Guildford Institute and Guildford Arts are pleased to present their next exhibition from talented artists:
ANGELA ORTEGA PESTANA – PAINTER
She started painting in 2011 at the Adult Centre in Guildford on a watercolour course and after living for a few years in the UK, she has travelled around the country visiting beautiful landscapes such as Pembrokeshire, South Wales, Loch Lomond in Scotland, Lake District in Cumbria, the Peak District and South Dales in Yorkshire as well the South Downs in South East England inspired by the nature and greenery which characterise these places. She has also travelled extensively in Europe and her paintings represent what she has seen in these places with an emphasis on wildlife, as a whole.
MARTIN SOUTHWOOD – PAINTER
(see main image)
Martin began painting eleven years ago to fulfil a promise to his younger self. He paints mostly representational pieces in acrylics and coloured pencil.
He writes ‘I paint what I have strong feelings for, and try to make that apparent in my work. If people look at my paintings and feel something, then, I have succeeded. For me, painting is both the practice of deep observation and a meditation on the terrible damage we inflict on the world.
The Guildford Institute and Guildford arts are pleased to present the work of artists Marilyn Bailey and Tracey Graham. Together their art creates a powerful theme of beauty and value.
Marilyn Bailey
Marilyn’s work is grounded in close observation from life, and she uses her classical realist painting techniques and skills to give a full sense of form, volume and space. She loves how light can reveal forms, and how ordinary objects can be given a quiet, everlasting quality and presence. Marilyn was trained in Classical Realism oil painting at the Angel Academy in Florence, which instructs in the required concepts and the practical application of them.
Tracey’s work explores the potential of reclaimed materials and found objects, using humour and creativity to inspire sustainable thinking.
Invasive Species Series
Inspired by her love of coral reefs and diving in the Caribbean. The work is wry look at single-use plastics which take decades to breakdown into microplastics affecting wildlife and people every step of the way.
Each critter has a taxonomy, a made up ‘Latin’ name and a lifespan reflecting the number of years it takes to breakdown. They are made from the types of plastics that invade our waterways, some beach-combed, some bin-combed. The intention is to provoke thought about consumer choices and elevate plastic to something more valuable than the throw-away single-use culture we currently inhabit.
Chris Holley and Songul Yilmaz Meier are both Artist Tutors at the Guildford Institute and are putting on an exhibition together to show their way at looking at landscape and music in different ways.
Exhibition will run from 9 February – 16 March.
Meet the Artist Evening Thursday 12 February 2026. There will be a short talk by the Artists at 7.00pm. Nicolas Meier, a professional musician will be playing music at the event.
Meet the Artists:
Songul Yilmaz Meier
Songul is fascinated by the power of light that shapes the landscape by the effects of time and weather on the earth’s surface. Most of her inspirations come from her travels. She likes to capture the reflections of the season.
Chris Holley’s practice lives where music, movement and visual art collide. With a strong, life-long connection to choreography and dance, her paintings pulsate with rhythm, flow and energy and, whether abstract or figurative, capture the fleeting essence of movement and/or sound. The epithet that painting is about movement applies in full to this artist.
Chris is giving two illustrated talks this February. She feels honoured that ten of her paintings have inspired music pieces by four contemporary composers.
Guildford rock ‘n’ roll music legends Mick Douglas and John Kelly, along with fellow musician and local history expert David Rose, will be back for another concert of classic songs from the 1950s and 60s. Mick and John were on the Guildford music scene in their teens, then turned professional, went to West Germany (like the Beatles!), came home and have been in all kinds of bands ever since.
Join us for a complimentary glass of wine for this entertaining talk with music. You’ll enjoy tales of their musical adventures and listen to songs from the likes of Elvis, the Kinks and the Beatles
Hardy’s lifespan makes him a Victorian, an Edwardian and even a World War I writer. An incredible span of remarkable creativity and versatility in which he addressed everything from isolated rural Wessex to the sinking of the Titanic. He is regarded as not only one of the most important English novelists but also a poet of major stature.
