Harrogate Borough Council

 
 

Find out more

To find out more about any of the events listed on this page, or to book, please contact Harrogate Museums and Arts.

email

phone:01423 556188

fax: 01423 556130

Mercer Art Gallery,
Swan Road,
Harrogate,
HG1 2SA

or by calling in to any of our venues.

Our events are either free or very reasonably priced.  Payment is requested in advance.  Refunds by arrangement with more than 14 days' written notice.

If cancelling within the 14 day notice period, we regret that monetary refunds can only be guaranteed for payments over £10 due to the administrative costs involved.  If cancelling a booking for under £10 the monies spent can be held as payment towards a future event.


See our Visitor information for all Harrogate Borough Council run museums and galleries.

Adult Museums and Arts Events: Primetime

 
Kirby Hill Church, courtesy of Melanie TowerPrimetime is Harrogate Museums and Arts' programme of events featuring:
  • gallery talks exploring the art on show
  • tours of local historic sites
  • handling sessions featuring objects from the museum collections
  • drama presentations

and more, all for adults to discover the museums, galleries, culture and heritage of the Harrogate district.

 

Practical details:
We recommend that all sessions must be booked in advance in order to guarantee entry.  Payment for charging events is requested as soon as possible, and at least 1 month in advance, in order to guarantee a place.

Please note that all sessions (free and charging) are very popular, often with long reserve lists, so if you cannot attend please notify us straight away so someone else can enjoy the event.

Refunds will only be available if a booking is cancelled within 14 days of the event. All cancellations must be in writing to Harrogate Museums and Arts, Mercer Art Gallery, Swan Road, Harrogate, HG1 2SA.

If cancelling within the 14 day notice period, we regret that monetary refunds can only be guaranteed for payments over £10 due to the administrative costs involved. If cancelling a booking for under £10 the monies spent can be held as payment towards a future event

 
Turkish Baths
 Wednesday 15th October 10am and 11am

£2.50

Turkish Baths, Parliament Street, Harrogate
 Plunge pool at Harrogate's Turkish Baths
Book a tour to gain a glimpse of what a visit entailed back in the late 1800s.
 
View the recent restoration work which will reveal the Baths' original beauty. 
 
 
 
Gabriele Koch - Ceramics
 Friday 24th October 2pm

£5Ceramics by Gabriele Koch
 
Mercer Art Gallery
 
Illustrated talk by artist Gabriele Koch about thedevelopment of her work, her practice and process.  Her work is on show at the gallery. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thoughts on Abstraction
 
 Thursday 30th October 2pm
 
£5

Mercer Art Gallery
 
Work by Simon Crawford 
Gallery talk and presentation by artists Simon Crawford and John Creighton, two local abstract painters on show in Into Abstraction.
 
The artists will discuss their work and studio practice and the wider concept of abstract art.
 
 
Tour of Ripley Hotel de Ville
 Friday 31st October 2pm


£3
 
Ripley Town Hall, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Ripley Hotel de Ville
 
Illustrated talk and tour exploring the history and recent refurbishment of this intriguing building.
 
 
 
Precious Memories - Preserve your Family Archives
 Tuesday 4th November 2pm
 
FREE

Mercer Art Gallery
 
Talk and presentation by Stephen Allen, Conservator at North Yorkshire County Record Office.
 
Stephen will look at professional methods used to preserve archives and how you can ensure your own family records are kept for generations to come.
 
 
All Buttoned Up - The History of Buttons
 Tuesday 11th November 2pm


£4.50

Mercer Art Gallery
Buttons, from Duttons for Buttons of Harrogate
 
 
 
An informal introduction to the history of buttons with Michelle Horton of Duttons for Buttons  Duttons for Buttons logo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate
 
 Wednesday 12th November 10.30am
 
FREE

Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate
 
A chance to view the Council Chamber and learn about the role  of the Mayor.
 
Discover the history of the Mayoral Chains and Civic Insignia.
 
Visit the Mayor's Parlour and see some of the Civic Silver and treasures.
 
All Patched Up - A Unique Heritage Partnership: St Anthony's Hall and the new Quilt Museum and Gallery in York
 Tuesday 18th November 2pm


£3
 
Mercer Art GalleryPatchwork quilt
 
Talk and presentation by Janet Rae, Quilt Historian, to discover how one of York's famous landmark buildings has taken on a new identity as home to Europe's only Quilt Museum and Gallery. 
 
