Tag: York Open Studios 2026

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More Things To Do in York and beyond as Shakespeare and Rocky Horror shine on. Hutch’s List No. 16, from The York Press

Collage and mixed-media artist Donna Maria Taylor: Participating in York Open Studios at South Bank Studios

FROM Rocky Horror film stars to Shakespeare in a suitcase, Bowie to Boe, Priscilla to The Psychic premiere, Charles Hutchinson is spoilt for choice again.

Art event of the week: York Open Studios, York and beyond, today and Sunday, 10am to 5pm

FOR a second weekend, 150 artists and makers within York and a ten-mile radius of the city are welcoming visitors to 107 workplaces and studios.

This annual event offers the chance to gain a sneak peek into where the artists work, their methods and inspirations, whether a regular contributor or the 27 new participants, spanning traditional and contemporary painting and print, illustration, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, glass, sculpture, jewellery, textiles and photography. For more information, visit yorkopenstudios.co.uk; access the interactive map at yorkopenstudios.co.uk/map.

Weather Balloons’ Anne Prior: Playing Navigators Art’s YO Underground #7 bill at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse

Arts collaboration of the week: Navigators Art/Projects presents YO Underground 7, The Basement, City Screen, York, tonight, 7.30pm

CONTINUING its mission to present adventurous left-field music and words from York and the region, Navigators Art plays host to a mixed bill of uniquely styled indie song-writing from Weather Balloons’ Anne Prior, the Joe Douglas Trio’s North African-inspired free jazz and a collaboration between audiovisual projections and Ben Hopkinson’s quartet Synaefonia. Box office: bit.ly/nav-events.

Blue: In full bloom at York Barbican tonight

Limited ticket availability: Blue and special guests 911, York Barbican, tonight, 7.30pm; Alfie Boe, York Barbican, April 28, 7pm

REVITALISED boy band Blue have released the single Flowers, penned by good friend Robbie Williams and Boots Ottestad, ahead of their 25th anniversary tour date at York Barbican.

“Robbie reached out to me a while back and said ‘I’ve got a song for Blue’,” says Blue’s Antony Costa, who will be joined as ever by Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe. “We only got to record it recently and thought it would be perfect to release for the anniversary tour. We can’t wait for you all to hear Flowers.”

Tenor Alfie Boe plays York on Tuesday and Harrogate Royal Hall on Wednesday on his 35-date tour, combining his most iconic hits and fan-favourite classics with material from new album Face Myself. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk; for Boe, https://gigst.rs/AB26.

Alfie Boe: Tenor dramatics at York Barbican. Picture: Ray Burmiston

Book event of the week: Rivers, Water and Wildness, A Talk by Amy-Jane Beer, St Chad’s Church, Campleshon Road, York, April 28, 7.30pm to 9pm

THE Friends of Nun Ings invite you to Rivers, Water and Wildness, Our Rivers and Their Landscapes, a talk by biologist-turned-writer and former South Bank resident Amy-Jane Beer, author of The Flow, winner of the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2023, who now lives on the Derwent.

The Flow is a book about water, and, like water, it meanders, cascades and percolates through many lives, landscapes and stories. From West Country torrents to Levels and Fens, rocky Welsh canyons and the salmon highways of Scotland to the chalk rivers of the Yorkshire Wolds, Beer follows springs, streams and rivers to explore tributary themes of wildness and wonder, loss and healing, mythology and history, cyclicity and transformation. Tickets are available via eventbrite; admission is free but donations are welcome.

Nell Campbell (Columbia), Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors) and Patricia Quinn (Magenta) celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Let’s do the Time Warp…again: The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular Tour 2026, York Barbican, Sunday, 7pm

JOIN the original Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick), Magenta (Patricia Quinn) and Columbia (Nell Campbell) for this once-in-a-lifetime screening event with a live shadow cast. Jim Sharman’s 1975 film of Richard O’Brien’s musical will be shown in a 4K remastered edition, preceded by a Q&A with the movie stars. Expect a costume contest, memorabilia display with film artefacts and a participation prop bag for every ticket holder. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert: David Bowie on screen at York Barbican

Fantastical film and music event of the week: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert, York Barbican, April 27, 7.30pm

JIM Henson’s musical fantasy film Labyrinth is on tour in concert in celebration of its 40th anniversary, transporting audiences to Goblin City in a fusion of film on a large HD cinema screen and live music on stage, performed by a band playing David Bowie and Trevor Jones’s soundtrack score and songs in sync with Bowie’s original vocals.

Taking on an ever-growing cult status since its release on June 27 1986, Labyrinth stars Bowie as principal antagonist Jareth the Goblin King, who rules the goblin kingdom, kidnaps protagonist Sarah’s baby brother and presents a charming yet menacing challenge, appearing as a rock star-like figure who lures and influences her journey. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Degrees Of Error’s poster for you-do-it whodunit Murder She Didn’t Write

Sleuthing opportunity of the week: Degrees Of Error in Murder She Didn’t Write, Grand Opera House, York, April 28, 7.30pm

DON your deerstalker, grab your magnifying glass and prepare your “finger of suspicion” as Edinburgh Fringe favourites Degrees Of Error return for your sleuthing pleasure, creating a classic murder mystery on-the-spot in this ingenious improvised comedy.

