Song of Myself (Display)
2026-02-23 - 2026-12-31 | Weston Library, Broad Street, Oxford, England, OX1 3BG, United Kingdom
Song of Myself, 1995, Tom Phillips RA (1937–2022), wire, 360 x 180 cm.
Credit: Estate of Tom Phillips CBE RA
Tom Phillips described Song of Myself as “an attempt to list the various identities that go to make a single artistic life”. The work borrows its title from a poem in Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. Its beginning is based on the confessional Anglo-Saxon poem, The Seafarer, which Phillips first came across as an undergraduate at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.
Within the work, the alert reader will find further references, direct or cryptic, to Homer, Plato, Dante, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Marvell, Conrad, R. L. Stevenson; to the music of Wagner and Robert Schumann; and to the films of Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles. The text is littered with echoes of Phillips’s own artistic preoccupations: as a painter, calligrapher, user of stencils and maker of books.
Phillips first made a pencil drawing of the text, then worked with the fabricator Leo Verryt to realise the work in wire, as a hanging poem. Other versions of the text exist, one in a series of paintings called Curriculum Vitae (No XX, 1992), and another in Self Portrait in Silver (2004). Phillips writes: “The unity of the piece in which letters are tortured into cooperation hopes to reflect an overall homogeneity in the spirit of its maker”.
The Bodleian Libraries also has the Tom Phillips archive in our collection.

Brokenness and repair exhibition
2026-03-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-05 09:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Oxford Brookes University, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, Oxfordshire, OX3 0BP
Venue:

The Glass Tank, Oxford Brookes University

Date(s):

Monday, 26 January 2026 to Friday, 6 February 2026

Timing:

9am – 5pm

Cost:

0

Inspired by the sublime beauty of techniques of visual repair across cultures, these works invite reflection on brokenness and why it matters.
In recent years, the traditional Japanese technique of repairing broken pottery using lacquer, often embellished with gold or other precious metals, known as ‘kintsugi’ has fascinated and inspired not only contemporary artists, but also pscyhologists, philosophers, scientists and archaeologists. But the idea of caring for something that is broken and finding beauty in its imperfection resonates much more widely. Whether we are living with the painful yet precious memories of loss, or trying to reassemble places of belonging from the remnants of abandoned buildings, brokenness and repair speak to our fundamental ways of being in the world.
Through sculpture, sound, images, and pottery, this exhibition creates a space of dialogue between Japanese aesthetics of brokenness and repair and those of other cultures. Each piece invites visitors to reflect on the complex, sometimes challenging beauty of brokenness, and the care and attention involved in repair.
The exhibition includes original works from Rob Simpkins, Katie Taylor, Johanna Tulloch, Dan O’Brien, Natasha Durie, Juliet Eccles, and Rachel Barbaresi, as well as kintsugi pieces by Iku Nishikawa (Oxford Kintsugi).
All are invited to join us to meet the artists and organisers over wine and refreshments.
This exhibition and reception was made possible through the generous support of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

Further Information

Contact Details:

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/…
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brokennes…
dobrien@brookes.ac.uk

Alan Howard Ceramics
2026-03-03 09:00 - 19:00, 2026-03-04 09:00 - 19:00 | Wolfson College, Linton Road, OX2 6UD
Venue, Timing and Cost

Venue:

Wolfson College, Oxford

Date(s):

Wednesday, 14 January 2026 to Sunday, 26 April 2026

Timing:

9am – 7pm

Cost:

Free

Alan Howard Ceramics on display in the Old Lodge.

Further Information

Contact Details:

Luisa Summers
luisa.summers@wolfson.ox.ac.uk

Oxfordshire Craft Guild at Kendrew Barn
2026-03-03 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-04 10:00 - 12:00 | st Johns College, St Giles', Oxford, OX1 3JP
Venue:

Kendrew Barn, St Johns College, Oxford OX1 3JP

Date(s):

Saturday, 28 February 2026 to Sunday, 15 March 2026

Timing:

Sat 28th Feb 2.00pm to 5.00pm then daily 10.00am to .00pm

Cost:

free entry

The OCG will be featuring 21 of its designer makers at Kendrew Barn, St Johns College, Oxford. A variety of traditional crafts* of contemporary design will be on display for purchase.
* Glass, Ceramics, Wood, Jewellery, Textiles, Marquetry, Paper Sculpture

Further Information

Contact Details:

www.ocg.co.uk/events

Recycled Extravaganza
2026-03-03 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-03-04 10:00 - 16:00 | Thame Museum, 79 High Street Thame, Oxfordshire, OX93AE, United Kingdom
Venue, Timing and Cost

Venue:

Thame Museum

Date(s):

Saturday, 7 February 2026 to Friday, 20 March 2026

Timing:

