We’re bringing new life to Hadleigh’s artistic legacy in an exciting community project!

This spring we’re picking up the artist’s palette, paints and canvas to unearth the artistic legacy of Hadleigh in a new community heritage project:

Blooming Art

Community exhibition & light show, Friday 22nd March at St Mary's Church

Workshops from 3.30pm, lights up at 7pm

Home to Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines’ East Anglian School of Painting & Drawing (now known as Benton End) Hadleigh has cultivated many beloved artistic talents. Following in the likes of Maggi Hambling and Lucian Freud, we’re inviting Hadleigh’s youngest artists to showcase their creative talents in a vibrant light projection onto the much-loved Deanery Tower on Friday 22nd March. 

Blooming Art aims to revive Hadleigh’s artistic legacy and help cultivate the town’s next generation of artists. Working with local artist and plant-obsessed Uwu Studio, children and young people from Hadleigh’s schools will have the opportunity to visit Benton End, drawing and painting the same vistas that inspired students before them. Inspired by Cedric Morris’ preferred technique of painting en plein air (painting outdoors), the young artists’ vibrant artwork will be projected onto Deanery Tower in a stunning light display and community exhibition.  

Speaking about the project, Project Officer Hannah Houghton said: “Hadleigh is a town very close to my heart and yet until recently I knew very little about this part of its story. The Benton End alumni is just staggering. It was not just home to some of British most prolific artists, it was also a sanctuary to the most influential musicians, writers and botanists of the last century. I’m so excited to revive Hadleigh’s historic connection to Benton End and its market town origins in a way that the town has never seen before.” 

Blooming Art  Celebration Event 

On Friday 22nd March we’ll be celebrating the work produced through the project in a community celebration event including a family-friendly arts workshop, exhibition of produced works and a light display on Deanery Tower. 

Take part in free community art workshops running 3.30pm-5pm & 6pm-7pm at St Mary's Church - no booking required, just drop-in when you can. 

Open air exhibition and light display on the Deanery Tower from 7pm – free to attend, no booking required.  

Event Access Information:

Part of this event is outdoors so do dress for the weather. The area around the church is muddy, sensible footwear is advised. 

There is ample parking within walking distance on the venue. Public car parks include Market Pl., Magdelen Rd and High St. 

Blooming Art is an Eastern Angles project, produced in partnership with Benton End and St Mary's Church.

Blooming Art forms part of our Market Town Bound project featuring a series of community events in market towns across Babergh & Mid Suffolk. Visiting often overlooked locations in the districts, these events will celebrate the heritage of each location and bring residents together to enjoy communal activities. This project has been made possible thanks to funding from Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council Community Development Grant.