You, the audience, become the author as the cast acts out your very own Agatha Christie-inspired masterpiece live on stage. At each show, the company uses your suggestions to create an original and comical murder mystery. All you have to do is solve it. Ms Gold poisoned at a synchronised swimming gala? Dr Blue exploded by cannon during a hot air balloon race? Professor Violet crushed to death at a Love Island re-coupling? You decide – but will you guess whodunit before the killer is revealed? Box office: atgtickets.com/york.

Kristian Barley’s Adam, left, Steve Tearle’s Bernadette and Matthew Clarke’s Tick in NE Theatre York’s musical Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert

Musical of the week: NE Theatre York in Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, April 28 to May 2, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee

STEVE Tearle, creative director of NE Theatre York, plays Bernadette, joined by Matthew Clarke as Tick and Kristian Barley as Adam, in the adventure of two drag artists and a trans woman embarking on a life‑changing road trip across the Aussie outback in their battered tour bus, discovering the power of love, identity, acceptance and true friendship.

“As they head west through the Australian desert to chase a dream aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, our three terrific travellers come to the forefront of a comedy of errors,” says Steve, whose high-energy production also features Helen Greenley as Shirley, Ben Rich as Jimmy, Steve Perry as Bob, the mechanic, Ali Butler-Hind as his wife Cynthia, plus disco divas Perri Ann Barley, Melissa Boyd and Aileen Hall. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Eileen Walsh, left, Jaz Singh Deol, Megan Placito, Andy Nyman, Nikhita Lesler and Jeremy Dyson in rehearsal for the world premiere of The Psychic at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Manuel Harlan

World premiere of the week: The Psychic, York Theatre Royal, April 29 to May 23

“IS any of it real,” ask Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman in The Psychic, the latest spook-fest from the writer-director duo behind Ghost Stories. In their twisted new thriller, popular TV psychic Sheila Gold loses a high-profile court case that brands her a charlatan, costing her not only her reputation but also a fortune in legal fees.

When a wealthy couple ask Sheila to conduct a séance to attempt to make contact with their late child, she senses an opportunity to bleed them for money. What follows makes her question everything she has ever believed and leads her on a journey into the darkest corners of her life. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Pulling Shakespearean strings: Gemma Curry in Hoglets Theatre’s Spooky Shakespeare Suitcase Theatre at York International Shakespeare Festival

Children’s show of the week: Hoglets Theatre presents Spooky Shakespeare Suitcase Theatre, York International Shakespeare Festival, York St John University Creative Centre Auditorium, April 29, 6.30pm

HAGS, hauntings, hobgoblins and more emerge from the spooky suitcase owned by Lady Macbeth (Dotty to her friends). These spectres from performances past need to retell their stories before they can find peace in the literary afterlife, but are they friends or will we need to be vanquished back into the supernatural suitcase?

Written, crafted and performed by Hoglets Theatre founder, director, writer and performer Gemma Sharp, this funny, energetic children’s theatre experience presents a world of hand-made puppets, music and storytelling, all performed from a single suitcase. “No prior knowledge of Shakespeare is required,” she says. Box office: https://yorkshakes.co.uk/programme-2026/spooky-shakespeare-suitcase-theatre/.

The poster for Scott Bradley’s premiere of A Kingdom Jack’d at York International Shakespeare Festival

The poster for Scott Bradley’s premiere of A Kingdom Jack’d at York International Shakespeare Festival starring Rosy Rowley, whose birthday coincides with the opening night

Shakespeare spin-off of the week: 1st Zanni Theatre in A Kingdom Jack’d, York International Shakespeare Festival, Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York April 29 and 30, 7.30pm

IN A Kingdom Jack’d, American playwright Scott Bradley re-imagines an iconic moment in political and Shakespearean history: what if disgraced knight Jack Falstaff (Rosy Rowley) somehow found his way onto the throne of England in 1399, instead of serious warrior-king Henry IV?

Stupid, lecherous, selfish but humorous, Shakespeare’s most (in)famous clown must somehow fund the army, balance the budget and make foreign policy between naps. His government is drunk, his enemies are plotting,his allies are scheming, and even his girlfriend wants a piece of the action. Falstaff is king but for how long? Box office: yorkshakes.co.uk.

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York Open Studios: Who’s taking part…and who’s missing from list of 150 artists at 107 venues on April 18 & 19 and 25 & 26?

Rug weaver Jacqueline James with her loom at home in Rosslyn Street, Clifton, York

YORK Open Studios artists and makers are putting the final touches to their workplaces and studios, ready to welcome visitors across the next two weekends.

This annual event will run within a ten-mile radius of the city of York on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26 from 10am to 5pm each day, providing an opportunity to gain a sneak peek into where 150 artists work, their methods and inspirations, at 107 locations.

York Open Studios provides the chance to acquire work by established artists or to discover emerging artists, with 27 names new to the showcase, including two York St John University final-year students.

All manner of media will be represented, from traditional and contemporary painting and print, illustration, drawing and ceramics, to mixed media, glass, sculpture, jewellery, textiles and photography.