Find out all about the new museum too.
 
 
Christmas Gifts - Embroidery Workshop
 Tuesday 25th November 10am - 4pm


£22.50 including all materials (book 2 embroidery workshops and save £5, all 3 and save £10.  Others on 10th February and 25th March)

Mercer Art Gallery

 Sinamay Bags Christmas embroidery workshop

Make a small bag from sinamy, a fabric usually used in hatmaking.

Its weave makes it perfect for stitching into with counted or freestyle stitches.

With a choice of shapes and stitched designs, these bags can be used to hold a special gift, or as an ornament on a Christmas tree.


Suitable for beginners as well as more experienced embroiderers.

 

Turkish Baths
 Wednesday 26th November 10am and 11am

£2.50

Turkish Baths, Parliament Street, Harrogate
 Plunge pool at Harrogate's Turkish Baths
Book a tour to gain a glimpse of what a visit entailed back in the late 1800s.
 
View the recent restoration work which will reveal the Baths' original beauty. 
 

 

Into Abstraction - Curator's Choice
 Thursday 27th November 2pm


£4

Mercer Art GalleryTangled Pool 1948 by Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979)


Gallery talk by Curator of Art, Jane Sellars.  Find out how this exhbition was put together, and hear about Jane's favourite paintings, including works by Patrick Heron and Ivon Hitchens.

 

Jane Austen's Christmas
 Monday 1st December 2pm


£5

Mercer Art Gallery

 Christmas

Illustrated talk, with objects, by Gillian Stapleton of historical wardrobe company Century Adventures.

 

Discover the festive pleasures - food, party games and gifts - in the Age of Elegance, inspired by the life and writings of Jane Austen.

 

Meet the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate
 
 Tuesday 27th January 2pm
 
FREE

Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate
 
A chance to view the Council Chamber and learn about the role  of the Mayor.
 
Discover the history of the Mayoral Chains and Civic Insignia.
 
Visit the Mayor's Parlour and see some of the Civic Silver and treasures.
 
 
Silk Painted Baskets - Embroidery Workshop
 Tuesday 10th February 10am - 4pm


£22.50 including all materials (Book 2 embroidery workshops and save £5, book all 3 and save £10.  Others on 25th November and 25th March).

 Silk painted basket lids Mercer Art Gallery

Make a quilted silk basket lid inspired by the beautiful rose windows of medieval cathedrals.

You will also paint a piece of silk for the lining with silk paints textured with salt.

You will learn how to make a handmade cord to finish off the lid and have the option of adding a tassel.

Suitable for beginners as well as more experienced embroiderers.

Turkish Baths
 Wednesday 18th February 10am and 11am

£2.50

Turkish Baths, Parliament Street, Harrogate
 Plunge pool at Harrogate's Turkish Baths
Book a tour to gain a glimpse of what a visit entailed back in the late 1800s.
 
View the recent restoration work which will reveal the Baths' original beauty

 

 

The Language of Fans
 Wednesday 25th February 2pm


£5

Nidderdale Museum, King Street, Pateley Bridge

Talk with objects: Spend a delightful afternoon discovering Nidderdale Museum's collection of fans, perfume bottles and other ladies' accessories.

Find out all about how fans were used and what the different gestures might mean.

 

Urban Evolution
 Thursday 26th February 2pm


£5

Mercer Art Gallery

Gallery talk by Anne Desmet on her exhibition on show at the Mercer inspired by the restoration of Manchester's Victoria Baths.

Anne is one of the most original talents in contemporary printmaking with a passion for architecture and buildings.

 

Fabulous Fifties!
 Wednesday 11th March 2pm


£10

St Wilfrid's Church Hall, Duchy Road, Harrogate Butterick dress pattern

 

Costume presentation by historical wardrobe company Century Adventures.

Enjoy the transformation of the women of Britain as rationing comes to an end and they reinvent themselves as domestic goddesses!

Featuring the fashion magazines and stylish mod cons and couture of the time such as bullet bras, sugared petticoats and teetering stilettoes.

