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What’s On

Exhibition

Paint, Pencil, Print

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the University of Reading’s Art Collection with a series of 10 artworks highlighting the collection’s growth.

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Dates

7 June 2025 – 25 January 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Exhibition

James Joyce: Enigmas and Puzzles

Explore never-before-seen personal papers of beloved author James Joyce from the Solange and Stephen James Joyce Collection.

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Dates

7 October 2025 – 9 February 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Training

Doctoral Training Programme: Teaching with Collections

Learn how to design effective collections-based teaching for HE.

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Dates

Wednesday 4 February 2026, 11:00 – 16:00

Author

Public

Price

Free

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Talks and Seminars

Conversations with a Curator: Professor Conor Carville

Join us for a free online talk with Professor Conor Carville on artworks depicting the famous Irish writer, James Joyce.

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Dates

Thursday 5 February 2026, 19:30 – 20:30

Author

Public

Price

Free, please book

Location
Online
Exhibition

Voices of the Countryside: 100 Years of the Campaign to Protect Rural England

Celebrate the centenary of an extraordinary charity who transformed the preservation of England’s rural landscapes.

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Dates

14 February – 25 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Exhibition

Radical Rural gallery trail

Discover the artists, activists and movements championing rural England’s people and places today.

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Dates

14 February – 25 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Training

Doctoral Training Programme: Digital Research with Collections

Explore digital approaches to collections-based research.

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Dates

Wednesday 4 March 2026, 11:00 – 16:00

Author

Public

Price

Free

Location
Online
Talks and Seminars

Conversations with a Curator: Dr Rhi Smith

Join us for a free online talk with Dr Rhi Smith on Women Artists and the Reading School of Art in the early 20th century.

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Dates

Thursday 5 March 2026, 19:30 – 20:30

Author

Public

Price

Free, please book

Location
Online
Event

Spring LATE

Step into The MERL after dark for an evening of music, drinks, and creativity.

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Dates

Wednesday 25 March 2026, 18:00 – 21:00

Author

Public

Price

£5 / £3 students, booking link coming soon.

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Talks and Seminars

Conversations with a Curator: Steve Marshall

Join us for a free online talk with Steve Marshall on Edward Bawden (1903-1989) and Farmed Landscapes.

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Dates

Thursday 2 April 2026, 19:30 – 20:30

Author

Public

Price

Free, please book

Location
Online
Training

Doctoral Training Programme: Research Engagement with Collections

Develop skills for Public Engagement with Research (PER) and have impact with collections.

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Dates

Wednesday 15 April 2026, 11:00 – 16:00

Author

Public

Price

Free

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Talks and Seminars

Conversations with a Curator: Professor Amy C. Smith

Join us for a free online talk with Professor Amy Smith on the British sculptor, Eric Stanford (1932-2020).

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Dates

Thursday 7 May 2026, 19:30 – 20:30

Author

Public

Price

Free, please book

Location
Online