The 17th and final Fresh Air Sculpture 2026 Opens this weekend.
We have been invited to exhibit at every Fresh Air Sculpture since 2001 and are back again for this last blast of fresh air!
Image 1 - Aspire - A Jackson Fawkes collaboration Image 2 - From Past Memory V - Richard Jackson Image 3 - Silent Secret - Sally Fawkes - acquired for the Abel Smith’s permanent art collection 2001
Sunday 14th June to Sunday 5th July 2026
Open 10am-5pm daily including Sundays. at The Old Rectory, Quenington, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5BN.
Fresh Air Sculpture was launched in 1992 by Lucy Abel Smith and her late husband David as a biennial exhibition celebrating contemporary art in the beautiful riverside setting of their garden at the Quenington Old Rectory near Cirencester. Now, Lucy and the Trustees have decided that the 17th show, Fresh Air Sculpture 2026, is to be the last.
“What a celebration it shall be! We shall be inviting many of those who have shown since the early days to return. There will also be new artists’ work on view too. Art has always been at the heart of what we do at The Old Rectory and everyone will be welcome at this celebration.” Lucy
The Contemporary Glass Society are delighted to share that something very exciting is coming to their YouTube channel in the coming weeks. CGS received funding from The Space, Arts Council and The Glass Sellers charity to produce a series of films sharing glass making in the UK, showing some of the different techniques’ artists use, their inspiration, industrial processes and the fantastic community creating inn glass.
CGS worked with Ben from Directed by Good to storyboard their ideas and bring them to life on locations up and down the UK getting up close to huge industrial processes and seeing tiny details being formed in studios, the variety of starting points for many of the artists and the many, many hours of learning, dedication and patience put into producing stunning pieces of glass. As you will see they visited us in Stroud!
Go to the Contemporary Glass Society bio to see the full trailer.
For 50 years, London Glassblowing has championed studio glassmaking. This anniversary exhibition brings together over 40 artists - current residents, cherished guests, and pioneers from@founder Peter Layton’s earlier studios- to celebrate a remarkable journey from 1976 to today’s thriving gallery.
We are proud to be invited Esteemed Guest Artists exhibiting new work in this landmark exhibition.
Every year I have the pleasure of introducing the students @glassandceramics_kglakademi to casting glass in a kiln and cold working kiln cast objects. I always come away feeling hopeful and inspired by new generations immersing themselves in working directly with materials beginning craft based careers. The Royal Danish Academy’s glass and ceramics school is a special place where the selected students can really immerse themselves in their studies. The facilities available to the students are fantastic, and, importantly for hands on craft and materials lead learning they have space to think, create and reflect. The ethos of the school encourages experimental development and builds confidence in working with materials. A great deal of attention is paid to current technologies and sustainability within the course too. The students graduate with a Professional Batchelor : Crafts in Glass and Ceramics after 3 years and 3 months of study and proudly emerge with their own unique artistic voices shining through in their crafted objects ready for their next steps. The school is on the Danish island of Bornholm, a small island immersed in the tradition of Danish Craft.
Thank you @ninabornholm @vikikert @dueoddeglas for your support to make the busy days teaching smooth and for great interactions, I always enjoy working with you. And Thank you for working so hard and for your thousands of questions, it kept me on my toes! You were a pleasure to work with.😁 @solara.by.clara @selmabarfod @psalass @emma.wood.art @dewynenn I am looking forward to seeing your work next year!
There’s still time to see our handiwork up close… one of the Mastercard Player of the Match trophies is on display at SOOO London, @soooldn until the end of the Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament this weekend. Will it be a Red Rose or a Canuck to be awarded the final trophy in the FINAL at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday? This has been an amazing project to have done this summer… 32 trophies for 32 matches! Thank you for the confidence in us to do this @mastercarduk @octagonuk @rugbyworldcup
“Women’s Rugby is all about physicality, speed, adaptability and unity. The hits are harder, the game’s faster, and players are backing themselves every time. They’re creative, confident and not afraid to show it. But what stands out is how they stick together and keep pushing the game forward, on and off the field. This trophy represents all of that.” MAGGIE ALPHONSI - Mastercard Worldwide global rugby ambassador (ENG)
We are immensely proud to have created these Player of the Match trophies for the 32 Women’s Rugby World Cup matches currently being hosted in England. Thank you for the trust in us with this project @mastercarduk @octagonuk @rugbyworldcup
We’ve had an exciting summer creating the “Mastercard Player of the Match” trophies for the Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament currently being hosted in England. It was an absolute honour to hand @elliekildunne her POTM trophy 🏆 Thank you @mastercarduk and @octagonuk for this incredible privilege.
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