Charmian Ottaway, committee member and exhibiting contemporary designer jeweller says: “As an artist myself, I just love to show visitors how I work and also hear what they might be looking for.

Dodo, by 2026 York Open Studios sculptor Joanna Coupland

“As artists, we are all very proud of what we produce and hearing visitors’ responses and finding potential buyers can be really uplifting, especially if you often work alone and don’t directly meet your buyers. For visitors, it’s also a unique chance to see the city with pops of creativity along the way.”

Among  the regular artists taking part are wire and paper sculptor Joanna Coupland; linocut printmaker Michelle Hughes;  hand-woven textile artist Jacqueline James; illustrator Marco Godfrey-Murphy (MarcoLooks); ceramicist Ben Arnup; B-movie parodist illustrator Lincoln Lightfoot; digital illustrator Elliot Harrison (York 360); collage/mixed media artist Donna Maria Taylor; seascape artist Carolyn Coles; printmaker Susan Bradley; porcelain geometric sculptor Kate Buckley;  Lauren’s Cow artist Lauren Terry and linocut printmaker Jane Dignum.

So too are: wood lino and riso printmaker Nic Fife; collage/mixed media artist Adele Karmazyn; hand-cut paper artist Anna Cook; photographer Simon Palmour; wildlife and landscape printmaker Michelle Hughes;  ceramicist Ruth King; ceramicist Chiu-I Wu; wildlife linocut printmaker Gerard Hobson; botanical, geological and landscape artist  David Campbell;  land and seascape artist Freya Horsley; ceramicist Emily Stubbs; illustrator Ric Liptrot; memory, nostalgia and identity artist Leo Morey;  collage/mixed media artist Sarah K Jackson and ceramicist Jill Ford.

Look out too for  jewellery designer Evie Leach; printmaker Lesley Shaw; abstract expressionist Jo Walton; collagraph printmaker Sally Clarke; jewellery designer Jo Bagshaw;  industrial, urban and rural landscape artist Adrienne French; linocut and collagraph printmaker Jen Dring;  travel poster-inspired gouache artist Leon F Dumont; landscape artist Kate Pettitt; collage/mixed media artist Tim Pearce; linocut printmaker Carrie Lyall; plein-air oil painter Malcolm Ludvigsen; printmaker Rachel Holborow and digital photographer Lucinda Grange.

So many familiar names to be seen, but not Hearld, alas. Despite applying, York’s most successful artist, Mark Hearld, is bizarrely absent from this year’s runners and riders.

Prachi Bhatnagar: Making her York Open Studios debut at her Ouse Lea studio

His rejection is all the more bewildering given his high-profile month-long solo show, Collage Can Brio!, last December in his “most ambitious project to date” with The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh, where  “dogs leapt, birds circled and colour burst from every surface” of his dynamic paper constructions in a celebration of the rhythm and vitality of life, full of curiosity, movement and brio.

Inspired as ever by nature, the seasons and the everyday, his collages and prints were complemented by the unveiling of a tapestry created with Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. Hey ho, now you know what York will be missing over these two weekends.

In his shock hiatus, make sure to venture out to artists new to the event:

Em Doodles Doodles: Hand-drawn pen and ink doodles of labradoodles, cockerpoos and other poodle-related poodles, inspired by Layla, Emma Brassington’s Australian labradoodle; Venue 6, 44 Beech Avenue, Bishopthorpe, York.

Paul Pavuk: Macro and minimal photography, expressed through an abstract lens, transforming textures, light and space into compositions that reveal unseen worlds; Venue 11, 13 Vincent Way, York.

Marcus Chapman’s wildlife photography: On view in St John’s Street, York

Dan George: Atmospheric, representative oils and pen and watercolour pencil sketches; Venue 20, 78 Albermarle Road, South Bank, York.

Amelia Donohoe: Handcrafted jewellery in gold and silver, using precious and semi-precious stones; Venue 24, 43 Nunthorpe Crescent, York.

Clare Stringer: Throws porcelain, then decorates it with a variety of mixed media, taking inspiration from nature and contrasting pure white clay with more messy additions; Venue 26, 80 Bishopthorpe Road, York.

Melanie Hill: Printmaking in multi-media designs combining wood and metal letterpress typography, lino printing, hand illustration and digital graphic design that gives a nod to the city of York; Venue 29, 47 Moss Street, York.

Chloe Heffernan:  Entwining ancient Neolithic artwork and Irish folklore  with modern identity, her work combines jewellery and illustration to tell stories and explore colloquial identities; Venue 31, The Workshop,  5a, The Crescent, York.

Walk The Walls York, by Moss Street printmaker Melanie Hill

McKinley & Moth: Designer/maker Shona works predominantly in sterling silver with basic hand tools and traditional craftsmanship, producing bold and original jewellery inspired by nature; Venue 35, 60 Hob Moor Drive, York.

The Spoonery:  Transforming overlooked vintage cutlery into innovative wearable art, such as rings and necklaces; Venue 41, 31 Wetherby Road, Acomb, York.

Janie Stevens: Carves natural materials (stone and wood), now joined by steel, that she turns into flowing sculptural forms that invite exploration; Venue 46, Greenthwaite, Chantry, Main Street, Upper Poppleton, York.

