About the Art Show
Now in its 49th year, the 2024 Art Show will be held from Saturday 15 to Sunday 16 June, with an exclusive Preview Evening on Friday 14 June.
Over the years the Show has gained a reputation for attracting an impressive and eclectic range of artists. We are always thrilled to welcome back a number of popular artists whose loyal fans come year after year to buy their work, and each year we are proud to introduce new artists to the Show.
The Art Show takes place in the beautiful Ayot St Lawrence “New Church,” a Grade I listed, Greek-style Church, (locally known as the Palladian Church), which is a work of art in itself.
The Show is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. There will be a tea stall selling an excellent selection of home-made cakes and hot and cold drinks. Entrance is just £2.00 for an adult and free for children aged 16 and under.
The Preview Evening on Friday 14 June is a lovely friendly and upbeat start to the show. The Preview Evening will, as usual, feature a band and wine marquee and entrance will cost £12 per person if bought in advance or £15 on the door, including a glass of wine, juice or Farr Brew local beer and canapés. In due course, tickets for the Preview Evening will become available here.
In addition to the framed art in the Church, there will be two marquees: one housing a much sought-after selection of unframed art displayed in browsers, along with greeting cards designed by the artists, and the other is where you will find the delicious refreshments being served.
The Art Show began life in 1974 as a means of raising money for conservation projects to maintain and protect the fabric of St Lawrence Church. This continues today. The water supply, kitchen and lavatory are some of the enhancements that money raised by the Art Show has provided. Last year the columns and high level frieze were cleaned and repaired and further repair work to some external cornicing is currently needed.
Commissioned by Sir Lionel Lyde around 1776, St Lawrence Church was designed by Nicholas Revett, a gentleman architect and member of the Dilettanti Club. The Church is loosely modelled on the temple to Apollo on the island of Delos in the Cyclades and so is, in fact, an early example of the ‘Greek Revival’ style, for which it gained its Grade 1 Listing, and not ‘Palladian’, as it is generally called.
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