Inside Bloomsbury Lecture with Dr Frankie Dytor 21st January 2027

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant: Inside Bloomsbury

Lecture by Dr Frankie Dytor

St. James The Less Church and Tate Britain

Coffee · Lecture · Lunch · Exhibition

21st January 2027

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant were two of the most celebrated British artists of the twentieth century and central figures in the influential Bloomsbury Group. Tate Britain’s major exhibition, Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant: Inside Bloomsbury, explores their extraordinary relationship and creative partnership, which spanned more than 50 years. Featuring over 300 works, including paintings, portraits, ceramics, textiles and decorative arts, the exhibition celebrates their shared passion for artistic experimentation and their lasting influence on British art and culture. A highlight is the remarkable recreation of their studio at Charleston, their Sussex home, offering a rare insight into their creative lives and working practices. This is the perfect precursor to our Artemisia trip to the South Downs in April, when we will be visiting the studio in person.

As well as introducing us to their creative partnership, Frankie will tell us all about how Bell and Grant developed distinctive styles and pursued their own creative paths; Frankie will show us how the pair’s work reflects the Bloomsbury Group’s radical approach to art, life and society, challenging conventions and embracing new ways of thinking and creating. This vibrant exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the lives, work and enduring legacy of two pioneering artists of twentieth-century Britain.

Order of Events

10:30 Coffee at St. James The Less Church, SW1V 2PS

11:00 Lecture St. James The Less Church

12:30 Lunch at Osteria dell’Angolo

14:00/14.30 Exhibition at Tate Britain

(Please note this is just a suggested entry time as we are unable to guide in the exhibition, and so we do not accompany you in or buy your tickets)