Nicola Harper: Textile artist who uses free-motion machine embroidery, repurposed fabrics and fibres to create landscapes and seascapes inspired by North Yorkshire and beyond; Venue 53, 15 Kensington Road, Rawcliffe, York.

Prachi Bhatnagar: Using oils, pastes and pastels in bold colours and textures, her fluid, expressive work evokes the sensations, beauty and energy of being connected to nature; Venue 60, 78 Ouse Lea, York.

Prachi Bhatnagar: “Evoking the sensations, beauty and energy of being connected to nature”

Georgie Britton:  Paintings exploring the colour relationships through the medium of acrylic paint, representing landscapes in expressive and abstracted forms; Venue 62, The Whitestone Gallery, St Peter’s School, York.

Katie Isaac: Hyperrealist oil paintings inspired by nature and idiosyncratic urban pen drawings that strive to bring what might be overlooked, or unseen, into sharp relief; Venue 67, 16 Feasegate, York.

Esme Mai: Photographic study of nature that explores the delicate beauty and transience of botanical forms; Venue 69, Rogues Atelier Artist Studios, Franklin’s Yard, 28a Fossgate, York.

Lucy Coultert, student: Collage & mixed media artist who creates abstract marks and textures to celebrate the beauty of imperfections; Venue 70, Creative Centre, York St John University, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.

Alley Scout Art, student:  Work focuses on wildlife and nature, from layered collage sculptures to wildlife prints and animal-themed tarot deck; Venue 70, Creative Centre, York St John University.

Photographer Marcus Chapman

Marcus Chapman Photography: UK wildlife photography, focusing on birds, plus landscape & travel; Venue 71, 42 St John’s Street, York.

Nigel Joesbury: Works mainly in soft pastels or acrylic paints, tending to paint what excites him, whether music, pop culture or the natural world; Venue 75, 21 Muncastergate, York.

Mountain & Molehill: Lighting designer Elizabeth creates lampshades and homeware, using vintage animal illustrations with a collage-style approach, suitable for classic and modern spaces; Venue 78, 20 Hempland Lane, Heworth, York.

Sinead Barker Textile Artist: Stitches detailed wildlife art with appliqué fabrics on dyed canvas, exploring connection to animals and her wellbeing through her process, producing decorative animal portraits; Venue 77, 17 Hempland Lane, Heworth, York.

Danny Aitken: His wheel-thrown ceramic vessels and urns incorporate elements of prehistoric artistic expression from the European Neolithic  and Neolithic, fired with custom ash glazes; Venue 79, 31 Forest Way, Heworth, York.

Lewis Sand Art: Lewis Sand Art: Creating sculptures using only sand and water

Lewis Sand Art: Mark creates sculptures using only sand and water. When not sculpting a sandcastle, he likes to create quirky or whimsical sculptures, often of oversized everyday objects; Venue 86, 88 Millfield Lane, York.

Adrian P Layter: Illustrations that use poetic words and watercolour images to create beautiful and thought-provoking art. “Trees, fruit and Greek Muses all have their story to tell you,” he says; Venue 99, 29 Windmill Lane, York.

Abigail Gingele: Creates vibrant and highly detailed pet and wildlife portraits using coloured pencils in a style that emphasises realism and rich colour; Venue 102, 3 Moorland Road, York.

Sketchy Robot: Portraits and maps drawn by self-designed and built drawing robots. Visitors can have portraits or maps drawn live during York Open Studios, subject to capacity; Venue 106, 14 Heslington Lane, Fulford, York.

Kareem Baqai: Visual articulation and reactions to the rhythms and challenges of today’s world in paint, exploring the cyclic nature of the human condition through mark making, colour, form and composition; Venue 107, 19, Main Street, Fulford, York.

Kareem Baqai: Debut participation in York Open Studios in Main Street, Fulford

A public preview evening will take place tonight from 6pm to 9pm at various locations; check artists’ individual listings to find out who is taking part.

For more information on York Open Studios, visit yorkopenstudios.co.uk; to access the interactive map, download https://yorkopenstudios.co.uk/map/. Alternatively, a free printed directory is available from assorted tourist hubs and artist locations throughout York and the wider city region. When visiting studios, look out for bright yellow signage and balloons marking the venues.

To find out which artists are planning to give demonstrations during the event, look for the DEMO symbol in the artist listing in the brochure.

York Open Studios 2026: back story

RUN by artists and volunteers, this annual not-for-profit event represents the best of artists and makers living or working within a ten-mile radius of the city, chosen from the applications by the independent selection panel of arts and museums consultant Kate Brindley, sculptor Simon Gudgeon, ceramicist Wendy Lawrence, jewellery designer  Mari Thomas and consultant Alex Woodall.

Artists open their doors to invite the public into their workspaces; some artists will share venues or exhibit their work in other spaces. Artists who are not in their own workspace may display a selection of tools and materials or even demonstrate their skills to provide a more ‘Open Studio’ experience for visitors.

The website (yorkopenstudios.co.uk) provides full information on the event, illustrating details of participating artists, including their medium and a map of York and its surrounding areas that highlights where visitors will be able to visit. These can be found in libraries, shops and galleries all over York.