Historians Sue and Alfred will introduce the life of this complex, sometimes difficult man, illustrated by a selection of his writings.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Dr Stephen Fay of the University of Surrey will discuss the benefits of creative storytelling for people living with dementia. His research in this area began in Colombia in early 2020, made an urgent shift to digital delivery because of COVID-19, and is now back in the UK and building a tool for on-demand access to what participants call their ‘daily dose of creativity’. Stephen will talk about the power of creativity and share some of the extraordinary stories crafted by the participant-authors he’s worked with.
Delivered in partnership with the University of Surrey/SAHN (Surrey Arts and Humanities Network).
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Iconic actress Diane Keaton sadly passed away in 2025, so we are celebrating her career by screening her popular film, The First Wives Club.
Enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival and then settle down to watch this 1996 American comedy directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retribution on their ex-husbands for having left them for younger women.
Doors open/refreshments 2.45pm, film 3pm Running time: 1hr 43 mins
Bateman’s is a Jacobean house set in the beautiful Sussex Weald, former home of Nobel prize winning author Rudyard Kipling and his wife.
Enjoy a self-guided tour of the main house where volunteer guides in each room will share their knowledge of Kipling’s family tree and his connections to pre-Raphaelite artists and prime ministers. Take a break in your own time at the Mulberry tea-room or find a picnic spot in the 300 acre estate. Enjoy the country gardens and 18th century mill, much loved by Kipling and featuring in his stories there. Finish with a quick look around the gift shop and second-hand book store.
Coach departs Ward Street at 10am, leaves Bateman’s at 3pm
This talk tells you about Charlie’s life before he became a superstar. His childhood years in poverty, in and out of the workhouse in Lambeth, and then as a child performer in the theatre and as a young comedian in the music hall.
Learn more about how he was discovered and how many of his early experiences and homes were reproduced in his Hollywood career. Ian is a historian, novelist, public speaker and walks guide.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
This talk will explore the first case (1985) solved using new DNA techniques. You will learn how the process works and more on some famous cases using DNA, including ‘The King in the Car Park’, the discovery of the body of Richard III The last Russian Royal family.
The talk will finish with a look at DNA use in family history.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
When the Falkland Islands are mentioned, they are most commonly associated with the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina. This talk will explore 450 years of Falkland Island history from early explorers to the present day (touching only briefly on the 1982 conflict) to illustrate that the islands have a much more complex history than just that conflict.
Join serving army officer, Graeme, to hear how the islands have evolved and played an important part in history and learn about a fascinating destination that is becoming increasingly accessible to travellers.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
The European Space Agency must be one of the best kept secrets in the UK!
Countries of Europe have been co-operating on space science for 50 years and have achieved some spectacular successes. You will learn about our contribution to the International Space Station and about Europe’s own Space Port in South America, from where European and Russian rockets regularly leave to deploy satellites and planetary missions. The talk will concentrate on some of Europe’s space missions, past, present and future with video and animation to illustrate our achievements.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
This talk follows the development of firefighting from the earliest known forms through social changes, the industrial revolution, two world wars and modern day.
Nigel will use a wide collection of photographs and also look at the role of women in firefighting, especially during the Great War. Nigel enjoyed a career in the fire service and has been speaking on local history and other related subjects for nearly 35 years.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
To mark what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, we invite you to join us for a screening of one of her most popular films. Enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival before settling down for this 1959 American crime comedy produced and co-written by Billy Wilder, starring Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis.
Malcolm worked for 40 years for HM Customs and Excise. He worked on every aspect of catching smugglers and was mainly based at Heathrow but also spent time at London Port, Dover, St Petersburg (Russia), Malta, and most major airports throughout the EU.
This talk with give a fascinating insight into how Customs Officers select passengers who they think might be carrying drugs. Just what is it they are looking for? What are the tell-tale signs? And how do the guilty ones give themselves away?
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Another chance to join us for an evening of fun, laughter and fundraising to support the work of the Guildford Institute. Gather your friends and make up your own team (max. 6) or come solo and join forces with others for a chance to win a £100 cash prize.
