Simon Seligman - Studied art and architectural history at Warwick University including a semester in Venice. He is a graduate of the Attingham Summer School. His main area of interest is Chatsworth House, The Devonshire collection, the Duchess of Devonshire and associated topics. Including lecturing at the Metropolitan Museum and the National Gallery of Art. Simon also lectures on John Ruskin and works part time for the John Ruskin's charity - The Guild of St George .He is a trustee of three arts festivals and he is a Life Coach.

He has lectured for Nidd Valley on more than one occasion, but this time his lecture is  'From Venice to Sheffield : John Ruskin's passion for art, craft and social justice'

Inspired by the bicentenery of the birth of John Ruskin (1819-1900) in 2019 this lecture celebrates the extraordinary life and work of the visionary Victorian. As writer, teacher, artist, collector, patron and critic Ruskin was perhaps the most complete polymath of the 19th century. Perhaps most famous as a champion of Turner and huge admirer of Venice. His ideas inspired the Arts & Crafts Movement and the founding of the National Trust.

This lecture spans Ruskin's life and work from the timeless and global to the intimate and exquisite - to paint a portrait of a great life'

Toby Faber - Is an experienced lecturer and public speaker. His career began with Natural Sciences at Cambridge through investment banking, management consulting and 5 years as managing director of the publishing company founded by his grandfather. He is also the non executive Chairman of Faber Music and a director of Liverpool University Press. Toby has written works on Stradivarius, Faberge' Eggs and Faber & Faber the untold story.

His lecture 'Faber & Faber - 90 years of excellence in cover design' - 'Since its foundation in 1925, Faber & Faber has built a reputation as one of London's most important literary publishing houses. TS Eliot was part of their editorial team at one stage.

This lecture traces the history of Faber & Faber through its illustrations, covers and designs, with innovations like Ariel Poems - which were single poems beautifully illustrated and sold in their own envelopes. The company's art director in the 50s and 60s Berthold Wolpes 'Albertus font' is still used on City of London road signs to this day. Along the way Faber & Faber have employed some of our most celebrated artists - from Rex Whistler and Barnett Freedman to Peter Blake and Damien Hirst. Faber & Faber is the last of the great publishing houses to remain independent. '

Caroline Knight Is an Architectural Historian, trained at the Courtauld and specialising in the 16th to 18th century English & Scottish architecture. She lectures at the V & A, is a lecturer for the Art Fund and the Royal Oak Foundation in the US of America.

Caroline has researched and written a history of Kensington Palace, has written several articles on architectural and social history contributed to a book on the Cecil family and a chapter of the Royal Academy .

Het Loo & Hampton Court

In 1685 William & Mary built Het Loo in the Netherlands - an impressive hunting lodge where their formal gardens have been beautifully restored .

In London in 1688 they used White Hall Palace at the beginning but soon bought what is now Kensington Palace as a retreat from court life.

They asked Christopher Wren to rebuild Henry Vlll 's building but Mary died in 1694 before it was completed.

The state rooms are a splendid example of Baroque interiors and the Privy Gardens which they overlook have been superbly restored.

Monday 18th October at 7.30pm

Shirley graduated from the University of East Anglia with a first Class Honours degree in the History of Art, specialising in the Italian and Northern Renaissance. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and lectures part time for both East Anglia & Cambridge Universities.

Shirley is particularly keen to set the art and architecture of the period in the context of the society for which it was produced

Caravaggio: The Master of Light & Shadow

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was a man out of step with his time. Scorning the idealised interpretations of religious subjects, he took his models from the streets round where he lived. His revolutionary style, dramatic personal life not to mention his uncontrollable temper were universally condemned.

In this lecture, Shirley studies the life and work of this enigmatic man and his influence on later artists.

Jacob graduated from the Reading School of Art with a BA (Hons) in Fashion and took up a position as Assistant to the designer Donald Campbell. In 2010 he returned to education and obtained a postgraduate degree with Distinction in Fashion Curation from the London College of Fashion, shortly afterwards joining the Fan Museum.

As the Museum's curator he is responsible for it's programmes and overseeing loans from the Museum's extraordinary collections to organisations such as the Palace of Versailles & the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In 2021 the Fan Museum is 30 years old and to celebrate this Jacob is curating a special exhibition of fans for the Museum of Fashion & Film in Atlanta Georgia.