We are excited to announce a variety of bright and bold workshops, exhibitions, performances and screenings for the January - April period. With almost 200 creative events and activities, there is something for everyone.

Visit our website at www.ruralarts.org for more details, or pop in for a chat with our friendly team!

Date: Saturday 25th November 2023 Time: 10am - 4pm Free Entry

In this workshop you’ll learn the process of making mosaics, with tips on design and style as well as lots of inspiration available. This workshop is particularly for those who have done a beginners class in Mosaics before and now wish to grow on their skills.

The workshop will be run by artist Sue Kershaw, whose designs feature sometimes thousands of intricate, hand-cut pieces known as tesserae. These pieces range from teacup shards made from Ganges clay that were collected in India, to seashore glass from Sicily. Gold leaf, aicis glass and French porcelain are also present throughout her work.

Date: Saturday, July 1, 2023 Time: 10am - 4pm Venue: The Courthouse Price: £65

As the world faces its Second World War, John Halder, a good, intelligent German professor, finds himself pulled into a movement with unthinkable consequences.

Olivier Award-winner Dominic Cooke (Follies) directs C.P. Taylor’s timely tale, with a cast that also features Elliot Levey (Coriolanus) and Sharon Small (The Bay). Filmed live from the Harold Pinter Theatre in London.

Certificate: 15

During this workshop your tutor Catherine will guide you through every stage of creating a mixed media artwork in celebration of your own treasured memories and experiences.

We will use a range of processes such as free writing, drawing and collage to explore why these memories are so precious to us, as you work towards making your own mixed-media artwork.

Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2023 Time: 2pm - 4pm Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Please bring photos, images or objects that remind you of pivotal moments in your life.

Rural Arts are running three workshops for adults, to mark up-cycling day on 24th June.

In this session, you will learn how to up-cycle your old clothing by using sewing techniques, to transform them into cushion covers. Use jeans, t-shirts or some of our free donated materials to create your cushion covers.

Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023 Time: 10.30am - 12.30pm Duration: 2 hours Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Rural Arts are running three workshops for adults, to mark up-cycling day on 24th June.

In this session, you will be provided with a wooden box to transform into a special place to store keepsakes and memories. You will be use paper, paint and more to add details to your box, and also be given helpful tips and advice as to how you can kick off other up-cycle projects.

Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023 Time: 2pm-4pm Duration: 2 hours Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS All materials are provided. Please bring along an apron as you may get messy!

This special free workshop welcomes children, families and adults from across the community to create unique window displays to mark Armed Forces Day. The workshops are designed for everyone aged 6+, whether or not you’re confident at being creative. You do not have to be part of the military/service community to participate!

Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023 Time: 2-4pm Duration: 2 hours Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Your tutor Carol Ann, will guide you through the process of nature-based printing, by demonstrating the mordanting and steaming involved of the fabric and paper. The process is unpredictable and results in a subtle colour palette suggestive of alchemy and traditional fabric staining. You will experiment wrapping leaf collections into bundles, producing a series of samples.

Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023 Time: 10am-4pm Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Please bring a supply of leave oak, chestnut, maple, smoke bush, dogwood, wild geraniums, rose & blackberry, marigolds but no waxy leaves, anything growing in your garden to experiment with. A carrier bag full is the ideal amount.

Create your very own stunning textiles rainbow decoration to hang on your wall. Choose white rope and pick out four to five different colours to create your rainbow. Get stuck in, with the simple and relaxing technique of winding wool around rope to create your finished piece.

Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm Venue: The Courthouse, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Date: Friday, June 30, 2023 Time: 7.30pm Duration: 2hrs 10mins including interval Venue: The Courthouse

David Tennant in a blistering reimagining of one of Britains’ most powerful, political plays. John Halder, a good, intelligent German professor, finds himself pulled into a movement with unthinkable consequences.

Certificate: 15

Be the first to see snippets of new shows from four great emerging theatre companies!

Each company will be showing 20-minute excerpts and feedback from members of the public, so this is your opportunity to see exciting new work early and give advice on how best to improve the shows.

Pay As You Decide

Age guidance: 14+

THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC - Grab your picnics & drinks, outdoor gear and chairs and come watch this blockbuster film on a HUGE screen.

LIMITED TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE SO BOOK YOURS TODAY TO SAVE MISSING OUT

Tickets start from early bird tickets which are LIMITED at £12. 100% money-back guarantee should our events not be able to go ahead. On the day, your ticket can be shown by - printing it off on paper, (actually don’t think of the environment) Use your Smartphone, we need to scan the QR code. If you lose your ticket we will have a master copy on arrival so don't worry. The event will NOT go ahead in heavy rain or winds, If the event does go ahead in bad conditions, you may be entitled to transfer your ticket to another event. No seating is provided unless VIP is purchased.

