King's Lynn Festival

King's Lynn Festival is a multi-arts festival based in the historic St George's Guildhall, King Street, King's Lynn

King’s Lynn Festival will take place from 18-31 July 2021 and feature classical recitals and concerts, jazz, talks, walks and a 70th anniversary exhibition, celebrating the rich history of the past seven decades of the King’s Lynn Festival.  Tickets on sale to the public from Monday 14 June. For details of how to book and our refund policy please click here

Festival exhibition: Past Time, New Horizons

Celebrating the rich history of the past seven decades of the King’s Lynn Festival the 70th anniversary exhibition - Past Times, New Horizons - showcases a selection of artists whose work has been displayed in previous Festival exhibitions or at other venues in the town.
 
The exhibition brings together artists from across these decades and features painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, printmaking and glass. Works by Edward Seago, Harry Barr, Hugh Casson, Duncan Grant, Ana Maria Pacheco as well as other alumni, and pieces by contemporary artists including Ivy Smith, Jon Harris and Hazel Burgess are presented alongside a recently restored portrait of Festival founder Ruth, Lady Fermoy, painted in 1954 by Anthony Devas.

The exhibition continues in the Red Barn with a display of portraits of world-famous names who took part in the Festival including Benjamin Britten, Dame Sybil Thorndike and Kathleen Ferrier. The photographs were much admired over many years when they hung on the staircase in the Guildhall. They have been restored and reframed for this retrospective.
Curated by Dr Claudia Milburn
A selection of the artworks on display will be available for sale.

Also on display in the Shakespeare Barn is an exhibition by young creators from Kick the Dust Norfolk. Each of the young people focussed on a piece of work in the exhibition that intrigued them, and responded to it through various mediums and art forms.

The festival board is very appreciative of the generosity of Sir Ian McKellen who, through his involvement in King's Lynn Shakespeare Festival, financed the restoration of the treasured photographs of famous personalities who took part in early Lynn festivals.

Ivy Smith, Horned Poppy at Snettisham, linocut