ArtsNational Armidale

Masonry, Manuscripts, Music: An Inspirational Journey Through Medieval England

Date: Thursday 20 August

Join us this Thursday as speaker Mark Cottle delves into the architecture, manuscript illumination and music of medieval England.

Mark Cottle has lectured on Medieval and Tudor history at Exeter College, Bath University and other institutions in the UK.
Venue: Hoskins Centre, The Armidale School

Doors open 5:45 pm | Lecture commences 6:00 pm

A light supper will be served following the lecture

Guest ticket $25. Students in school uniform – free

Tickets at the door or bookings via:
https://www.trybooking.com/DHVPZ

🏰 MASONRY, MANUSCRIPTS, MUSIC 🎶

An Inspirational Journey Through Medieval England

Step through the doors of medieval England and discover a world of magnificent architecture, beautifully illuminated manuscripts and music that has echoed across centuries.

Join us for a fascinating journey through the medieval world with Mark Cottle who has lectured on Medieval and Tudor history at Exeter College, Bath University and other institutions across the UK.

From soaring stonework to intricate manuscripts and the sounds of medieval music, this promises to be an evening of history, art and culture — and a wonderful opportunity to see medieval England from a different perspective.

📅 Thursday 20 August
📍 Hoskins Centre, The Armidale School
🕠 Doors open 5:45 pm
🎓 Lecture commences 6:00 pm

🍽️ A light supper will be served following the lecture.

🎟️ Guest tickets: $25
🎓 Students in school uniform: FREE

Tickets available at the door or book online:
https://www.trybooking.com/DHVPZ

Come and discover the England of stone, parchment and song. 🏰📜🎶

Step back into the rich world of medieval England, where soaring cathedrals, beautifully illuminated manuscripts and timeless music reveal the creativity, faith and artistry of a remarkable age. Join Mark Cottle for a fascinating journey through one of history’s most inspiring periods.

Date: Thursday 20 August

Venue: Hoskins Centre, The Armidale School

Doors open 5:45 pm | Lecture commences 6:00 pm

A light supper will be served following the lecture
Guest ticket $25. Students in school uniform - free

Tickets at the door or bookings via:
https://www.trybooking.com/DHVPZ

Masonry, Manuscripts, Music: An Inspirational Journey Through Medieval England

Date: Thursday 20 August

Join us as speaker Mark Cottle delves into the architecture, manuscript illumination and music of medieval England.

Venue: Hoskins Centre, The Armidale School

Doors open 5:45 pm | Lecture commences 6:00 pm

A light supper will be served following the lecture

Guest ticket $25. Students in school uniform - free

Tickets at the door or bookings via:
https://www.trybooking.com/DHVPZ

Dear Members and Friends of ArtsNational Armidale,

Our sixth lecture in the 2026 Season will be held this evening: at the

TAS Memorial Hall. (pictured)
Please arrive at 5:45pm for a 6pm start.

Please note the change of venue just for this evening.

Our Lecturer in July is Mary Sharp.

Mary is an experienced broadcaster and teacher with particular expertise in literature and drama. She worked for many years for BBC Radio 4 producing some of its most popular programs including Start the Week and Woman’s Hour, before joining the senior management team as a commissioning editor.

Mary has subsequently worked as a teacher and director of sixth form at a leading girls’ grammar school. She now runs her own company 'Opening Up Literature' which offers literature courses for adults including studies of Shakespeare and Creative Writing.

Her most popular course is 'Telling Tales', which explores how writers and artists have reinvented classical stories. Mary is a professional bridge teacher and lecturer.

The Title of our July Lecture is IS THIS THE REAL LIFE? How writers and artists have challenged our Perceptions of Reality.

When Lucy goes through the wardrobe into Narnia, when Harry Potter opens his letter and when Neo takes the red pill, they all discover that the worlds they thought they knew are only part of the truth.

From Plato onwards, writers and artists have been inspired to push beyond the everyday and to create other worlds that inspire our imaginations. This
lecture explores what these stories tell us about how we view our lives and what it is that we most desire.

The Prize for the July lecture is The Art of Fantasy by S. Elizabeth, a Visual Sourcebook of All that is Unreal in support of the Young Arts Grants Program

(Attribution: Siegfried Nugent at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10522694).

From Plato to modern fantasy, writers and artists have created imagined worlds that challenge our understanding of reality and inspire imagination.

Join us as Mary Sharp explores how artists and writers have challenged our perceptions of reality.

Venue: TAS Memorial Hall, The Armidale School
*Please note the change of venue*

Doors open 5:45 pm | Lecture commences 6:00 pm

A light supper will be served following the lecture

Guest ticket $25. Students in school uniform - free

Tickets at the door or bookings via:
https://www.trybooking.com/DHVPX

Is This the Real Life? How Writers and Artists Have Challenged Our Perceptions of Reality

Date: Thursday 16 July

Join us as Mary Sharp explores how writers and artists, from Plato to modern fantasy, have created imagined worlds that challenge our understanding of reality and inspire imagination.

Venue: TAS Memorial Hall, The Armidale School
(Please note the change of venue)

Doors open 5:45 pm | Lecture commences 6:00 pm

A light supper will be served following the lecture.

Guest ticket $25. Students in school uniform – free

Tickets at the door or bookings via:

HOW WRITERS & ARTISTS HAVE CHANGED PERCEPTIONS OF REALITY Mary Sharp (UK) From Plato onwards, writers and artists have been inspired to create other worlds that fire our imagination.

The story of Australian art is incomplete without its canine stars. Australians love their dogs - with nearly 3.5 million dogs registered, we are said to have one of the highest rates of dog ownership in the world. Pictured here, Narrabri artist Helen Smith’s gorgeous painting in oils of a Boxer dog.
🐕 Steven Miller will be presenting Dogs In Australian Art - join us!
📅 Monday 15 June
🕰️ Arrivals from 6.30 for a 7pm start
🏫 Cinema 1, The Crossing Theatre
🍷 Refreshments served after the talk
🎟️ Tickets at https://www.trybooking.com/DIKIB