Ravenna’s extraordinary mosaics, within their original 4th- 6th century buildings, represent the pinnacle of the mosaicists’ art. They are collectively inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage register as being ‘of outstanding value to humanity’. The lecture will illustrate their beauty, examine their complex iconography, and discuss the turbulent historical circumstances which brought these masterpieces into being.

 Professor Joyce Hill

Canon Professor Hill, Emeritus Professor of the University of Leeds, is a highly esteemed academic whose specialism is the language and literature of Anglo-Saxon England, and an international authority on the transmission of Christian culture in early medieval Europe. She has had a long and distinguished career with national and international recognition of her contribution to Anglo-Saxon studies world-wide.

Joyce was a member of the Chapter of Ripon Cathedral, from 2011 to 2023. She is a member the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and an elected member (and former Chair) of the General Synod. She currently serves as President of the Leeds National Trust Association. 

This lecture considers Antony Gormley’s life and his career as a sculptor. The Angel aroused controversy in British newspapers at first, but it has since been considered to be a landmark for the northeast of England. It has been listed by one organisation as an ‘Icon of England’ and it has often been used in film and television to represent the northeast of England. Work began on the project in 1994 and cost £1million. Due to its exposed location the sculpture was built to withstand winds of over 100mph. Thus 600 tonnes of concrete were used to create foundations which anchor the sculpture to rock 70 feet below.

Harry Fletcher

Harry tutored three courses for the Open University - The History of Modern Art, Art and the Environment and Design, Processes and Products. He has worked as an OU examiner and A level examiner in the History of Art.   He is a practising artist who has had work selected for a Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Harry  has led art appreciation holidays across Europe for Saga.   As Head of Art & Design in a comprehensive school he taught "A" level "Art", "The history of art", "Printmaking", "The history of printmaking" and "The history of architecture".

Save The Last Dance For Me was recorded by the Drifters in 1960, with Ben E King on lead vocals, but what single event in the life of one of its writers inspired the track? Was Every Breath You Take by The Police really written as a love song? What is the truth about the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and why did George Harrison stop composing for three years in 1976? We all have personal memories we associate with individual songs, but each song has its own story. In this lecture, the real stories behind some the world’s best known songs are revealed.

Steve King has spent 35 years working in the radio industry as a Broadcaster, Programmer and Events Director. He has managed some of the biggest radio brands in the UK and has interviewed and worked with many well-known music artists. He has also directed over 50 multi-artist events at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, London Palladium and Manchester Arena. His work in the broadcasting industry has been recognised on numerous occasions.    Steve is an engaging public speaker and has produced a series of highly entertaining lectures based on his extensive knowledge of popular music, and his experiences in the radio business. He has lectured at various media conferences, industry events and for several cruise lines.

In the summer of 2017, Leeds was declared by the Sunday Times to be the country’s ‘street art capital’. Yet so much more street art has appeared since then. Are ‘graffiti’ and ‘street art’ qualitatively different, and if so how? Is it about how it’s made, seen and appreciated? Rachael’s presentation introduces the topic from a wider perspective and then illustrates the arguments with many varied examples from across Leeds.

Rachael Unsworth MA PhD is an urban geographer fascinated by the long-term evolution of cities, including prospects for the future. After some years in commercial property research in London she spent nearly 20 years as a lecturer at the University of Leeds. Her work has spanned research on historical topics as well as contemporary urban development, planning, design, regeneration, housing and environment. Since 2019 she’s been running Leeds City Walking Tours, introducing groups of locals, students, visitors and professionals to a wide range of topics across architecture and urban change.

William Moorcroft 1872 – 1945 was brought up in the back streets of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. He knew tragedy from an early age losing his sister when he was 8, his mother a year later and his father when he was just 12. Perhaps it was this tragic upbringing that helped develop his strength of character and resilience that saw him establish himself as the most accomplished studio potter of recent times. 

James has an established and successful lecturing career speaking to gardening and horticultural groups and at Royal Horticultural Society shows and events on a number of gardening topics. He has been a keen collector of Moorcroft pottery for over 30 years and has an extensive collection. These are primarily examples of William Moorcroft’s early work dating back to 1897 and he takes some of these pieces with him to illustrate his talks. He has been a member of the Moorcroft Collectors’ Club for a number of years and is fortunate to have two former employees of the pottery amongst his friends. He has visited the pottery on a number of occasions and has an in depth knowledge of past and present processes of manufacture. He is in regular contact with Moorcroft and has generously been given access to their archive material. Wherever possible he takes a selection of Moorcroft pieces to display. A recent lecture was attended by a former member of the board of directors who told James that even they had learned some new information about William Moorcroft. 

