Our project to attract more visitors to All Saints’ at the invitation of the Churches Conservation Trust, in whose care the church is vested, was launched with October Fest in 2021.
The volunteers of All Saints’- the Friends of the Painted Church - would like to acknowledge the support of the many people who have helped us to welcome literally hundreds of visitors and a whole new audience to the painted church since that time. To the artists, musicians and performers who have brought the church alive, The Arts Society Cambridge, the Master of Jesus College, Ed Nugent of Cambridge City Council and his volunteers, Dr Bondini and the Bond family, The David Parr House, The Museum of Cambridge, Garden Historian Caroline Holmes, Charlie Owen Events, John Richens and Matt White and the White Family, THANK YOU, we could not have done it without you.
Our third annual art exhibition showcased the work of eight artists - Ralph Anderson, Dominic Beattie, Cecilia Charlton, Will Cruickshank, Sophie Giller, Melania Toma, Imogen Wetherell and Anisa Zahedi - inspired by The Painted Church. Revival explored fine art and craft with experimentation and traditional craft techniques that echoed the work of the original artists who designed All Saints', through weaving, quilting, ceramics, printing and painting. Generously supported by The Arts Society Cambridge. All photographs by Noah Da Costa.
Cecilia Charlton's altar frontal
Visitor Vicki Wiles with Cecilia Charlton's 'And then, you don't know what you know'
Melania Toma 'Teeth Organs (Creature)'
Dominic Beattie with his 'Window Painting 1'
Visitors to Revival with Will Cruikshank's Code Stick in the background
Artist Ralph Anderson with his Sgraffito drawing series and August '87'
'Belly' by Anisa Zahidi (L) 'Even VI' by Imogen Wetherell (R)
Penny Robson with artist Sophie Giller in front of Sophie's painted piano quilt
Revival opening
Sophie Giller's pew cushions 'Cycle of well-being'
March 2024
March 2024 Hannah Watson Emmrich brought us a wonderful programme of all female composers to celebrate International Women's Day. Hannah is pictured with our beautiful Broadwood piano in the foreground and Dominic Beattie's Window Painting 1 in the background, part of Revival, an exhibition running until March 24 at All Saints.
March 2024
WOMEN, WILLS AND WINDOWS
To commemorate International Women's Day, Friends of the Painted Church highlighted the lives of remarkable women connected to the church in two fascinating talks
March 2024 Cambridge University Award Winners return to The Painted Church
Cambridge Early Music Consort gave us a joyous celebration of sublime early music bringing much needed mid winter warmth to a very appreciative audience at The Painted Church
January 2024
January 2024 John Richens, David Whitaker and Ros Hart launch our 2024 season at The Painted Church
Granta Chorale returned to bring us 'A Christmas Garland', a magical evening of festive music with both traditional and newly composed carols. Through the retiring collection, our generous audience raised a substantial contribution for Cambridge-based charity Jimmy's
December 2023
December 2023 Veronica Henderson returns to The Painted Church
November 2023 Cambridge Voices
November 2023 Cambridge Voices
Our third Fest was another triumph celebrating a wide variety of music and instruments at The Painted Church
A sublime performance by Vox Cantab with a sequence of music and readings
Virtuoso flautist Eduard Sanchez returns with his mentor Claudi Arimany (described as the best flautist of his generation)
Our Broadwood makes its recital debut with Olga Elbourn
Sarah Bowden, Jon Fistein and Olga Elbourn - The Mitchisons
Will Mason fills The Painted Church with a programme of Bach and MendelssohnWe were delighted to host this showcase of eight new pieces at The Painted Church, written as part of Britten Sinfonia's Opus 1 composer development scheme and played by two chamber ensembles from Britten Sinfonia. Throughout the summer the composers received workshops and mentoring with Britten Sinfonia players and with composers and programme directors Dani Howard and Raymond Yiu.
