Future Bedford – An Exhibition of Children’s Work from The Harpur Trust Art Competition
9 July – 4 September 2022
Sir William Harpur Gallery – Free Entry
The Higgins will host a selection of work produced by local children and young people aged 4-18 as part of The Harpur Trust biennial art competition. The competition runs from September 2021 over the autumn and spring terms during which time free workshops will be offered for up to 35 state schools to support pupils to take part. There are five age categories with entries invited on a theme of ‘What would be your perfect future Bedford’? For further details, visit The Harpur Trust website.
Texas Instruments to Bourns in Bedford: 75 years of Technological Innovation
Opens 20 September 2022
Outside Somewhere in England Gallery – Free Entry
Discover the story behind Bedford’s technological innovation industry over the last 75 years through Texas Instruments and Bourns Ltd. In 1957 Texas Instruments arrived in Bedford and 5 years later moved into their purpose built site on Manton Lane (now Bedford Heights). Texas Instruments made semi-conductors used in mass market products including calculators and computers until 1997 when they closed. In 1997 Power Innovations ran the semi-conductor factory for a few years until it was then sold to Bourns Ltd in 2000. For 22 years Bourns have continued to drive forward Bedford’s technological innovation industry, manufacturing semi-conductor chips and circuits, which we find in our mobile phones and office equipment today.
Revisiting Modern British Art
Opening 15 October 2022
Wixamtree, Connections and Sir William Harpur Galleries
This exciting exhibition will merge Bedford’s own Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection with the Ingram Collection, one of the largest and most significant collections of Modern British Art in the UK. The exhibition curated by James Russell, of ‘Edward Bawden’ at Dulwich Picture Gallery, will be the first exhibition that uses all three of The Higgins Bedford galleries and will be accompanied by a series of complimentary events.
We Are Ten
Opening 29 April 2023
Wixamtree and Connections Galleries, and throughout The Higgins Bedford
Can you believe we are into double figures?! To celebrate the first decade of The Higgins Bedford, we have invited community groups, organisations and people we have worked with over the years to choose their favourite paintings and prints to exhibit. Keep an eye on our website and social media for ways that you can also take part.
Quilla Constance - Teasing Out Contingencies
Postponed until Spring 2023
Sir William Harpur Gallery – Free Entry
Experience a new painting-installation by interdisciplinary artist Quilla Constance (aka QC). QC’s artworks for this exhibition are set against opulent interiors from Buckingham Palace and inspired by performative interactions and conversations with the public across London and the South East, through a series of performance workshops at Tate Exchange/Tate Modern in 2019. QC's works for this show also reference her collaboration with presenter-comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan for the TV docuseries 'Rob & Romesh Vs Art', Sky One.
Supported by Bedford Creative Arts, Bedford College, The Higgins Bedford, and Funded by Arts Council England.