Check out all the 2026 artists and makers at: https://yorkopenstudios.co.uk/artists-makers/.

As for Mark Hearld…?

Mark Hearld’s poster artwork for his exhibition coinciding with York Open Studios

MARK will be holding his own exhibition by invitation of Brio and Damsel – his pet dogs – at 104, The Mount, York. Opening hours? Would you believe it, Friday, April 17, 6pm to 9pm; Saturday, April 18 and Sunday April 19, 10am to 5pm; then Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 10am to 5pm.

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More Things To Do in York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 14, from The York Press

Amabile Clarinet Trio: Playing innovative programme at York Late Music concert

HAMLET on a sinking ship, family politics on a calamitous wedding day and artists’ studios opening on two weekends are the headline acts on Charles Hutchinson’s latest bill of arts delights.

Classical concert of the week: York Late Music presents Amabile Clarinet Trio, Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, York, April 11, 7.30pm

THE Amabile Clarinet Trio – York clarinettist Lesley Schatzberger, cellist Nicola Tait Baxter and pianist Paul Nicholson – presents an innovative programme featuring two premieres plus Thea Musgrave’s Canta Canta!, patron Nicola LeFanu’s Lullaby and Nocturne, American composer Robert Muczynski’s rarely played Fantasy Trio and the first York performance ofAlexander von Zemlinsky’s Trio in D minor.

The UK premiere of David Lancaster’s Canzone Sospesoand a world premiere from composer David Power will be complemented by a set of Morris newly transcribed by York composer Steve Crowther. Lancaster gives a pre-concert talk at 6.45pm, to be enjoyed with a complimentary glass of wine or juice. Tickets: latemusic.org or on the door.

Lesley Jones and Steve Coates: Teaming up for the last time for Swing When You Sing

Farewell concert of the week: Steve Coates Music Productions present Swing When You Sing, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, April 12, 7.30pm

BEV Jones Music Company and The Jubilee Celebration Singers producer Lesley Jones bids farewell to the York stage after 20 years of mounting shows with Swing When You Sing, presented with Steve Coates Music Productions.

Alan Owens’s 16-piece big band will be joined on stage by singers Ruth McNeil, Annabel van Griethuysen, Hayley Bamford, Johanna Hartley, Adele Barlow, Larry Gibson, Terry Ford, Stephen Wilson, David Hartley and Geoff Walker to perform Rat Pack, Minnie The Moocher, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Under The Sea, Cheek To Cheek, Sway (Latin), Fever, Mr Bojangles, Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black and Sing, Sing, Sing (with Bob Fosse-style dancing). “Varied? Yes! Upbeat? Yes! Emotional? Yes!” says Lesley. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

The poster for the launch of Bishy Road Community Choir 

Start-up of the week: Bishy Road Community Choir, Stables Yoga Centre, Nunmill Street, York, from April 13

THE Stables Yoga Centre and Rachel Davies are setting up the Bishy Road Community Choir to run on Mondays from 5pm to 5.50pm at £5 a session from April 13. This welcoming, musically accessible group will use song to promote happiness, wellbeing and community. No experience or musical skills are needed; only enthusiasm to try feel-good singing. To book a place, visit stablesyoga.co.uk/timetable.

Wedded bliss amid wedding-day blisters: Darren Barrott’s Marek and Joy Warner’s Sylvia in York Actors Collective’s Till The Stars Come Down

Family politics of the week: York Actors Collective in Till The Stars Come Down, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, April14 to 18, 7.30pm, Tuesday to Friday; 2pm and 6pm, Saturday

PREMIERED at the National Theatre in 2024 and now receiving its York premiere, Beth Steel’s contemporary British family drama is set on the wedding day of Sylvia and Marek in a South Yorkshire mining town.

Directed by Angie Millard, Till The Stars Come Down explores the tumultuous dynamics of a working-class family in a changing world of economic  decline and political shifts as long-held secrets, passions, and tensions surrounding class, immigration, and social change spill over into chaos and tragedy. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Ralph Davis’s Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet, set on a sinking ship, on tour at York Theatre Royal

Titanic anniversary event of the week: Royal Shakespeare Company in Hamlet, York Theatre Royal, April 14 to 18, 7pm plus 1.30pm, April 16 and 2pm, April 18

LET director Rupert Goold introduces the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet, starring Ralph Davis, as the tour sets sail for York on the 114th anniversary of the Titanic’s descent to the depths. “Our production is set aboard a ship but one that is soon to founder, going down with all hands,” he says.

“Its inspiration comes from the most famous sinking in history, and just as that icy tragedy came to pass in a little over two and a half hours, our play takes place in real time and for about as long, as much catastrophic thriller as poetic meditation. This production asks what it means to be human and decisive when time is running out.” Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Jan Brierton and Henry Normal: Poetic humour at Milton Rooms, Malton 

Poetry at the double: Edge Street Live presents Henry Normal and Jan Brierton, Milton Rooms, Malton, April 16, 7.30pm

WRITER, poet, television & film producer and Manchester Poetry Festival founder Henry Normal is joined by Dubliner Jan Brierton for an evening of poetry and humour. Normal, whose credits include co-writing The Mrs Merton Show and the first series of The Royle Family, will be reading from his new book A Quiet Promise.