August 2023 Sam Rodwell of the Roth Guitar Duo performing in the Painted Church
Jubilation commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the final parish service held at All Saints' in July 1973. On the retirement of The Reverend Hereward Hard the future of The Painted Church looked bleak, with the threat of partial demolition and conversion into student accommodation. Jubilation also celebrated the determined campaign group who worked tirelessly to overthrow this plan, saving the church for future generations and ensuring its successful transfer to the care of the Churches Conservation Trust in 1981.
On Saturday CSD Brass delighted our audience with music from Byrd to boogie, including excerpts from Disney, The Lion King, Whitney Houston and toe tapping marches.
On Sunday our pop up choir brought us Jubilee Sing! with hymns and songs from the lifetime of The Painted Church designed for audience participation.
A retiring collection of £170 was donated to The Music in Secondary Schools Trust.
July 2023 Football History and All Saints'
July 2023 Nigel Fenner brings football to the Painted Church
June 2023 Paul Seddon
May 2023 Cambridge University Brass Ensemble
A site specific exhibition by artists Sophie Michael and Andrew Munks. In a live performance, Sophie created visual music by VJ'ing patterns from the church's interiors onto the unornamented organ pipes, as Ian de Massini played a stirring composition by Messiaen. Andrew's work juxtaposed the arts and crafts movement's romanticism of medieval aesthetics with King Charles' traditionalist vision of an ideal England, as represented by the village of Poundbury. Photography by Jim Ward @McGuireWard.
Artist Sophie Michael with students of St Laurence's RC Primary School
Milton Road Primary School visit the Bleach exhibition and create their own artwork
April 2023 Accorde Chamber Choir Photograph by Mon Darnbrough
March 2023 Award winners from the Cambridge University Instrumental Awards for Chamber Music
The All Stars gardening team build a path along the front border on Jesus Lane with help from Cambridge City Council's Ed Nugent and his volunteers.
February 2023 A concert for Trumpet and Organ with Robert Verrill and Dominic White
February 2023 A concert for Trumpet and Organ with Robert Verrill and Dominic White
Guy James, countertenor and a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Gesualdo Six, brought a unique programme exploring different acoustics and relationship between instruments and voices. He was joined by Karolina Csathy, violin and voice, Emily White, viola, voice and sackbut, Will Mason, organ, Peter Facer, oboe, and fellow Gesualdo Six member Joseph Wicks. Performing as Chapel Perilous, they brought an excited audience to their feet with a standing ovation.
Conducted by Janet Wheeler, Granta Corale brought us A Ceremony of Carols for a very special Christmas carol concert with enthusiastic audience participation. A collection for the homeless charity Jimmy's brought in a substantial donation.
November 2022 Cambridge Voices conducted by Ian de Massini
Our second October Fest with five weekly recitals, including Eduard Sánchez's world premiere of Introduction to Springtime by Jorge Grundman.
We take part in Open Cambridge with two weekends of events, including tours with a twist and an exhibition of our rarely seen textiles.
July 2022 Dr Bondini Photo: JezO
June 2022 The All Saints' pitch at the Cambridge Town and Country Show
June 2022 Cambridge Town and Country Show
Inspired by the FABULATION exhibition in March, St Laurence's RC Primary School create their own response to the painted church and install their exhibition at All Saints'.
May 2022 Cambridge University Brass Ensemble
March 2022 Kevin Loh
Our first art exhibition inspired by the painted church: original artwork by Toby Upson, Cathy Lomax, Jennifer Caroline Campbell, and Luke Burton.
February 2022 Robert Lloyd Parry as M R James Photo: Shelagh Bidwell
January 2022 The Roth duo
November 2021 The Two Violas (Peter Mallinson, Matthias Weisner) launch the first of our monthly recitals
In 2021, the first October Fest launches our project to welcome more visitors to All Saints
October 10th Organist Christopher Moore and our Director of Music Penny Robson
October 3rd The Mitchison Ensemble (Jon Fistein, Alice Ruffle, Tom Taylor) open the Fest
October 17th Sopriola (Rachel Godsill and Rachel Stott)
October 24th Cellist Veronica Henderson
October 31st The Galliard Trio (Alec Forshaw, Andrew Morris, Martin White) close the hugely successful Fest
