Exhibitions, Talks & Workshops

Cheltenham's official exhibition centre is The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse, which provides a huge event space used for exhibitions, ceremonies and large events. Each year, this venue plays host to a large number of exhibitions and lectures, many of which have a specific subject focus, from comic books to art, sport and literature. Famous faces regularly appear from politicians to comedians, offering a unique and varied programme.

While perhaps the largest, it is by no means the only space in Cheltenham for these type of events. The Town Hall, which was originally built to house balls and local events, is another key host for talks and lectures, with an extensive programme on offer all year round. Each year the centre ballroom, and many of the adjoining chambers, are transformed for exhibitions, shopping events and workshops, as well as hosting a number of the Festival events and of course their own events programme. 

Many of the Schools also have exhibition and lecture spaces, from the Bacon Theatre at Dean Close School to the Parabola Arts Centre at Cheltenham Ladies' College. Cheltenham College also host some talks, although many are only open to students and their families. 

Of course for permanent displays spaces, The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum on Clarance Street has a series of permanent exhibitions (The Open Archive) as well as art and lecture space which regularly evolves and changes with touring exhibits. Similarly, The Holst Museum in Cheltenham offers a homage to Gustav Holst, preserving among other things the pianoforte where he composed The Planets, but also carefully preserving a number of other features too including a Regency-style room with original wood block wallpaper. What's even better about Holst is that there is a programme of interactive, hands-on events, from historic baking to arts and crafts to keep the whole family entertained.

Last but not least, no information on lectures and workshops would be complete without mention of the Literature and Science Festivals, both of which see the town explode with pop-up tents, stages and venue spaces with a lengthy list os famous faces, subject matter experts and generally interesting people on offer!