During opening hours Wed. Fri. Sat. 10am-4pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm-

Cost:

Free admission

This exhibition has been created by the talented art students of Lord Williams School Thame. Exhibition Gallery Thame Museum

Further Information

Contact Details:

Yvonne Maxwell, publicity@thamemuseum.org.
Thame Museum, 79 High Street Thame, OX93AE
www.thamemuseum.oirg

WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOPS
2026-03-03 10:30 - 13:00 | Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
Starts Tue 24 Feb 2026, 10.30am–1pm

FULLY BOOKED

A series of six practical half-day workshops in the Ashmolean Learning Studio
Workshops take place every Tuesday morning on:
24 Feb, 3 Mar, 10 Mar, 17 Mar, 24 Mar, 31 Mar 2026
Tickets are £300 for the full course. Booking is essential.
Please note these workshops are now fully booked.

With artist John Somerscales

Taking inspiration from the natural landscape, professional artist John Somerscales will help you learn how to create watercolours in the right way, while having fun.
In these practical sessions you will be guided through all the major watercolour techniques. You will be shown each stage of the watercolour process to help you form a solid grounding, from which you can go on to produce your own successful and impressive watercolour paintings.

Improvised Landscape watercolour by John Somerscales

Techniques covered will include learning about graduated and wet-in-wet washes, and you will look at glazing, using the dry brush technique and how to make descriptive and textural marks with the brush including ideas on how to create skies and trees.
After some time spent on colour mixing, you will gradually work towards putting all these elements together to create simple but loose and effective landscapes.
All materials provided. Suitable for anyone who wants to develop their watercolour skills.

BOOKING
A series of 6 half-day practical workshops in the Ashmolean Learning Studio
Workshops take place on Tue 24 Feb, Tue 3 Mar, Tue 10 Mar, Tue 17 Mar, Tue 24 Mar, Tue 31 Mar 2026
Tickets are £300 for the full course. Booking is essential.
Please note this series of workshops is now fully booked.
If you have any questions, please email us at publicprogrammes@ashmus.ox.ac.uk

It's not just black and white: Renaissance and Baroque drawings in chalk and charcoal
2026-03-03 11:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-04 11:00 - 17:00 | Christ Church Picture Gallery, Canterbury Gate, Oxford, OX1 4EP
Venue, Timing and Cost

Venue:

Christ Church Picture Gallery

Date(s):

Saturday, 15 November 2025 to Thursday, 26 March 2026

Timing:

Mon,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat: 11am-5pm Sun:2pm-5pm Closed Tuesdays

Cost:

£6/3/0

Continuing the Picture Gallery’s exhibition series on materials and materiality of Renaissance and Baroque drawings, this show explores black chalk and charcoal. A medium that began to flourish in the late fifteenth century and has become the workhorse of drawing utensils. While the material and technique are the focus of the exhibition, it also offers the opportunity to display some of the Picture Gallery’s finest and most famous drawings, including works by Leonardo, Bronzino, Sodoma, Tintoretto, Carracci, and many lesser-known, yet remarkable, artists.

Further Information

Contact Details:

Christ Church Picture Gallery
Gallery entrance via Canterbury Gate at Oriel Square
Oxford OX1 4EP
Website: https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/visit/picture-…
Tel: 01865 276172
Email: picturegallery@chch.ox.ac.uk
Copyright & Credits: Courtesy of the Governing Body of Christ Church, Oxford
Usage & Restrictions: For Promotional Use Only – For non-commercial use only

New Work 2026 at the West Ox Arts Gallery in Bampton
2026-03-03 11:30 - 16:30, 2026-03-04 11:30 - 16:30 | Ox Arts Gallery, Bampton, Market Sq, OX18 2JH
Venue, Timing and Cost

Venue:

West Ox Arts Gallery, Bampton.

Date(s):

Saturday, 14 February 2026 to Saturday, 14 March 2026

Timing:

Tues to Sat 11.30 – 4.30, Sun 2 – 4, Mondays closed

Cost:

free

West Ox Arts is delighted to present New Work 26, an exhibition celebrating the breadth and diversity of work created by its members. Taking place from 14 February to 14 March 2026, the exhibition will be held at the WOA Gallery, a distinctive and well-established venue in the heart of Bampton, Oxfordshire.
Visitors are invited to explore an inspiring range of contemporary art and craft, including painting, sculpture, glass, jewellery, textiles, wood, and wirework. The exhibition reflects the richness of artistic practice within the West Ox Arts community and offers something to engage every visitor.
Highlights include:
* Meet the artists – Learn about their inspirations, creative processes, and the stories behind the work.
* Discover new talent – Find emerging and established artists, uncover unique pieces, or simply enjoy the pleasure of artistic exploration.
* Support local creativity – Your visit helps sustain and encourage the region’s vibrant artistic community.
Artists interested in exhibiting in our member exhibitions are warmly invited to enquire about West Ox Arts membership. For further information, please contact: gallery@westoxarts.com
We look forward to welcoming you to the gallery.
Visitor Information
* Free entry
* Opening Times:
* Tuesday–Saturday: 11:30am – 4:30pm
* Sunday: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
* Monday: Closed
* WOA Gallery,Market Square. Bampton, Oxfordshire. OX18 2JH

