The English Folk Dance and Song Society curates an acclaimed visual arts exhibition programme at Cecil Sharp House.
You can see our free exhibitions whenever Cecil Sharp House is open: usually 9am–11pm, seven days a week.
Current exhibition: Pageant fever!
Historical pageants and the British past
Historical pageants were a widespread form of popular entertainment in early twentieth-century Britain. Presenting large-scale theatrical re-creations of scenes from local and national history, they brought the past to life as never before. Thousands of people performed in these vivid extravaganzas of music, dance and drama, and tens of thousands more watched them.
Yet pageants are largely forgotten today. This exhibition tells their story in images and text, with a special focus on the folk music and dance that were performed in them.
This exhibition and supporting event is staged by the Redress of the Past project in association with the English Folk Dance and Song Society, and is supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.
Past Exhibitions
Our past programming has included performance, textiles, illustration, painting and comics – projects that span all areas of the Society’s activities, and contribute to them.
We aim to highlight the rich resource of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, and welcome exciting new approaches to the material to achieve this.
Exhibition proposals
We welcome exhibition proposals from curators, artists, designers and makers. We are especially interested in new work based on research undertaken in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library and archives. We consider all areas of art for exhibiting – limited only by the possibilities of our public spaces which act as our gallery.
To submit a proposal please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Exhibition spaces may not be fully accessible to wheelchair users due to the stairwell, which forms part of our exhibition space. There is a lift connecting all floors and wheelchair access to landings, from which the stairwell can be viewed.