Antoni Gaudi who died 100 years ago was not only the leader of Modernismo (Spanish Art Nouveau) in Barcelona, but also one of the main practitioners of International Art Nouveau across Europe and the World. Bringing a new spirit, new colour and inspiration to the Period Style of Fin de Siecle architects, artists, and designers, Gaudi became also a saintly figure in Barcelona, dedicating himself to the Sagrada Familia Cathedral for the last 30 years of his life. This lecture looks at Gaudi alongside the other great designers of his age; including Louis Comfort Tiffany,  Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow, Gustav Klimt and Josef Hoffman in Vienna,  Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago, and others too numerous to mention. Truly a feast for the eyes and soul.

Adrian has been a lecturer to Universities and Higher Education institutions since 1973. Director, Development of the Arts in Northwich (1984-1990). Arts Development Officer, Chester City Council (1990-2009). Arts Development Officer, Cheshire West and Chester Council (2009-). Professional painter and illustrator (1973-2001). He organises and delivers tours and study weekends in UK and Europe and has organised exhibitions for Chester City Council.

Frida Kahlo was one of the first truly global artists- a cultural phenomenon, and an internationally recognised figure. She produced more than 150 images of herself - 'I am my own muse; the subject I know best’ she once wrote - she turned herself into an art historical icon and yet her small and eccentric paintings went largely unnoticed in her lifetime - it was only after her death, age 47, that her career exploded. Cindy Polemis will explore the life and legacy of the extraordinary and incomparable Frida Kahlo.

Cindy Polemis is an art historian, independent lecturer and art guide. She has a BA in Modern History from Oxford University and as a mature student she went back to university to study first for a BA and then for a Masters in History of Art at Birkbeck College, London University. Before that she spent many years as a radio producer and presenter for the BBC World Service working in news and current affairs. Since 2016 Cindy has worked as  a lecturer and an official art guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern. She has also been a trustee at the Museum of the Home, formerly the Geffrye Museum. Cindy has accumulated a wide range of art historical knowledge ranging from 18th European and British art to the contemporary international art scene. She has been an official guide for Frieze Masters art fair in London. She is particularly keen to draw parallels with art and social history and her lectures are accessible and engaging, drawing out the stories of art and artists which are steeped in human emotions and experiences which we all share.

IMAGE: Fridha Khalo (1933) by Magda Patch (National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution)

The wide reproduction of paintings by Georges Seurat and Vincent van Gogh has led to a sense of familiarity and, potentially, a diminished desire to look closely at the real art itself. Yet when van Gogh visited Seurat’s studio, he remarked upon the ‘fresh revelation of colour’ in Seurat’s work. This presentation aims to rejuvenate our interest in looking slowly with a curious eye to discover how works by both artists were both extraordinary and pioneering. 

Since completing an MA at University College London (UCL) in the History of Art: Modernism and the Politics of Representation (1997), Jo has been employed in various roles at the National Gallery including Adult Learning Officer and the Head of Adult Learning Programmes. In a freelance capacity, she has worked for prestigious learning departments in London galleries and institutions including Tate, the Hayward Gallery, Sotheby's Institute of Art and the National Portrait Gallery as well as leading group excursions in the UK and abroad. She is currently a Panel Tutor for the University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education and teaches for the Wallace Collection and the V&A as well as a range of private institutions.  Her areas of specialism include 19th-century and early 20th-century French art, and her interests include the visual skills involved in sustained looking at paintings.

IMAGE: Long Grass with Butterflies (1890), Van Gogh 

An epic tale of two extraordinary figures from the same valley in Yorkshire who were destined to change the world of fashion and design for all time. A story that takes us from the mills of Yorkshire in the 1920s to the coast of Cornwall. From Welwyn Garden City to the corridors of power at Westminster. Art, design, textiles, fashion, politics, publishing, philosophy, and the very genesis of modern art in Britain. This lecture tells the story of creativity, determination, passion, and resilience of a true textile Maverick.

Ashley Gray is a leading specialist and curator in the key art discipline of Modern Textiles and their history. He is a regular vetter at international fine art fairs and has served on the Fair Committees of BADA, The Works on Paper Fair and on the BADA Council. He is regularly invited to lecture on the subject both in the UK and the US. As a curator and archivist, he works with institutions and foundations on conservation and exhibition projects. Most recently he curated Styled by Design at Cromwell Place in London, an exhibition that celebrates the innovation of Modernist textile design. He co-curated Material Textile: Modern British Female Designers and Material Textile: Creativity, History & Process, both with Messums Gallery, Common Thread at New Art Centre and From Bauhaus to our House also at Cromwell Place. He is currently researching the role David Whitehead Ltd in Lancashire played in commissioning innovative modern designs in the Festival of Britain era. An exhibition is planned for 2027.

