The Downing Arts Podcast

A feature-length episode to finish off this fourth series of the Downing Arts Podcast: a special interview with Downing alumnus and former diplomat Leigh Turner. -=-=-=- 'Ten Good Years' continues in the Heong Gallery until Sunday 11 October. -=-=-=- Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this series. If you would like to take part in the Michaelmas Term series of the podcast, please email a...

Former Education student Lily Ellis drops by one year after graduation; we also hear from Jude Hughes about a play he has written. Cover image credit Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Thursday 18 June, 5.30pm, Chapel: Chapel Choir May Week Concert https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/downing-choir-may-week-recital-tickets-1988271907799 Thursday 18 and Friday 19 June at 5pm, Saturday 20 June at 4pm, East Lodge Garde...

We catch up with recent graduate George Jackson as he begins his career in the world of Musical Theatre. -=-=-=- Cover image credit Paul Ashley. Sunday 14 June, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong -=-=-=- Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 June, 9.30pm, Corpus Playroom: 'Giving Out'. Tickets available here . -=-=-=- If you'd like to take part in the DCMS May Week Recital on 19 June, contact Ria (DCMS President)...

Graham Robertson Research Fellow Dr Rachel Coombes chats about her favourite TV show. -=-=-=- Cover image credit Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Sunday 7 June, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 8 June, 6-6.30pm, Music Office T staircase: Take-a-Break Choir -=-=-=- Wednesday 10 June, 7.30pm, St Mary Magdalene, Lincoln: Declan Hickey & Michael Matthews, Guitar Duo. Details here .

Steve Bennett, Keeper of the Heong Gallery, gives us an insight into the new exhibition. -=-=-=- Credit image Peter Lanyon’s Drift , 1961. © Estate of Peter Lanyon. -=-=-=- Friday 29 May: New Exhibition open in the Gallery: Ten Good Years Sunday 31 May, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong with brass ensemble Monday 1 June, 6-6.30pm, Music Office, T staircase: Take-a-break Choir

James Bibey shares his love of composing music for the liturgy. -=-=-=- Cover image credit Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1883?53 Illuminated Choral Manuscript, Public Domain. -=-=-=- Sunday 24 May, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Eucharist -=-=-=- Saturday 23 May, 6pm, Read on Sea, Leigh-on-Sea: The Regency Duo. Information here .

PhD student Orlando Timmerman discusses how he fell into producing his first play. -=-=-=- Cover image credit Orlando Timmerman. -=-=-=- Thursday 14 & Friday 15 May, Howard Theatre, 7pm: 'A Very Divine Election'. Tickets available here . Monday 18 May, 6.15pm, Chapel: Commemoration of Benefactors -=-=-=- Thursday 14 - Saturday 16 May, ADC Theatre, 7.45pm: 'Scenes from the Climate Era'. Tickets...

We hear from Dr Aram Mooradian about his creative architectural projects. -=-=-=- Cover image 'Gyumri (historical centre)', credit O'micron, used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license . -=-=-=- Thursday 7 May, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: Lowering stress with art Thursday 7 May, 9pm, Chapel: Choral Compline Sunday 10 May, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 11 May,...

We celebrate the launch of the Leaves and catch up on Creative Arts activities in college. -=-=-=- Cover image copyright Paula Heister 2023. -=-=-=- Sunday 3 May, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 4 May, 6-6.30pm, Music Office T staircase: 'Take-a-Break' Choir Thursday 7 May, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: Stress-lowering session with creative media Friday 1 May - Sunday 10 May, Heong Gallery: Twining Eg...

College Archivist Jenny Ulph reveals a surprising musical history at Downing. -=-=-=- Cover image Music Society programme, 1896. -=-=-=- Friday 20 March, 4-6pm & 6-7pm, E-staircase Music Room: DCMS Jasdeep Singh lecture and concert. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jasdeep-singh-concert-masterclass-tickets-1984636075928 Friday 20 February - Sunday 19 April, Heong Gallery: 'Tudor Contemp...