Further Information

Contact Details:

Email: gallery@westoxarts.com
Website: www.westoxarts.com
Instagram: @westoxarts
Facebook: WestOxArts
Telephone: 01993 850137

Distinguished Speaker Seminar: Ditte Juul Jørgensen
2026-03-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Said Business School, Saïd Business School (Park End Street) (University of Oxford), Oxford, United Kingdom
Overview
Master Class on European Union Energy Policy with Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy, European Commission

An exclusive high-level master class featuring Ditte Juul Jørgensen, offering direct insights from the heart of EU energy policymaking. Save the date for a unique opportunity to engage with senior EU leadership on Europe’s energy future.
The Speakers
Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy, European Commission
Myles Allen, Head of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics in the Department of Physics, and Professor of Geosystem Science in the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford.

Cool Climate
2026-03-03 19:00 - 21:30 | The Oxford Wine Cellar
Cool Climate brings have a big influence on a wine’s style, structure, and personality.

Welcome to Cool Climate!
Join us for an awesome evening tasting 6 different wine from cool regions.
£27.80

A Life’s Tale
2026-03-03 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-03-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Oxford Playhouse, 11-12 Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2LW
Tickets £8/£6

Interval
No
Venue
Burton Taylor Studio

University of Oxford Student Season: Hilary Term 2026
By Josephine Krupa
Six strangers are rehearsing a play designed to help recently bereaved people recover from their grief. However, they soon learn they are grieving the same person.
The director has intentionally gathered only those who knew his estranged daughter Mia, in an attempt to discover and reconstruct her life.
During rehearsals, as each member reckons with their own relationship with Mia and the existential struggles that come with grief, secrets begin to unravel and reveal everyone’s dark, hidden sides – as well as Mia’s own twisted and tragic life.

Jazz Night At The Bear
2026-03-03 20:00 - 22:00 | The Bear, 6 Alfred Street, Oxford, OX1 4EH
Jazz Night At The Bear

Every Tuesday at The Bear enjoy a glass of red or a refreshing pint as you watch a weekly Live Jazz session!
Get Moving! Get Grooving! Get Dancing!

Please check on website incase of date changes or cancelations

Solo Bharathanatyam Recital - Mithesha Mageswaran
2026-03-03 20:30 - 21:30
Overview

Accompanied by a live orchestra.

Mithesha Mageswaran presents a solo Bharathanatyam Margam. Having received her foundational training from her mother, Smt. Sujanthinee Mageswaran, and continuing to learn under the guidance of Sri. Mavin Khoo, Mithesha will be exploring a selection of her own choreographies with a live ensemble of musicians.
ACCOMPANISTS:
Vocal and Nattuvangam: Mihiran Mageswaran
Mridangam: Abhiram Sahathevan
Flute: Vijay Venkat
Location

Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre

Walton Street
Worcester College Oxford OX1 2HB

Deaths and Entrances
2026-03-03 21:30 - 22:30, 2026-03-04 21:30 - 22:30 | Oxford Playhouse, 11-12 Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2LW
Age
12+
Duration
50mins
Interval
No
Warning
Political imprisonment, slapstick violence, descriptions of blood/dismemberment, death (offstage).
Venue
Burton Taylor Studio

University of Oxford Student Season: Hilary Term 2026
By Nathan A. Harris
Alf and Rube have questions. Would you notice if you were underwater? What would it be like to be rich? Why has everyone started wearing black?
Deaths and Entrances is an exciting piece of new writing by graduate creative writing student Nathan A. Harris. The play is a vibrant, Beckettian exploration of friendship, personal responsibility, and ignorance.
It follows Alf and Rube – two peculiarly codependent vagrants – as they bicker, ruminate on their shared past, rob strangers, get arrested, and wonder what it would be like to be a fish.