Brierton riffs on modern life, love and friendships, wellness and ageing, rage and domestic exasperation in her poetic reflections on being a wife, mother, daughter, sister and retired raver, plus plenty of stuff about tea, lipstick and biscuits. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Aggers & Tuffers: The chatter of cricket and the clatter of wickets at York Barbican

Not just cricket: Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell in An Audience With Aggers & Tuffers, York Barbican, April 16, 7.30pm

TEST Match Special commentator-and-pundit duo Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell take to the road for more cricket chat from beyond the boundary. Former Leicestershire and England fast bowler and three-decade BBC cricket correspondent Aggers teams up anew with record-breaking former England spin bowler and crowd favourite Tuffers, who gives his spin on his maverick playing days and second wind as a media personality on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, Strictly Come Dancing and A Question Of Sport. Box office update: limited availability at yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Maureen Onwunali: Slam champ spinning words at Say Owt 

Slam champ of the week: Say Owt presents Maureen Onwunali, The Crescent, York, April 17, 7.30pm

YORK spoken-word collective Sat Owt’s guest poet for April’s gathering will be Dublin-born Nigerian poet and two-time national slam champion Maureen Onwunali.

Rich with political observations and carefully crafted verse, her work has been featured by musicians, radio shows and organisations, such as the British Film Institute, Penguin, BBC, Roundhouse, Apples and Snakes, Obsidian Foundation and the Poetry Society. Box office: seetickets.com/event/say-owt-slam-featuring-maureen-onwunali/the-crescent/3588134. 

 Jacqueline James: Demonstrating her hand-woven rug-making in Rosslyn Street, Clifton, at York Open Studios

Art event of the month: York Open Studios, York and beyond, April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26, 10am to 5pm

ARTISTS and makers involved in York Open Studios are putting the final touches to their workplaces and studios within York and a ten-mile radius of the city, in readiness to welcome visitors across two weekends.

This annual event offers the chance to gain a sneak peek into where the artists work, their methods and inspirations, whether a regular participant or the 27 newcomers, spanning traditional and contemporary painting and print, illustration, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, glass, sculpture, jewellery, textiles and photography. For more information, visit yorkopenstudios.co.uk; access the interactive map at yorkopenstudios.co.uk/map.

Book launch event of the week: Michelle Hughes, Printing Birds and Wildlife in Linocut, The Harriet Room, York Cemetery, York, April 15, 6.30pm

Michelle Hughes at work on a linocut. Picture: Jackson Portraiture

YORK printmaker Michelle Hughes is holding a special evening to celebrate the launch of her book Printing Birds and Wildlife in Linocut and her upcoming tenth anniversary in business.

Published in February, Michelle’s beautifully illustrated book shares how to design, carve and print birds and wildlife using traditional linocut techniques, guiding readers from simple one-colour prints through to more advanced multi-colour methods, including jigsaw, reduction and multi-block printing.

“Whether you are completely new to linocut or already exploring printmaking, the book offers clear step-by-step guidance, practical tips and creative inspiration for capturing birds and wildlife in this rewarding craft,” says Michelle.

She started her creative business on June 1 2016 in the wake of her fourth redundancy. After a 25-year career in design, she decided to take a leap by working for herself.

The cover artwork for Michelle Hughes’s book Printings Birds and Wildlife in Linocut

What began with freelance graphic design and a few linocut prints has grown into a thriving creative practice. Today, Michelle creates limited-edition linocut prints, teaches in-person workshops, runs online courses for students around the world and produces commissions for organisations, including the National Trust.

What to expect at the event:

  • A short talk about Michelle’s journey to becoming a professional printmaker
  • Behind-the-scenes insights into how the book was created
  • The chance to see original prints and lino blocks featured in the book
  • A Q&A session about linocut printmaking
  • Book signing
  • Opportunity to buy signed copies

“Come and celebrate wildlife, printmaking and the joy of carving and printing by hand,” says Michelle, who will be participating in York Open Studios 2026 at Venue 37, in Holgate, York, on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26, 10am to 5pm.

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What’s On in Ryedale, York and beyond. Hutch’s List No. 15, from Gazette & Herald

Ralph Davis’s Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet, set on a sinking ship, on tour at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Marc Brenner

HAMLET on a sinking ship, family politics on a calamitous wedding day and artists’ studios opening on two weekends are the headline acts on Charles Hutchinson’s latest bill of arts delights.

Titanic anniversary event of the week: Royal Shakespeare Company in Hamlet, York Theatre Royal, until Saturday, 7pm plus 1.30pm, April 16 and 2pm, April 18

LET director Rupert Goold introduce the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet, starring Ralph Davis, as the tour sets sail for York on the 114th anniversary of the Titanic’s descent to the depths. “Our production is set aboard a ship but one that is soon to founder, going down with all hands,” he says.