Rubbish: please be considerate, please either take your rubbish home or use the bins provided.

On-site toilets will be available and hand sanitising stations will be positioned around the event, mainly toilets and entrance.

Intoxicated people won’t be tolerated and will be asked to leave. We want all people to be able to drink, be responsible and have some summer fun.

Please note the film will start shortly after sunset and we encourage you to bring warm clothing, a torch, extra layers, appropriate footwear depending on the weather for that day. Please note No BBQs.

Film rating : PG-13 Film Duration : 1hr 37min

For more info head over to : https://www.cinemaoutdoor.co.uk/thirskoutdoorcinema

Saturday, February 25, 2023 Time: 7.00pm Duration: 1 hour Venue: The Courthouse

A story of culture, music, family and folk tradition.

This show has something for everyone.

Kauser Mukhthar’s family-friendly show, set within a beautiful toy theatre stage, uses puppetry, music and song to tell a story of humour, tragedy and hope, build around a song and a Kashmiri folk tale, Saif ul Mulooq (The journey of Love), with a brand new script written in both Punjabi and English.

How did cassette letters connect British Pakistanis who came to work in the mills to their families in Azad Kashmir? Khooghi travelled through many generations and to every continent having been brought to life by the Sufi Saint Mian Muhammed Baksh in British India under the shadow of the Empire. Khooghi was brought to England by Alam Lohar, Pakistan’s most famous folk singer, where she found a new home with a little girl in West Yorkshire but now she is in mortal danger from the Hawk and the Hunter and needs your help if she is to survive. Will you come? Will you save Khooghi?

Ages 7+

Friday, February 17, 2023 Time: 3.00pm Duration: 1 hour Venue: The Courthouse, 4 Westgate, Thirsk YO7 1QS

Give your family a musical experience to remember! Join David and his magical music Jukebox as he takes you on a trip through his hilarious and often surreal imagination, where wolves roam the school corridors, dragons live under the bed and teddy bears dance the night away at the disco.

Nominated for Young Storyteller of the Year and BBC Radio 2 Folk award – in the same year! – his four albums for families have been played all over the world.

As exciting as live performance can be, please don’t take photos during the performance, as you may capture the faces of those who do not want to be photographed. If you’d like a photo after the show with the cast and/or set, we will be happy to make this possible!

Age guidance 3+

The Ritz is one of Yorkshire’s loveliest silent-era cinemas, opening in 1912, just as moving pictures were becoming hugely popular. Yorkshire Silent Film Festival is thrilled to be bringing silent film back to Thirsk once again. The Music: jazz pianist Adam Fairhall will bring the films to life with improvised piano accompaniment. Adam’s contemporary twist on early jazz piano styles is a perfect match for the slapstick brilliance of these great silent film clowns.

Tickets on sale at ysff.co.uk: £12.50 (standard), £10 (over 60), £7 (student), £4 (claimant), free for under 18.

For more info visit : https://www.ysff.co.uk/

With a variety of stalls you can really get ahead of the game with your Christmas shopping – whether you are buying gifts, or treating yourself.

Our bar will open with over-the-top hot chocolates and mulled wine at the ready – so why not gather a group of friends, enjoy a drink or two and browse from over 30 local, artisan stall holders. There is also festive food available including raclette, wood-fired pizzas and waffles!

For more info visit : https://thirsklodgebarns.com/product/christmas-market/

There is a small entrance fee of £5 that can be booked online or paid at the door. We will also be running a raffle that night with gifts from some of the stall holders and other, larger donations. All profits are in aid of the Herriot Hospice at the Lambert (https://www.herriothh.org.uk/thelambert).

Our bar will open, so why not gather a group of friends, enjoy a drink or two and browse from over 30 local, artisan stall holders. There is also festive food available including raclette, wood-fired pizzas and waffles!

Our daytime class runs from 3-5pm with Hot drinks and mince pies included. Our evening class runs from 7pm-9pm with a glass of fizz and mince pies included.

Please note that attendees must wear suitable clothing for working with cut foliage and wires. Booking is required and spaces are limited. £60PP

For more information visit : https://thirsklodgebarns.com/product/book-events/

Firstly he is joining us on the 10th and 11th December, alongside our festive Christmas Market. Please note that there are less crafts available during these two days, however we still have the reindeer, foodie options and you can enjoy some shopping at our amazing Christmas Market whilst you are here!

He is then re-joining us from the 14th December – 22nd December 2022, so make sure you book your family in for a mulled wine, mince pie and visit with Father Christmas and his elves. On these dates there will be more crafts and activities for children, and food and drinks available too. The market is not running over these dates.

