About us
A new venture for all who love the arts…
ARTscapades was launched in November 2020, and is registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We offer a unique programme of events for people who are interested in the fine and decorative arts, architecture and cultural heritage, and who enjoy attending lectures, special visits, guided walks and study days given by expert art historians, curators and speakers. The majority of these events are currently delivered as a highly successful series of online talks which can be joined live and/or watched afterwards on demand.
Our events are open to the general public and aim to be enjoyable, educational, and to raise funds for charitable purposes. By taking part you are supporting the arts, as net profits from ticket sales go directly to carefully selected museums, galleries, and other arts-based organisations and projects, especially those connected with the visual arts. We are extremely grateful for the generous support we have received from ticket purchasers and donors, and are delighted to have made our first grants.
ARTscapades was originally set up by former members of the Art Fund London Events Committee, and all our events are organised by volunteers. The Trustees are Maria Bell-Salter, Catherine Corbet Milward and Helen Statham.
We do hope that, if you have not already signed up, you will join our free mailing list to receive advance notice of all our events!
ARTscapades is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered charity no. 1196335.
ARTscapades Grants
ARTscapades’ mission is not only to put on interesting events, but to raise funds to make charitable grants. We are delighted that, thanks to all who have supported us, including our lecturers and volunteers, and especially those who have bought tickets to our events, we have since 2022 been able to give grants to the following museums, galleries and other arts organisations.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Funded catalogues to the exhibitions Discover Manet and Eva Gonzalès (21 October 2022 to 15 January 2023) and Discover Degas & Miss La La (6 June to 1 September 2024).
THE GARDEN MUSEUM
Supported catalogues for the exhibitions Lucian Freud: Plant Portraits (14 October 2022 to 3 March 2023), Jean Cooke: Ungardening (21 June to 10 September 2023) and Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors (15 May - 29 September 2024).
THE WALLACE COLLECTION
Funded the picture researcher for the forthcoming publication: Canaletto and Guardi: Views of Venice at the Wallace Collection, which is the first volume dedicated to Venetian view paintings at the Collection.
THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD
Supported the exhibition of the British photographer Hannah Starkey: In Real Life (21 October 2022 to 30 April 2023).
THE ROYAL ACADEMY
Sponsored the free audio guide to Entangled Pasts, 1768–now: Art, Colonialism and Change, running from 3 February to 28 April 2024, enabling both visitors and the general public to hear artists and curators talk about the exhibition.
LEE MILLER ARCHIVES / FARLEYS HOUSE AND GALLERY
Funded ‘Farleys 75 Years: I Remember’ series of 8 video episodes and podcasts recording the memories of those that still remember Farleys during Lee Miller and Roland Penrose’s time there, and to accompany the Farleys 75 years: I remember… exhibition running from 4 April to 31 October 2024.
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
Supported the exhibition The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence, to run from 9 November 2024 to 5 May 2025.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
To fund the public and accessible programme of educational events and activities inspired by the exhibition Picasso: printmaker, to run from 7 November 2024 to 30 March 2025.
COMPTON VERNEY
Funded the film and digital elements to provide essential context for visitors about miniatures.for the exhibition The Reflected Self: Portrait Miniatures, 1540-1850, running from 21 September 2024 to 23 February 2025..
THE FRY ART GALLERY
To support the installation of museum quality lighting in the exhibition rooms.
Please note that, as a small charity with no paid staff, we do not have the resources to accept unsolicited grant applications. Decisions to make grants are made by the Trustees, in accordance with our Policy approved by the Charity Commission, which includes a process of discussion with potential recipients to select suitable projects for grants, in accordance with our charitable objectives.
ARTscapades Lecturers
We would like to thank all those who have given talks, study courses and tours for ARTscapades.
2024
Diana Darke, Catherine Daunt, Professor Frances Fowle, Dr Jana Gajdošová, Martin Gayford, Kelly Grovier, Hilary Hope Guise, Dr Cornelia Homburg, Bettany Hughes, Jacky Klein, Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, Dr Lois Oliver, Professor Dorothy Price, Anne Robbins, Dr Karen Serres, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Dr Richard Stemp, Dr Ben Street, Davinder Toor, Caroline Vout, Sarah Vowles, Lucrezia Walker, Professor Susan Whitfield, Annette Wickham, Katie Wignall, Jackie Wullschäger …and more to come.
2023
Dr Giovanni Aloi, Dr Aoife Brady, Julian Bell, Ian Cockburn, Dr Jacqueline Cockburn, Richard Cork, Tim Clayton, Diana Darke, Charles Darwent, Clare Ford-Wille, Alicia Foster, Martin Gayford, Dr Allison Goudie, Janet Gough, Kelly Grovier, Hilary Hope Guise, Jessica Harrison-Hall, Jonathan Jones, Joanna Moorhead, Dr Peta Motture, Simon Morley, Dr Charlotte Mullins, Dr Lois Oliver, Dr Amy Orrock, Professor Dorothy Price, Dr Andrew Shapland, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Dr Richard Stemp, MaryAnne Stevens, Dr Simon Thurley, Katie Wignall.
2022
Dr David Bellingham, Kate Bryan, Anne-Marie Craven, Dr Sally Dormer, Professor David Ekserdjian, Professor Frances Fowle, Dr James Fox, Martin Gayford, Cecilia Pardo Grau, James Hall, Dr Tristram Hunt, Dr Helen Jacobsen, Professor David Jackson, Sir Simon Jenkins, Dr Ross King, Jacky Klein, Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, Dr Charlotte Mullins, Dr Karen Serres, Dr Garry J Shaw, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Professor Frances Spalding, Professor Timothy J Standring, Dr Richard Stemp, Lucrezia Walker, Jo Walton, Katie Wignall.
2021
Professor James Allan, Clive Aslet, Dr Victoria Avery, Dr David Bellingham, Eleanor Clayton, Dr Jacqueline Cockburn, Shane Connolly, Sarah Dunant, Clare Ford-Wille, Martin Gayford, Caroline de Guitaut, Dr Helen Jacobsen, Dr Ross King, Henrietta McBurney, Tim Marlow, Nicola Moorby, Dr Paula Nuttall, Dr Lois Oliver, Dr Susan Owens, Antony Penrose, Dr Clare Pollard, Dr Michael Prodger, Brad Rosenstein, Cynthia Salzman, Sir Charles Saumarez Smith, Dame Rosalind Savill, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Dr Richard Stemp, Ben Street, Anna Testar, Lucrezia Walker, Katie Wignall.
2020
Dr Anna Ferrari, Clare Ford-Wille, Martin Gayford, Dr Michael Prodger, Dr Richard Stemp, Katie Wignall..
Donate
Should you wish to make a donation towards ARTscapades’ work please click below.