NW Inventors: Weekly Drama (Cutteslowe)
2026-03-04 17:00 - 18:00 | Cutteslowe Community Centre, 31 Wren Rd, Oxford, Oxford, OX2 7SX, United Kingdom
Join the NW Inventors youth theatre to make new friends, build confidence and develop skills in drama. We will spend the autumn term developing skills in performance, we will spend the spring term devising a show and we will spend the summer term rehearsing for a Summer Showcase at The North Wall.
For ages 8 – 11
Venue: Cutteslowe Community Centre

NW Inventors: Weekly Drama (Kidlington)
2026-03-04 17:00 - 18:00 | St Johns Church, Kidlington, The Broadway, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1DD, United Kingdom
Join the NW Inventors youth theatre in Kidlington to make new friends, build confidence and develop skills in drama. We will spend the autumn term developing skills in performance, we will spend the spring term devising a show and we will spend the summer term rehearsing for a Summer Showcase at The North Wall.
For ages 8 – 11
Venue: St John’s Church, Kidlington

YouthLab: Weekly Drama (Cutteslowe)
2026-03-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Cutteslowe Community Centre, 31 Wren Rd, Oxford, Oxford, OX2 7SX, United Kingdom
Join the YouthLab youth theatre to develop skills in drama, discover an artistic style and be the creator of your own work. We will spend the autumn term developing skills in performance, we will spend the spring term devising a show and we will spend the summer term rehearsing for a Summer Showcase at The North Wall.
For ages 12 – 17
Venue: Cutteslowe Community Centre

YouthLab: Weekly Drama (Kidlington)
2026-03-04 18:00 - 19:00 | St Johns Church, Kidlington, The Broadway, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1DD, United Kingdom
Join the YouthLab youth theatre to develop skills in drama, discover an artistic style and be the creator of your own work. We will spend the autumn term developing skills in performance, we will spend the spring term devising a show and we will spend the summer term rehearsing for a Summer Showcase at The North Wall.
For ages 12 – 17
Venue: St John’s Church, Kidlington

An Evening with Aseda VI:
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Sommervile College
Aseda invites you to

Join Aseda for an evening of music, worship, community, and, most importantly, love.
Let us come together and relish in the goodness of the Lord.
All are welcome for this special evening.

£4.50

John Robins: Thirst - In Conversation
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Sheldonian Theatre, Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford, England, OX1 3AZ, United Kingdom
Join critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion, and award-winning broadcaster John Robins in conversation about alcohol addiction and the journey to sobriety
What is an alcoholic?
John will be heading out on tour to celebrate the publication of his beautifully written, moving and darkly funny forthcoming memoir, Thirst. He will tell the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences – pretending to be drunk after a sip of champagne aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at the school play afterparty, and university nights spent downing red wine alone in his room – to his last drink in 2022 and the journey into sobriety that followed, John will explore our relationship with alcohol through reflections on decades of his own drinking.
From hazy memory to sudden clarity he sheds light on subjects from mental health to friendship, from creativity to the lies we tell ourselves, and answers questions such as: are alcoholics born or made? How can we make sense of youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids?
John will share insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, blending his trademark raw honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics and those around them to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked ‘why do we drink?’, ‘why do I drink?’ or ‘do I drink too much?’.
This event will include a special guest interviewer at each event, a rare opportunity for you to put your own questions to John and a chance to purchase a signed copy of Thirst.
JOHN ROBINS is a radio presenter, comedian, Taskmaster champion, and podcaster (How Do You Cope?, The Elis James and John Robins Show, Beef’s Golf Club, The Moon Under Water). John has won the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award for ‘Best Show’ (2017); ‘Funniest Show’ at the ARIAS for his Radio 5 Live show with Elis James (2020); ‘UK Podcast of the Year’ for the mental health podcast How Do You Cope? (2021).
Throughout his stand-up and radio career he has gained a reputation for speaking candidly and hilariously about his own mental health. In 2024 he won the ‘Radio Times Moment Of The Year’ award at the ARIAS after revealing his struggles with alcohol on How Do You Cope?. His conversation with Adrian Chiles on abstinence vs moderation was one of the most shared articles on The Guardian website and his 2024 nationwide tour, Howl, about addiction and recovery received critical acclaim.
Thirst: Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life will be published by Viking on 7th May 2026

Ticket Information

Standard Tickets: £22.50
Premium ticket including book: £35.50
Suitable for ages 14+, with possible strong language and adult themes
Doors open 18:30
Book signing will commence at 22:00
Latecomers to be permitted during the interval at 19:45
For ticketing queries, please contact ticketing@crosstownconcerts.com

Oxford University Philharmonia: HT26 Concert
2026-03-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Sheldonian Theatre, Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford, England, OX1 3AZ, United Kingdom
Following the success of our last concert featuring Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5, OUPhil are delighted to return to the Sheldonian Theatre under the baton of conductor Joe Sollis.
We will be bringing you a programme featuring Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, and Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition. Our soloist is the spectacular Rufus Edwards.
Join us for an exhilarating evening of orchestral music where the orchestra are set to shine with their versatility and virtuosity!

Ticket Information

Full price tickets £16.26
Students £8.13