Test your knowledge with some lighthearted questions, enter our raffle and during the interval enjoy a selection of cheese and biscuits – included in the ticket price (dietary alternatives available with prior notice).
Doors/bar open 6.30pm Quiz starts 7pm, evening ends 10pm
Antibiotics are life-savers and have an interesting history dating back to the ancient Egyptians. This talk describes their history, with an emphasis on penicillin and how it works.
Peter is a retired Biochemist and an experienced.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Once a favoured medieval palace and then a Tudor royal residence, in the 1930s Eltham Palace was transformed by eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld.
Enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival and then get a taste of their extravagant lifestyle on a private 60-minute guided group tour. Explore their unusual home and admire the magnificent medieval great hall. There’s a quirky mix of medieval and modern in the gardens too. Admire stunning herbaceous borders, walk through formal rose gardens and relax in the Rock Garden, with its pools and cascades running down to the moat.
Coach departs Ward Street 10am, leaves Eltham Palace 3.30pm
Stewart draws on the wealth of humorous stories and historic speeches by the man voted ‘People’s Greatest Briton’ in a BBC poll in 2002. Stewart informs and entertains dressed and speaking as the wartime prime minister.
You will be taken on an illustrated journey complete with some special props. Stewart is a member of the International Churchill Society. He has won many humorous speaking competitions and has appeared on TV.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Actor David Barry became famous as lay-about student Frankie Abbott in the sitcom Please Sir! (1968–71), starring John Alderton, and its follow-up series The Fenn Street Gang (1971–73).
David tells anecdotes of working as a child actor, and touring Europe with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, where he witnessed moments of outrageous behaviour.
Enjoy some hilarious stories of actors’ pranks, and tales from making the feature films of Please Sir! and George and Mildred the Movie.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
There will never be another aircraft like Concorde – the fastest passenger aircraft of all time, and the perfect synergy of technology and design. Join aviation historian, Guy Bartlett, on a journey of discovery as he shares his experience of supersonic flight.
It is incredible to think that those who conceived the idea of this aircraft – which flew faster than a bullet – actually travelled to London via steam train to discuss their plans!
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
To mark the anniversary of 50 years since the death of Agatha Christie we invite you to join us for a classic movie from this great writer. Miss Marple is called upon to solve the mystery of a murder on a train witnessed by her friend and uncovers a web of secrets and lies.
Enjoy complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits before settling down to enjoy the film.
It’s often thought that moths are the drab creatures that eat carpets and clothes – this couldn’t be further from the truth! Moths are the hidden pollinator night shift, and we have a fascinating range of them (over 800 of the larger species) right here on our doorstep – many of them with amazing stories to tell.
Learn about the names of our moths, many dating back to the 1790s, offering intriguing insights into the world of the 17th and 18th centuries. Peter has previously given his popular talk on the Secret Life of Butterflies at the Institute.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Jane Glennie is an actress and historian with over 30 years of experience in bringing history to life through theatrical presentations. She is known for her entertaining monologues, including this talk which humorously addresses etiquette during the end of rationing in 1953.
Jane (as ‘Mrs Cox’) will host a ‘delightful tea party’ and among her tips we shall hear tales of gruesome deaths, smuggling and gossip to find out the secret history of the Nation’s favourite drink. During the event there will be the chance to reminisce, look at original objects from the 1950s and enjoy tea and cake.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this talk has been postponed.
Estate planning doesn’t have to be intimidating. This entertaining and educational session aims to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate some crucial aspects of life. You will gain valuable insights into protecting your assets, managing inheritance taxes, addressing family dynamics, and planning for the unexpected.
The Co-op team is dedicated to demystifying processes and providing accessible legal information and guidance as part of their community outreach, with no sales pitch. Time for questions will allow you to seek clarification on specific concerns.
This talk is free of charge but we request advance booking where possible.
Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Horsham is a 240 acre, Grade I listed garden that is particularly colourful and full of life in the spring months when the rhodedendrons and azaleas are in full bloom.
