Revealing a new range of creative courses, exhibitions, performances and events, Attenborough Arts Centre ensures that Summer remains exciting, inspiring and creative for all.
This summer brings a new range of artist-led Creative Courses and Workshops, delivered by experienced tutors and artists to share their own artistic practices with new audiences. A range of the ever-popular life drawing workshops return, including an additional Tuesday session for Weekly Life Drawing Classes on top of the regular Friday sessions due to audience demand, led by artist Scott Bridgwood. For those interested in music, the centre offers a range of opportunities such as a Jazz Performance course, Exploring Harmony on the Guitar, and Leicester’s very own Piano Club to build not only our confidence as a pianist but also as a performer. With the Arts Council England’s recent announcement of digital art as a newly recognised artform, the centre is delighted to continue working with artist Rosie Johnson on Digital Art: A Beginners Workshop for iPad and Procreate in a Gallery Setting as well as Social Media Marketing for Creatives to support the ongoing development of artists communications skills.
Attenborough Arts Centre remains committed to Art for All by offering various courses and workshops at different price points, with concessions for different communities to ensure greater access within the programme. By working with local artists as tutors, the centre also supports Leicester’s ever-growing community of creatives to further their own craft while imparting their knowledge base.
Across the visual arts programme the centre will welcome a new exhibition: Jason and the Adventures of 254 in partnership with the Wellcome Collection in Gallery 1 & 2. Having previously shown a sculptural work in the exhibition ‘Crip Arte Spazio: The Disability Arts Movement in Venice’, this show is a major solo exhibition by leading UK artist Jason Wilsher-Mills which reimagines the gallery space as a hospital ward through his immersive installation of sculptures, illustrations and interactive dioramas that challenge the cultural and societal perceptions surrounding disability, medicine and the human body. Through a kaleidoscope of colours and a touch of magic realism, the exhibition is also a celebration of family, his working-class background and the opportunities he received through hospital education, inviting audiences to explore childhood memories and creativity through the artist’s trademark humour. Curated by Shamita Sharmacharja, Wellcome Collection Curator, and commissioned by Wellcome Collection, the exhibition will be shown at Attenborough Arts Centre from 5 June to 30 August.
Over the past few months, Attenborough Arts Centre has hosted community-led Sunday Sessions with Parables of Light in partnership with Leicester Islamic Arts and Heritage to facilitate exciting workshops while providing free open spaces for communities to come together and create. Since September, these participatory sessions have explored creativity as a way to connect, heal, and share stories across diverse communities, delving into embroidery, linocut, pottery and zine-making. The work created in these sessions are to be displayed on our Balcony Gallery from 17 April to 31 May, alongside artist’s responses, developed in dialogue with the participants’ creations. This body of work reflects on shared themes and sacred threads, offering another lens through which to consider the role of faith-inspired art in supporting mental health and fostering belonging.
Across the season Attenborough Arts Centre will showcase a variety of exciting performances such as Fixing by Wild Open Hearts, a drag show about family breakups, learning car maintenance and choosing the right shade of lipstick to do it in, Friday 17 April. In May the organisation takes part in Spark Festival 2026, one of the UK’s biggest children’s arts festivals, with the show Rebel Sparks: Take Flight, a stunning aerial theatre show that follows the story of a musical mother bird and their baby, Saturday 16 May. At the Botanic Garden in Oadby, The Duke’s Theatre Company will return after last year’s sold-out show to present the infamous Romeo and Juliet. A bold reimaging of the timeless tale in beautiful gardens, the performances take place Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 July.
Even after all of the Creative Courses, Exhibitions and Performances, Attenborough Arts Centre still has more to make art for all, with the ever-popular Craft & Art Fair, 9 May, that enables visitors to meet and support over 50 makers and artists across the region who will be selling a wide range of art and crafts. In June, visitors will also be able to experience the afterhours Attenborough Late, a fun-packed experience across the exhibition and the whole building on Friday 19 June. The galleries and café will be buzzing with music, dance, performances and craft workshops, with a range of drinks available for purchase. More information will be revealed soon.
Each weekend the centre hosts for a range of events tailored by our team to make getting creative and experiencing new opportunities easier than ever. Whether you want to try something hands-on in the Saturday Gallery Art Clubs, connect more with local organisations and artists at their Community Sunday Sessions, or a joining in for one of their Art Gallery Tours to discuss the latest exhibitions and gain alternative insights into the artwork.
Each Saturday and Sunday our Attenborough Café will also be open, offering a new range of hot food including fresh baguettes, toasted sandwiches, salads, breakfast including waffles, smashed avocado and poached eggs, as well as an ever-changing range of freshly-baked cakes. All are served alongside a range of hot or cold drinks by our wonderful café team.
With such a range of events on offer, there is sure to be something for everyone this spring at Attenborough Arts Centre.
Visit the Attenborough Arts Centre website for more details.