News


Latest Updates

For the most up-to-date news and updates, and to be informed when new events go live, click “like” on our Art History in Focus Facebook page. You’ll also find exhibition and book recommendations, photos of recent events and the latest art world news.

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Siân ran a series of free, live lectures during lockdown in 2020. These can still be viewed online for free at any time – just click here


Cultural Travels From Home

In Spring 2020 we launched a programme of online tours and visits abroad entitled Cultural Travels from Home. These include visits by special arrangement to a number of major European art galleries allowing virtual access to their collections.

We have been delighted to collaborate with major museums including the Doge’s Palace, The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Ca’ Rezzonico, the Casa Buonarroti, the Medici Museum, the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum and the Castello Sforzesco, as well as the Basilica of San Marco and the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi who have allowed us to broadcast live guided tours in return for a set fee or virtual ticket price per person. Each one of these collaborations has been a premiere and the concept/ project has been warmly received by the museum directors, so much so that many of them are now developing the idea further, either bringing their collections directly to the public through new, in-house online channels or opening up to collaborative projects with other organisations. We have received particularly warm support from the Director, President and General Secretary of Venice’s Fondazione Musei Civici.

“It was a fantastic experience … a new vision about the museum! I hope to repeat such an exciting event!”
Dr Gabriella Belli, Director, Fondazione Musei Civici, Venice

“It was a great honour to work together. For this, I’m really grateful to you. Hoping to meet you very soon in Perugia, I hope also to have future opportunities for a new collaboration very soon!”
Dr Maria Cristina De Angelis, Director, Fondazione Cariperugia Arte, Perugia

“I enjoyed the tour so much, thank you for the great opportunity you gave to the museum and to your guests. In this peculiar period, art can really be a source of comfort and inspiration, even at a distance. We made this happen!”
Chiara Zanandrea, Events Coordinator, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice

“We are delighted that this virtual visit enabled students to get to know the palace as if they were there!”
Caroline Miatto, Palazzo Farnese/French Embassy, Rome

“For us, this is a great opportunity to spread our work .. and let people who could not make it in person enjoy the environment, the atmosphere as well as the exhbitions’ content and display.”
Dr Mattia Agnetti, Executive Secretary, Fondazione Musei Civici, Venice 

Check the website for upcoming Cultural Travels from Home or contact us to arrange a private event.


Public Lectures: National Gallery, Wallace Collection, Arts Society

Details of some of Siân’s up-and-coming public lectures and courses can be found on the National Gallery website.  Siân runs the gallery’s Stories of Art courses covering the periods 1250-1400 and 1500-1600. This is a modular introduction to art history using the Gallery’s collection to explore key themes and stories in art. Gallery experts including curators, conservators, educators, archivists, and scientists are also invited to contribute to each session.

Please check your local Arts Society (formerly NADFAS) branch for up-and-coming public lectures by Siân. Siân is now running regular online Zoom lectures for Arts Society groups and can provide a live or recorded lecture of series of talks for up to 500 members, arranged to suit your particular requirements. Do get in touch for bookings and further details.

“You’re a star. On behalf of the committee of The Arts Society Royal Leamington Spa I should like to thank you enormously for the excellent ‘virtual’  lecture last night. We’ve been inundated with enthusiastic messages from our members. We so appreciate the time and effort you put into making it all possible.”

Siân is also a lecturer at The Wallace Collection – click here for details of upcoming events.


Arts and Culture News

For details of up-and-coming UK exhibitions and cultural information click here.

For the latest arts and culture news click here.

On Google Art Tours you can explore hundreds of artworks in museums around the world in ultra-high definition. Using technology adapted from Street View, it enables viewers to wander the halls of many leading galleries and zoom in in order to explore the tiniest of details in many paintings. For more details click here.