter, Warlock and others. Traditional carols and contemporary settings. Granta Chorale. Corpus Christi College Chapel. Raising money for Jimmy’s Night Shelter. http://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

13 – 15th The Nutcracker. Ballet Central. Adapted 45 minute performance. ADC Theatre http://www.adctheatre.com Read more about this production of The Nutcracker here

15th 11am – 12 noon Jingle All The Way. Christmas carols, songs and fun for all the family. Cambridge Chorale. Great St Mary’s Church. Tickets from http://www.adcticketing.com or on the door.

15th 3pm and 4pm Carol Services at Michaelhouse, Trinity Street. http://www.gsm.cam.ac.uk

15th 5pm Welcome All Wonders. Cantata for choir, organ and trumpet, celebrating the Christmas story. Cambridge Chorale. Great St Mary’s Church. Tickets from http://www.adcticketing.com or on the door.

15th 7.30pm Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti) and A Ceremony of Carols (Britten). New Cambridge Singers. Church of St John the Evangelist, Hills Road. http://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

16th 3.30pm and 5.30pm Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Prime Brass with Junior Prime Brass and choirs. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

18 – 22nd Peter Pan. Cambridge Theatre Company. Great Hall at The Leys, CB2. http://www.cambridgelivetrust/tickets

18 – 23rd 3pm Nine Lessons and Images. A Christmas Tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum. http://www.eventbrite.co.uk (tickets at 9 Images) or email roblloydparry@hotmail.com. 50% of all ticket sales goes to Wintercomfort.

20th 6.30pm Chesterton Community Carols. Carols with brass band, refreshments and High Wired Circus performing a festive show. St Andrew’s Church, Chesterton. Free entry, collection for Wintercomfort.

23rd 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight. Great St Mary’s Church http://www.gsm.cam.ac.uk

29 – 31st and 1 Jan The Nutcracker/Swan Lake. St Petersburg Classic Ballet. Cambridge Corn Exchange http://www.cornex.co.uk

Rowan Winter Warmer and “Cambridge Seen” Art Exhibition

It’s always a pleasure to visit Rowan, the Humberstone Road based arts centre and charity for people with learning disabilities. There’s such a friendly and purposeful atmosphere there as the student artists go about their work in small groups with tutors. They create beautiful pieces in the wood, ceramics, print, textiles and mixed media studios, undertake many private commissions and sell their work at exhibitions and events.

Rowan Cambridge reindeers — Image credit: Rowan

Rowan Cambridge ceramic Christmas tree Rowan is holding its popular annual Winter Warmer on Wednesday 5 December from 5 – 8pm. Everybody is welcome and entry is free. You’ll find handmade gifts and cards, wooden reindeer, wooden table displays and ceramic tree decorations to buy and you can make a gorgeous ceramic Christmas tree at the Christmas workshop. And, of course, there’ll be mulled wine, mince pies and live music too!

Rowan Cambridge Christmas Wreaths — Image credit: Rowan

Rowan’s major fundraiser for 2019 is the “Cambridge Seen” art exhibition, happening on 9 and 10 February at Long Road Sixth Form College. To be part of this, you can get creative and produce a piece of art work or go along to the exhibition to invest in some art. Or indeed, you can do both! You don’t need to be a professional artist at all … just buy a canvas from Rowan for £10 and, using whatever media you like, make a piece of art inspired by your view of Cambridge. A bridge, a building, a landscape, your garden … there’s no limit to the possibilities. Then when you’re done, return your completed canvas to Rowan by 1 February. Here are a couple of artworks that have been returned to them already.

Rowan Cambridge Art Exhibition

Every penny raised from this “Cambridge Seen” exhibition will go to fund Rowan’s work. Activities here give the students a daily routine and structure as well as helping with development of their social and communication skills, building their self-esteem and increasing their self-confidence. There’s a real buzz as they mingle in the light, spacious communal areas at breaks and mealtimes. All places are subsidised so there is a need for fundraising year round to make sure that this remarkable venture and its student artists can continue to thrive.

Rowan Cambridge Art Exhibition

For more details of Rowan, the Winter Warmer and the “Cambridge Seen” art exhibition, take a look at the website.

http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

40 Humberstone Road, Cambridge CB4 1JG

Cambridge Open Studios

The annual Cambridge Open Studios event returns as the workshops and studios of 350 artists, craftspeople and designer-makers across Cambridgeshire open their doors over four weekends in July to showcase painting, ceramics, sculpture, handmade jewellery, glass, photography and much more.

Image credit: Cambridge Open Studios

This is a great opportunity to see artists at work, to discuss their techniques and inspiration and to browse, buy or even commission their work, although there is no pressure to buy. Entry to all studios is free. Last week, I caught up with a couple of participants who are getting ready for Open Studios.

Sara Rawlinson library — Image credit: Sara Rawlinson

Regular readers of this blog may remember photographer, Sara Rawlinson, who I first met last September when I wrote about her journey from seismology to photography and her exhibition at Michaelhouse, “Illuminating Cambridge Libraries”. Over these past months, Sara has continued with her project, taking stunning photographs of more college libraries. She has plans for another exhibition and is also branching out into flower photography, particularly looking at tiny details, the texture of petals and frosty grasses in monochrome.

Sara Rawlinson flower — Image credit: Sara Rawlinson

Sara is looking forward to opening her home studio in Beche Road for the first time and will be welcoming visitors on all four weekends. Find out more about Sara and her work on http://www.sararawlinson.com

Over at Rowan in Humberstone Road, the student artists are hard at work creating beautiful pieces in their studios. Rowan is an arts centre for people with learning disabilities and there’s truly a family atmosphere here. The student artists are supported to be autonomous, encouraged to learn and try new things and to enjoy being together in the light, airy social spaces that run through the building.

The work spaces were a hive of activity when I dropped in last week, with gorgeous cards being produced in the Print Studio, wooden phone stands, lamps and candlesticks coming from the Woodwork Studio and bright felted wool scarves hanging up to dry in the Textiles Studio.

The Ceramic and Mixed Media studios were equally busy and the Rowan team, who are old hands at the Cambridge Open Studios event, are looking forward to welcoming visitors on the weekend of 7 and 8 July. Proceeds from the sale of the student artists’ work go straight back into the charity to enable their remarkable work to continue. Rowan also takes commissions for one off pieces. You’ll find more on http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

Rowan Humberstone Cambridge vase — Image credit: Rowan

In a new initiative, Cambridge Open Studios has joined forces with ofo bikes this year, with the dual aim of helping visitors travel between city centre studios easily whilst reducing the environmental impact of the event. You can locate ofo bikes using the free ofo Smartphone app, available from the App Store or Google Play. Then just use a code printed in the Open Studios yellow guidebook to claim five free one hour ofo bike rides and get pedalling!

ofo bicycle Cambridge — Image credit: ofo

Studios will be open to visitors from 11am to 6pm on July 7/8, 14/15, 21/22 and 28/29 and entry is free. Do bear in mind that not every artist will exhibit every weekend. You’ll find printed guides for this event in shops, galleries and libraries. You can also go to the website to download the 2018 COS App which gives full details of the Open Studios together with an interactive map to help you with planning your day and navigation.

http://www.camopenstudios.co.uk

This event takes place at multiple locations in and around the city.