Art and Ideas

ARTS & ideas

As well as providing a wonderful environment. Letchworth has always considered a rich cultural life crucial for wellbeing

From its earliest days, the utopian principles of Letchworth Garden City attracted and inspired artists from across all the creative disciplines. The developing Cultural Quarter

Sir John Betjeman immortalised the town in verse not once but twice in ‘Huxley Hall’ and ‘Group Life: Letchworth’ where he observed “the carefree children than the traditional blockbuster

sported in the summer haze. And released their inhibitions in a hundred different ways”.

The town was also once home to Laurence Olivier, who made one of his earliest stage appearances at St Christopher’s School, as Lennox in Macbeth.

Artist Spencer Gore lived in Wilbury Way and painted many landscapes here, while writer John Buchan, author of ‘The Thirty Nine Steps’, was another resident. His novel ‘Mr Standfast’ is partly set in a town modelled on Letchworth Garden City.

In recent years the Heritage Foundation has adopted an ambitious artistic and cultural programme to better reflect the Garden City’s founding principles.

A cultural strategy has been created to bring the arts into residents’ day-to-day lives, covering everything from classical music to comedy, immersive experiences to the visual arts, ensuring that all ages and interests are catered for.

Today the Garden City cultural programme encompasses visits by international opera singers, musicians, dancers, actors, Every June the two-week Letchworth Festival includes a great variety of music, dance and fun events for all ages as well as a film festival.

around Broadway Gardens includes a school of creative enterprise and the beautiful Art Deco Broadway Cinema.

First opened in 1936, the four-screen cinema evokes the Golden Age of Hollywood and offers much more authors and artists.

repertoire. It shows mainstream and art house cinema and live streams of performances from the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Exhibition on Screen, as well as live events with comedians, authors and theatre groups.

The success of live screenings and events has inspired plans to adapt the main screen to become a theatre space for large touring theatre companies, music and comedy as well as films. It’s scheduled to open in 2016.

The four-screen cinema found the tables turned when it featured with other Garden City landmarks in the Simon Pegg-Nick Frost film, The World’s End.

Maxim Rysanov and Alexander Sitkovetsky in concert at Spirella Ballroom

Nearby, Letchworth Arts Centre offers exciting exhibitions, live shows, comedy, and arts related courses for children and adults. Its eclectic range includes dance, drama, music, comedy, visual arts and the spoken word. It also puts on larger productions at other venues around town including Standalone Farm and the Spirella Ballroom.

The town also hosts studios for emerging artists run by Digswell Arts Trust. The artists, who are based in the old Fenners building in the Wynd, hold regular exhibitions of their work, which ranges from sculpture to painting, book-making and design.

They also run workshops open to all ages and abilities, an amazing opportunity to learn skills from talented experts. These workshops also offer a chance to try many different arts and crafts such as printmaking, glass etching, jewellery design and painting.

Innovative theatre

Digswell Arts Trust exhibition

Art house cinema, blockbuster films, and live screenings from the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, Royal Academy of Arts and more. Plus live lectures, and a kids club. A new theatre is also planned here. Open 7 days a week. Eastcheap, SG6 3DD www.broadway-cinema.com Letchworth Arts Centre

Offers a diverse and exciting programme including exhibitions, live music, theatre and dance. 2, The Arcade, SG6 3EW www.letchwortharts.org David’s Bookshop

Something of a focal point of community life since 1963, the independent bookshop hosts regular talks by authors as well as live music. Eastcheap, SG6 3DE www.davidsbookshops.co.uk Digswell Arts Trust

Town centre studios for emerging artists who hold regular exhibitions and workshops open to all ages and abilities. Run by the Digswell Arts Trust. 7 Openshaw Way, SG6 3EN www.digswellartstrust.com

Dining out

There is an interesting range of food on offer in the heart of Letchworth Garden City, from Thai to traditional English, Tapas and Italian.

The Cultural Quarter around Broadway Gardens is also home to wonderful restaurants, cafes and bars for those who want to enjoy a full evening out.

There are a lovely range of country pubs that ring the town, offering food from award-winning fine dining to relaxed family fare.

Exhibition at The Cloisters

With new restaurants opening regularly we’ve decided not to try to list them all but do ask at the Tourist Information Centre for information, or just follow your nose.