 

Seeing in the Night Time - Victoria Brookland's paintings
 
 Thursday 19th March 2pm
 
£5
Mercer Art Gallery
 
 Painting by Victoria Brookland
Meet artist Victoria Brookland as Jane Sellars, Curator of Art, interviews her about her work on show at the Mercer.
 
Her paintings explore the power of the domestic interior as a setting for images of enclosure and escape, and how women poets have looked for freedom from restrictive lives through their own creativity and imagination.
 
 
 
 
Introduction to Goldwork - Embroidery workshop
 Wednesday 25th March 10am - 4pm


£20 + material costs (£8)
Book 2 embroidery workshops and save £5, all 3 and save £10.  Others on 25th November and 10th February).
 
Mercer Art Gallery
 
Goldwork embroidery
You will be introduced to a number of goldwork techniques including padding with felt, couching gold kid, attaching sequins with beads and using metal threads such as Jap, pearl, purl, check purl and twist.
 
There will be a choice of 2 designs which will be transferred to the space-dyed fabric by printing with a print block.
 
Suitable for beginners as well as more experienced embroiderers.
 
 
 
Tour of Stonefall Cemetery
 
Thursday 2nd April 1.30pm

FREE
 
Wetherby Road, Harrogate
 A picture of the crematorium at Stonefall cemetary
 
Join a visit to this 30 acre site featuring the crematorium, Hebrew cemetery and adjoining war grave commission area where 1,000
Canadian airmen are buried.
 
 
 
 
 
Tour of Thorpe Prebend House
Wednesday 8th April 2pm


£2.50

Thorpe Prebend House, High Street Agnesgate, Ripon

Guided tour of this Grade II* listed house and award winning Stuart-style formal garden.

See the beautiful restoration work on the building once home to the ruling clergy of Ripon Minster, and enjoy its exhibits telling the story of Ripon and the Cathedral over the centuries.

 

Historical Tour of Knaresborough
Sunday 19th April 2pm

£4

Start at Knaresborough CastleKnaresborough Castle

Guided tour with local history expert, Brian Forshaw.

Discover the magnificent castle, historical buildings, a maze of  medieval streets and passages as well as the royal connections and famous characters.

 

 

Journey of Discovery - Perambulations of the Borough of the Forest of Knaresborough
Tuesday 21st April 2pm


£4

Mercer Art Gallery

Talk by Dave Hunt of CLARO Archaeology Group looking into the unusual history of the making of the boundaries of the Forest of Knaresborough's borough.

 

Historical Tour of Knaresborough
Sunday 26th April 2pm

£4
 
Start at Knaresborough CastleKnaresborough Castle
 
Guided tour with local history expert, Brian Forshaw.
 
Discover the magnificent castle, historical buildings, a maze of  medieval streets and passages as well as the royal connections and famous characters.
 
 
 
 
 
Turkish Baths
 Wednesday 29th April 10am and 11am

£2.50

Turkish Baths, Parliament Street, Harrogate
 Plunge pool at Harrogate's Turkish Baths
Book a tour to gain a glimpse of what a visit entailed back in the late 1800s.
 
View the recent restoration work which will reveal the Baths' original beauty
 
 
 
Tour of Stonefall Cemetery
 
Wednesday 6th May 1.30pm

FREE
 
Wetherby Road, Harrogate
 A picture of the crematorium at Stonefall cemetary
 
Join a visit to this 30 acre site featuring the crematorium, Hebrew cemetery and adjoining war grave commission area where 1,000
Canadian airmen are buried.
 
 
 
Fantastic Four - Churches Tour
Tuesday 12th May 9.15am - 4.30pm


£22.50

Departure from and return to the Mercer Art Gallery

Talks and tours of churches in Leathley, Adel and Harewood and Bramhope's Puritan Chapel.

Discover a rare Puritan Chapel built in the Commonwealth Period, one of the finest Romanesque works in the North, 15th and 16th century alabaster effigies and much more.

Local historian Maurice Taylor will lead the tour, with complementary readings by Anne Carrick.

 

Time for Tea
Monday 18th May 2pm


£2

Mercer Art Gallery

 Miniature tea set, Harrogate Museums

 

Talk and tea-tasting by Taylors of Harrogate, looking at the history and cultivation of tea.

 

 

Harrogate Borough Council, Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 2SG, Tel: (01423) 500600