Tea and coffee will be served on arrival before you enjoy an optional private, 60-minute guided walking garden tour. Alternatively, enjoy taking in the sights in your own time. Along the way, you will see famous attractions such as the Dell, Doll’s House Museum, wallaby colony and Pulham’s rock garden.
When you need a rest from exploring the extensive grounds you can stop in one of the food outlets at the venue (additional cost).
Coach departs Ward Street 10am, leaves Leonardslee 3.30pm
Popular local historian David Rose looks at once common everyday objects, some remembered and some not. Items include bottles, pots, tins and packaging, advertising signs and other signage including railway items.
David finds them fascinating and they are often key to his interest and research into local, as well as Britain’s social and commercial history of times past, although not too long ago!
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
What do crossbows, legal battles, and shopping lists have in common? They all feature in the letters of Margaret Paston, a 15th-century heiress who defied stereotypes of medieval women.
Join Professor Diane Watt from the University of Surrey to uncover how Margaret managed estates, wielded influence during the Wars of the Roses, and left a legacy that reshapes our understanding of women’s power and voice in history.
Diane is the author of the most recent biography of Paston and will follow her talk with a book-signing.
Delivered in partnership with the University of Surrey/SAHN (Surrey Arts and Humanities Network).
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Join us for a fascinating visual tour of this historic British military bastion – its history, heritage, fortifications, tourist attractions and its vital role in WW2.
Paul is a keen military historian, serving 34 years with the Territorial Army and has travelled to 70 countries.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
The Godalming-based novelist Jane White (1934–1985) is not a well-known figure today but in the late 1960s and 1970s her fiction was critically acclaimed and widely read.
In this talk, Dr Carl Thompson of the University of Surrey will introduce White’s life and career. He will give readings from her fiction, focussing especially on White’s eerie first novel, Quarry (1967), a book which has been described as Lord of the Flies transplanted to the Surrey countryside!
Delivered in partnership with the University of Surrey/SAHN (Surrey Arts and Humanities Network).
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Alfred Hitchock was the son of a greengrocer and was born in Leytonstone, Essex. Later in life he became known as a legendary director of suspense and thriller films. Gary’s illustrated talk looks at Hitchcock’s early life from 1899 to 1907 and his return to Leytonstone from 1914 to 1926.
See how Hitchcock’s upbringing and early life influenced his later movie career. The talk is based on Gary’s own research and observations. It features many rare and exclusive photographs and documents.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
It is often assumed that plastic surgery is a relatively new discipline of medicine, however this talk provides an illustrated look into its long history
and the advances made since WWI. It explains why it is called ‘plastic surgery’ and how the ‘big four’ plastic surgeons, who performed miracles during
WWII, have had a legacy that is still evident today.
So much more than just a cosmetic procedure, it can be restorative, helping both physically and psychologically. Today’s numbers of cosmetic
operations to enhance your body may surprise you, with an informative look at face lifts and tummy tucks.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
Peter is a local favourite; an accomplished broadcaster and performer. Most known as the Content Director, voice, and public face of Eagle Radio (broadcasting to Surrey and Hampshire but far reaching in Europe’s busiest and competitive radio market). He hosted the radio station’s breakfast show for 25 years. More recently he has appeared over many years in pantomime at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.
Join us for a glass of wine and savoury snack (included) and a light-hearted Q&A session with Peter and the chance to ask your own questions of the man himself!
Discussions about a fixed link between England and France have been in evidence for rather longer than you might think. What advantages and – possibly more importantly – disadvantages might that bring?
Whose idea was it to drill a tunnel all the way under the Channel? What kind of tunnel – road, rail or a combination of both? How did they do it? Which country would ‘own’ the tunnel? How much would it cost? – and who would pay for it?
Chris’s talk will answer some, although perhaps not all, of these questions.
We’re delighted to offer our afternoon talks on a Pay What You Can basis. We believe everyone should have access to educational and cultural opportunities, and that no one should be excluded because of their financial circumstances. Our talks are £7 for all – if anyone feels they need to pay less than this, please call the team or visit us in person.
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