For more information visit : https://thirsklodgebarns.com/christmas/father-christmas-experience/

LOOK FORWARD TO FUN-FILLED ADVENTURES WITH A ROYAL TWIST INCLUDING…

Live on the Lawns! Live music (31st of May)

Dance-along-a-Disco – get your dance moves at the ready as we turn up those British classics! (All week)

Magic & Balloon modelling (31st of May & 2nd of June)

Classic Punch and Judy Show (31st of May & 2nd June)

Best of British Face-painting (All week)

Classic Vintage Red double-decker bus (2nd & 3rd June)

‘Find the Royals’ Trail – find the 10 famous Kings & Queens around the park for your chance to win a Family Ticket to Lightwater Valley! (All week)

‘A cup of tea – Number 3’, don’t miss their Royal Bingo - hosted by the Queen herself! (All week)

Best dressed Competition – whether you come as a King or a Queen or wear Red, White and Blue, everyone is in with a chance to win some right royal prizes. (4th & 5th of June)

For more info visit : https://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/workshops/2022-may-half-term-marbled-stars/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

Using first hand stories, FULL ENGLISH is a poignant, funny and life-affirming homage to the strength of women.  Those who married Pakistani men and brought up mixed race children. Those who struggled with their identity. Those whom never really belonged to any particular culture or race. Those who constantly had to stand up against racists. Those who just didn’t care.Because, let’s face it, who is full English anyway?Just as Natalie becomes a mother herself, her beloved Nan is diagnosed with dementia.

FULL ENGLISH charts Natalie’s journey as she attempts to piece together the fragments of her own identity through understanding the courage & tenacity of her Nan’s story.What emerges is a love letter – between young people who loved across the boundaries, to Natalie’s Nan, to Bradford and to the courage of women everywhere facing prejudice. Produced by Natalie Davies and Bent Architect .

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/performances/full-english/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

This film is a gripping detective story and a visual feast. For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/performances/exhibition-on-screen-girl-pearl-earring/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

“Can I see my feelings” is an exciting body of intuitive abstracts designed to stimulate the viewers towards conversations, colours, and thinking about how they feel when they look at each picture. Art is visceral, energetic and thought provoking, it’s meant to be. The more everyone can talk about their emotions and develop through the inevitable life-shocks and challenges of being human, the better our world will become.

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/exhibitions/sarah-pym-can-i-see-my-feelings/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/at-the-courthouse/a-taste-of-art-summer-collage-with-ink-and-pen/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/workshops/dandelion-2022/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/workshops/2022-easter-holidays-chicken-little-collage/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

For more information and to buy a ticket visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/performances/beached/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

Brothers James and Sam Gillespie grew up in the small village of Wall on the old Roman frontier, bounded on one side by a magical hill and on the other by the North Tyne river. It was in this valley that music took hold of them. They found a world that was still alive, that breathed magic and which became part of the inspiration for their song. Since that time, the brothers have travelled widely and sung their songs at campfires, concert halls, Parisian circuses, folk clubs and a host of UK festivals including Sidmouth and Cambridge Folk Fests.

For more information and to buy tickets visit https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/performances/brothers-gillespie/ alternatively telephone - 01845 526536

Lucy Saggers is a documentary photographer based in north east England. Despite growing up in a city, she has always been drawn to documenting rural life. Her work begins with the tiny stories of everyday, through which she explores universal human experiences of connection, community and belonging, particularly conscious of the impressions we leave on each other and the land, and, in turn, of the marks a place may leave on us. Lucy Saggers’ process involves working to build understanding and trust with the people she photographs, to allow natural authenticity into her portraits. Remaining as unobtrusive as possible, she uses a handheld camera and available light, applying techniques to reach into the shadows of the natural world or dark domestic and agricultural interiors. She often works in black and white to focus on the key elements of light, composition and texture, producing limited edition, fine art prints from her home studio.

The series Ford of the Sorrel documents overlapping lives within her home village of Ampleforth over a ten-year period (shortlisted Belfast Photo Festival 2022; published by Bluecoat Press 2021; exhibited Brewery Arts 2019; Ryedale Folk Museum 2018; second round Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2015; shortlisted RPS IPE 2018).

07899 977199 contact@lucysaggers.com www.lucysaggers.com

Remember you get £3 off this fab book when you purchase your ticket.

Katie Spencer is an "intensely captivating" (Folk Radio) Yorkshire singer-songwriter and guitarist who writes songs imbued with the Northern landscapes of her home. Originally from Hull, the grainy imagery of the industrial docks and sea-fronts seep into her deeply personal songs of nostalgia, loss and love.

Recently, Katie has released the title track ahead of her upcoming album 'The Edge of the Land'.

Tickets £10, concessions: £8, book here: https://www.ruralarts.org/whats-on/performances/katie-spencer/

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here

For more information Tel 01845 522276 or email : info@thirskracecourse.net. Alternatively visit our website here