We Are Ten
Celebrate the first decade of The Higgins Bedford with artworks chosen by the people of Bedford.
27 May 2023 – 28 January 2024
It is ten years since The Higgins Bedford opened its doors following a major refurbishment uniting the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum. To celebrate our first decade we asked some of the amazing people that we have worked with during this time to choose an artwork from our collection. The result is a vibrant mix of paintings and prints of old favourites and rarely shown works.
The Connections Gallery at The Higgins Bedford
In the first gallery you will see the choice of Richard Wildman and his brother Stephen. Richard was one of the town’s best known historians and protector of some its finest buildings. After his death in 2018, his brother generously donated a large part of Richard’s collection of pictures to The Higgins as well as additional works from his own collection. You will find reminiscences alongside the pictures by those who knew Richard best.
Paolo and Francesca, 1862 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)
In the second gallery participants were given copies of our watercolour and print catalogue and asked to choose any picture they liked and in their own words explain their choice. It has been a fascinating process reaffirming our belief that art can inspire us, bring back memories and stir emotions.
The Richard Wildman Collection
18 October 2023, 2pm – 2.30pm
£3.25, concessions £2.75 – Booking Essential, click here.
Join Keeper of Social History, Lydia Saul, for a tour of the Richard Wildman collection of local scenes in the Connections Gallery.
The Art Collection
15 November 2023, 2pm – 2.30pm
£3.25, concessions £2.75 – Booking Essential, click here.
Join Keeper of Fine and Decorative Art, Victoria Partridge, for a tour of some of the highlights of the community exhibition in the Wixamtree Gallery.
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, www.artscouncil.org.uk/ 