It’s that time of year again when we look forward to welcoming students, old and new, for the beginning of a brand-new academic year. We thought we’d write this news post to say ‘hello’ to all of you coming to the University of Leicester this September and show you what you can get involved with at Attenborough Arts Centre, your Arts & Culture Hub.
Attenborough Arts Centre is a socially and civically-engaged public cultural venue at the University of Leicester. Working with local, national, and international artists we deliver a variety of cultural experiences including visual arts exhibitions, live performances, and research programmes. We believe that art is for everyone and we want to make creativity and culture accessible to all by breaking down barriers to the arts.
As well as working with artists and local communities, we also create work with and for students at the University of Leicester. Whether you’re looking to see art, make art, or just sit down with a coffee and chat with a friend, Attenborough Arts Centre has something for you. We’ve put together a useful list below of some of the things you can get up to as a student when you visit us.
Social Spaces
Sit back and relax in one of our many social spaces. Next time you’re looking for somewhere to hangout on campus why not try out the Salmon Gallery or Café? Or, if you’re looking for some peace and quiet why not take a moment to get back into nature in our Outdoor Courtyard located next to Galleries 1 and 2.
Volunteering and Paid Opportunities
Our Volunteering and Paid opportunities can be a great way to meet new people and make new friends – plus it looks great on your CV. We are currently looking for volunteer Gallery Assistants for an upcoming exhibition in September, just in time for the start of the new term. If you’d be interested in volunteering, or to find out more information on what’s available, please contact Noreen Gallagher our Volunteer Coordinator.
Sunday Sessions
Give yourself a well-earned day of rest at one of our Sunday Sessions. Enjoy activities like crafting, board games, and more! Each week we offer up new and exciting activities that everyone can get involved with. Bring a friend, or simply yourself, and sit back, relax and get creative.
Exhibitions
We curate four gallery spaces which host a wide range of artworks from artists all around the world across a wide variety of mediums. All of these exhibitions are free-to-access and we often host special events to go alongside them like exhibition launches or workshops with artists.
This September get ready to explore issues of climate change and social justice in a new exhibition opening in Gallery 1. ‘Arcadia for All? Rethinking Landscape Painting Now‘, seeks to expand notions of ‘landscape painting’ in new, and often at times unexpectedly playful and radical ways, to prompt you to think about your connection to nature and the environment.
Performances
See the latest performances from leading artists and companies across the UK including theatre, dance, music and more like our free lunchtime concert series. Coming up this term we’ve got performances like Kalki by Pushpalata Dance, The Rest of Our Lives by Jo Fong & George Orange, and Wilding by Emma Bourke and Ildikó Rippel.
Many of our performances have a ‘pay what you can’ policy meaning that you decide how much you can or want to pay. This expands access to the arts for those who may not have been able to participate otherwise, or gives others the chance to support those who cannot by paying a bit extra. When a performance is ‘pay what you can’ we make this clear on the ‘book now’ page of the event.
Creative Courses
As well as seeing art, you can make art too. Our Creative Courses offer the opportunity to get hands-on and learn a new skill with our artist-led sessions that allow you to explore a range of mediums like oil painting, ceramics, crochet, spoken word poetry and more all with student discounts available throughout the programme.
If you’re looking to get creative without committing to a full course, why not drop in to a life drawing class or learn to play sitar with the Sitar Music Society. Whatever you choose, find a Creative Course that works for you!
Practice Room Bookings
Are you a seasoned musician? Or, perhaps it’s your first time playing an instrument? We manage bookings for 3 of the music practice rooms based on the main University campus. To learn more and to book rooms, please contact our team through our email arts-centre@le.ac.uk or call at 0116 252 2455
Attenborough Late
Join us for one of our late-night takeovers as we curate a range of live performances in response to our exhibitions, alongside food, drinks and creative activities. Our next event will take place 21 October, curated by Opal22 in celebration of Black History Month. Free to attend but booking is required.
You can find more information about any of the areas listed above on our website under the handily named ‘Student’ tab. Whether you’re looking to relax, study, or get creative, Attenborough Arts Centre is excited to have you on campus this September. We are open 7 days a week from 9am – 5pm on weekdays and 10am – 5pm on weekends.
News Post written by Chloe Hutchinson.