“Its inspiration comes from the most famous sinking in history, and just as that icy tragedy came to pass in a little over two and a half hours, our play takes place in real time and for about as long, as much catastrophic thriller as poetic meditation. This production asks what it means to be human and decisive when time is running out.” Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

Wedded bliss amid wedding-day blisters: Darren Barrott’s Marek and Joy Warner’s Sylvia in York Actors Collective’s Till The Stars Come Down

Family politics of the week: York Actors Collective in Till The Stars Come Down, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, 7.30pm, tonight to Friday; 2pm and 6pm, Saturday

PREMIERED at the National Theatre in 2024 and now receiving its York premiere, Beth Steel’s contemporary British family drama is set on the wedding day of Sylvia and Marek in a South Yorkshire mining town.

Directed by Angie Millard, Till The Stars Come Down explores the tumultuous dynamics of a working-class family in a changing world of economic  decline and political shifts as long-held secrets, passions, and tensions surrounding class, immigration, and social change spill over into chaos and tragedy. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.

Aggers & Tuffers: The chatter of cricket and the clatter of wickets at York Barbican

Not just cricket: Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell in An Audience With Aggers & Tuffers, York Barbican, tomorrow, 7.30pm

TEST Match Special commentator-and-pundit duo Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell take to the road for more cricket chat from beyond the boundary. Former Leicestershire and England fast bowler and three-decade BBC cricket correspondent Aggers teams up anew with record-breaking former England spin bowler and crowd favourite Tuffers, who gives his spin on his maverick playing days and second wind as a media personality on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, Strictly Come Dancing and A Question Of Sport. Box office update: limited availability at yorkbarbican.co.uk.

Patricia Veale School of Dance: Showcasing young talent in Show Dance

Dance show of the week: Patricia Veale School of Dance in Show Dance, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, Friday, 7.30pm, and Saturday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

IN an exciting celebration of dance, the Patricia Veale School of Dance showcases its talented dancers in their very first Show Dance, drawing inspiration from classic musicals on film  and Broadway, complete with top hats, flair and razzle-dazzle. Expect a vibrant mix of ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap and much more besides. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

Rainey’s Revue: Evoking A Night In Harlem in….Helmsley

Jazz gig of the week: Rainey’s Revue: A Night In Harlem, Helmsley Arts Centre, Friday, 7.30pm

LED by Richard Exall on tenor saxophone and clarinet and musical director Dom Barnett on piano, Rainey’s Revue presents meticulous arrangements of Ma Rainey’s songs while capturing the essence of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. 

Sam Kelly, on drums, and Marianne Windham, on double bass, set the rhythmic foundation for the enchanting voices of Chrissie Myles and Emily Windham, whose vocals evoke the jazz clubs of yesteryear. Box office: 01439 771700 or  helmsleyarts.co.uk.

Comedy gig of the week: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club presents David Eagle, Anth Young and Nicola Mantalios, Milton Rooms, Malton, Friday, 8pm

HILARITY Bites headliner David Eagle has performed on BBC Radio 2’s topical comedy series The Now Show, supports Boothby Graffoe on tour frequently and is one third of three-time BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning band The Young’uns. Being blind, his comedy often explores how his disability means the most ordinary, commonplace events are turned into surreal and convoluted dramas.

Fellow north eastern act Anth Young finished runner-up in the Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year competition in 2017 in York. Completing the bill, Greek-Geordie bisexual comedian Nicola Mantalios won the 2025 Funny Women Stage Awards, hosts weekend shows at Newcastle Stand and runs her own gigs, such as Queers and Beers, in Newcastle. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

The Rollin Stoned: Covering the hits and deeper cuts from The Rolling Stones’ 1960s’ catalogue at Milton Rooms, Malton

Tribute gig of the week: The Rollin Stoned, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 8pm

THE rock’n’roll circus rolls into Malton for a tribute to The Rolling Stones that focuses on the Brian Jones years from 1964 to 1969.  Now in its 27th year, in The Rollin Stoned show the costumes are shamelessly camp, gaudy and fabulous, the instruments vintage, the wit irreverent, the trademark tongue never far from the cheek, but never to the detriment of the music.

As Keith Richards’ late mother, Doris, once remarked of the line-up featuring Mick Jaguar, Byron Jones, Keith Retched, Bill Wymandy, Charlie Waits and pianist Nicky Popkins: “Phenomenal…I can’t wait to tell Keith and  Mick that you could easily stand in for them.” Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.

Prachi Bhatnagar: Making York Open Studios debut at her Ouse Lea studio in York

Art event of the month: York Open Studios, York and beyond, April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26, 10am to 5pm

ARTISTS and makers involved in York Open Studios are putting the final touches to their workplaces and studios within York and a ten-mile radius of the city, in readiness to welcome visitors across two weekends.

This annual event offers the chance to gain a sneak peek into where the artists work, their methods and inspirations, whether a regular participant or the 27 newcomers, spanning traditional and contemporary painting and print, illustration, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, glass, sculpture, jewellery, textiles and photography. For more information, visit yorkopenstudios.co.uk; access the interactive map at yorkopenstudios.co.uk/map.

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York linocut artist Gerard Hobson designs 13 bird boxes for Castle Howard Gardens and Arboretum’s Easter Family Trail

York artist Gerard Hobson with one of his 13 bird boxes for Castle Howard’s Easter trail. Picture: David Scott

YORK wildlife, flora and fauna artist and printmaker Gerard Hobson is collaborating with Castle Howard on a new interactive Easter trail for families, comprising 13 handmade wooden bird boxes installed for a springtime adventure across Castle Howard Gardens and the Arboretum.