IMAGE: Patrick Heron

In memory of David Hockney this lecture will celebrate his inspirational work. He was one of Britain’s best known artists and his work is instantly recognisable and speaks directly to us of the joys and challenges of being alive.  We will share the journey of his life from Bradford to London; to New York and Los Angeles and back to Yorkshire and then his return to LA. His art is a sounding board of his vivid and colourful life and a reminder of the joys of looking, making . . . and living. Original works by Hockney and other relevant artists will be available for viewing at the lecture.

Michael is a familiar face to The Arts Society Leeds. He is President of The Arts Society Bolton and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Michael is a practising artist, and has exhibited at the Royal Academy, the New York Art Fair and elsewhere. He is represented in Manchester Art Gallery and in many private collections both here and abroad

Located at the northernmost point of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, Skagen is an attractive spot in the summer for its unusual light. From the 1870s to the beginning of the 20th century this fishermen village was home to an artists’ colony. Some of its more famous members include Anna and Michael Ancher, Marie and Peder Severin Krøyer, as well as Laurits Tuxen. Reacting against styles enforced by the Academies and influenced instead by French modernism, they painted en plein air and represented scenes from ordinary life. Fishermen at work, social gathering and domestic scenes are common in their works.

Dr Caroline Levisse is an art historian based in London. She was born in France where she studied art history before moving to Copenhagen. In Denmark, she focused on research work and completed a PhD on the relations between art and religion in contemporary Scandinavian art. After graduating in 2013, she moved to London and started teaching art history with adult education providers. She has since developed a range of courses focusing on 19th and early 20th century Western art. She has published articles in French and English in academic journals as well as magazines and newspapers, such as Church Times and Arts sacrés.

IMAGE: Summer evening on the beach at Skagen: The painter and his wife (1899), P.S. Kroyer (Artvee.com)

Due to popular request Jamie Hayes is returning to The Arts Society Leeds to give us a talk on the History of Musicals. From its accidental beginnings to the modern phenomenon which is Hamilton, musicals as an art form have dominated the performance landscape for over 150 years. How did this dynamic, innovative, and theatrical art form develop over the generations, and what were the major game changers that brought it to new heights? It's time to uncover the unforgettable performances and productions that gave musical theatre a universal appeal transcending cultural boundaries. Enjoy a fun, informative, and highly illustrated journey through the history of musicals, with a focus on the pivotal musical productions that transformed the theatrical art form from niche to mainstream.  

After training at RADA Jamie worked as a Stage Manager for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Bristol Old Vic and the BBC. He became an Assistant Director with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Kent Opera and English National Opera and soon began directing productions of his own. He has directed many new opera productions in the UK whilst other new opera productions overseas include Reykjavik, Malta and Melbourne. Jamie was Associate Director on the original production of the hit musical Miss Saigon in the West End and on Broadway. He has directed productions in all the major UK conservatoires and was Director of Productions for British Youth Opera for over a decade, a company devoted to promoting the talents of our finest young opera singers in the UK. Jamie is a regular enrichment programme lecturer for various leading cruise ship companies. 

Again, members requested Timothy’s return to the Arts Society Leeds so we have added this special Christmas lecture for December to our programme.    Apart from the pear tree in which sat the partridge, there are no plants in the 12 days of Christmas according to the folk song. Sadly, even that reference is erroneous, because partridges are ground dwelling birds. And yet at Christmas we are surrounded by plants. This talk puts the record straight and rewrites the zoocentric song replacing partridges with poinsettias, and maids with mistletoe

Timothy read Botany at University College Oxford. After graduation he worked as a trainee at Oxford Botanic Garden, the Savill Garden Windsor, and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. In 1985 he was awarded a Master of Horticulture by the Royal Horticultural Society of London. From 1988 to 2014 Timothy was director (Horti Praefectus) at the Oxford Botanic Garden. Between 1992 & 2000 the OBGHA won 4 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show London. In 2009 the Botanic Garden was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for providing imaginative educational programmes for adults, students, children, and the general public, thereby breathing new life into education for people of all ages and enriching their lives. In 2010 he was elected as a Fellow of the Linnaean Society of London. In the same year Timothy  presented a 3-part series of films on the history of botany on BBC4. Since 2014 he has been a tutor in Plant Biology at Somerville College, Oxford.