In post until April 19, the boxes house Hobson’s linocuts of birds, including swallow, magpie, woodpecker and wren, as part of a story designed for children as they all prepare for spring.

All those who complete the trail, answering questions posed by Owl and his friends, will be rewarded with a chocolate prize at the finish, supplied by Autism Plus in Knaresborough. “Designing and making this trail has been a wonderful opportunity to showcase the varied wildlife that visits our gardens, both at home and in the Castle Howard Estate,” says Gerard.

“Young explorers will discover interesting facts about our feathered friends and learn more about their homes along the way,” he says.

Ben Paterson installing one of Gerard Hobson’s bird boxes at the Castle Howard Arboretum for the Castle Howard Easter trail. Picture: David Scott

Abbigail Ollive, Castle Howard’s visitor attraction director, says: “Easter is always a special time to visit the estate and this year’s trail is a wonderful way for families to explore the gardens and learn about nature together.

“Gerard is known for his bold hand-coloured lino prints, inspired by British wildlife, and we are delighted to partner with him as he transforms his beautiful style into a playful outdoor installation. We’re thrilled that the trail extends across both Castle Howard and the Arboretum, so families can continue the adventure.”

The Easter Family Trail is included with Castle Howard Membership, along with Castle Howard and Arboretum day tickets at castlehoward.co.uk and castlehowardarboretumtrust.org. The Castle Howard Farm Shop and Arboretum Shop are stocking Gerard Hobson’s designs, including prints and homeware, for sale.

Hobson will be taking part in York Open Studios on April 18, 19, 25 and 26, from 10am to 5pm, demonstrating his linocut printing skills at his studio in Water Lane, Clifton.

Artist and printmaker Gerard Hobson in his Water Lane studio in York. Picture: Gerard Hobson

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Painter Carolyn Coles, ceramicist Emily Stubbs & sculptor Karen Fawcett unite for The Sky’s The Limit at Pyramid Gallery

Seascape artist Carolyn Coles

SOUTH Bank Studios artist Carolyn Coles and PICA Studios ceramicist Emily Stubbs will be on hand from 11.30am to 2.30pm at Saturday’s opening of The Sky’s The Limit, their joint exhibition with wildlife sculptor Karen Fawcett at Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate, York.

“I will be happy to serve you a glass of wine or non-alcoholic prosecco,” says gallery curator and owner Terry Brett.

After studying art and illustration in the early 1990s, Carolyn has exhibited artwork in York, Leeds, London, Derby, Manchester and Hereford in solo and shared shows, selling work internationally too.

She has worked in the creative industry for more than 30 years within adult education, graphic design and illustration and now paints full time from her studio with a group of 19 artists at Southlands Methodist Church, Bishopthorpe Road, South Bank.

Fishing For Dinner, by Carolyn Coles, on show at Pyramid Gallery from Saturday

Described by Terry as “a painter of gorgeous seas and skies”, Carolyn has chosen seascapes as her primary subject matter and likes to capture atmosphere, usually with a leaning towards dark and moody, and generally on a larger scale.

Carolyn’s love of the seaside and nature in general is reflected in her painting. Utilising a range of styles, her new collection is mostly impressionistic: “This allows the viewer to interpret their own story and pull their own memories back into play,” she says.

“I’m interested in recreating a feeling, an essence. I love being by the sea or in the hills. It’s a tonic. The noise, everything, just soaks into me. I like to be playful, bold and subtle in my work, which is mostly acrylic on stretched canvasses.”

Like Carolyn, Emily Stubbs has been selected to take part in York Open Studios 2026 on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26. She is a founding member of PICA Studios, an artist-led studio collective of 23 artists, makers, writers and thinkers in an 18th-century printworks building in Grape Lane, and exhibits her contemporary ceramics in exhibitions, events and galleries around the UK.

Ceramicist Emily Stubbs

“Through my work, I explore the playful relationship between form and surface decoration,” she says. “The vessel is my primary interest, created by building and collaging slabs of textured clay together.

“Drawing inspiration from my 2D paper collages and sketches, I translate this process into clay, building up layer upon layer of slips and glazes. The finished vessels have a similar graphic quality to them, with bold colour, strong line and intuitive mark making.”

Karen Fawcett is committed to creating life-like sculptures using the British countryside and coast as her inspiration. “The sculptures are created from detailed study and visual observation of the subject, and with reference to an actual specimen where possible,” she says.

Blue Fragmented Vessel, by Emily Stubbs

“They are hand crafted and finished to a very high level of detail; each piece is therefore individual and unique. I aim to capture not just the look, but also the spirit or personality of the subject, making it appear much more alive – as though it could move at any moment.

“My sculptures are not only unique and affordable works of art, but also bring a piece of the natural world directly into your home. All my works are either signed on the underside, or where this is not possible I use a stamp of the ‘K’ logo to ensure it is an authentic piece.”

The Sky’s The Limit will run until mid-March. Look out too for work by Pyramid Gallery’s Jeweller of the Month, Kate Rhodes, from Hebden Bridge. Gallery opening hours are: 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

Wildlife sculptor Karen Fawcett