The curator of the new exhibition in the Heong Gallery, 'Tudor Contemporary', gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process. -=-=-=- Cover image copyright Mat Collishaw. -=-=-=- Thursday 12 - Saturday 14 March, 7.30pm, Howard Theatre: A Festival of New Writing. Tickets available here . Sunday 15 March, 8pm, Chapel: The Chapel Choir perform Mozart's Requiem in concert. Sold out; wa...

Tune in to hear all about the forthcoming Festival of New Writing. -=-=-=- Cover image copyright Downing Dramatic Society. -=-=-=- Thursday 5 March, 5pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Thursday 5 March, 5pm, Howard Assembly Room: DCMS Recital of Violin & Piano music Saturday 7 March, 5-6pm, Howard Assembly Room: DCMS/Downing Arts Percussion Extravaganza concert. Tickets free for Downing members, avai...

Third-year Computer Scientist Bryan Abi Karam chats about his work as a photographer. -=-=-=- Cover image in the public domain. -=-=-=- Thursday 26, Friday 27, and Saturday 28 February, 7.15pm, Howard Theatre: DDS Freshers' Play 'After Juliet'. Tickets available here . Saturday 28 February, 5-6pm, Howard Assembly Room: Piano Showcase Concert featuring Danny Driver. Tickets free for Downing members...

Dr Ewan Jones discusses his recently-published novel, and how he's trying to revive a centuries-old artistic practice. -=-=-=- Cover image credit Irene Martinez Costa/TW. -=-=-=- Thursday 19 February, 5.30pm, Ely Cathedral: The Chapel Choir sing Evensong Sunday 22 February, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 9 February, 6.30-7.30pm, Chapel: Talk and discussion: 'A Musical Church'. Tuesday 24 Febr...

House Porter Gustavo Ávila chats about his favourite film. -=-=-=- Cover image in the public domain. -=-=-=- Thursday 12 February, 9-9.30pm, Chapel: Come and Sing Compline Sunday 15 February, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 9 February, 6.30-7.30pm, Chapel: Talk and discussion: 'A Spiritual Church'. Tuesday 17 February, 5-6pm, Heong Gallery: Life-drawing class. Downing students only. Book your...

Third-year HSPS student Ivan Ampiah discusses his love of Musical Theatre. -=-=-=- Thursday 5 February, 6.30-7.30pm, Howard Assembly Room: DCMS Chapel Choir Members' Recital Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 February, 7.30pm, Howard Theatre: DDS production 'Send in the Clowns'. Tickets available here . Saturday 7 February, 9pm, JCR: Cambridge Bands play to raise money for Breast Cancer. Tickets available...

We catch up with recent Downing alumnus and professional guitarist Declan Hickey. Cover image credit Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Thursday 29 January, 9pm, Chapel: Choral Compline Friday 30 January, 11am-12pm, Wilkins Room: Qi Gong movement workshop in association with the Gallery's current exhibition. Click here to find out more. Friday 30 January, 5-6.30pm, Howard Theatre: 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibit...

Head of Academic Skills, Dr Hamish Symington, chats about his alter ego as a cryptic crossword setter. Cover image released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Deed . -=-=-=- Sunday 25 January, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 26 January, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: 'Through the Gap' Creative Workshop. Space is limited and booking is essential. Email wellbeing-advisor@dow.cam.ac.uk . 'A Gap in t...

In this Bridgemas Special episode, we're joined by new band Cash Only, as well as Honorary Fellow and former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, Martin Baker. Cover image copyright Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome. 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcom...

Purchasing & Stores Manager David Stroud tells the story of his first encounter with 'Alien'. Cover image by Jacob-the-fox-critic, licensed under Creative Commons  CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 . -=-=-=- Thursday 27, Friday 28, and Saturday 29 November, 7.15pm, Howard Theatre: DDS Christmas Comedy Show. Tickets available  here . Friday 28 November, 3-4pm, E-Staircase Music Room: Juggling Workshop with Guinn...

PhD student Remi Poulard discusses his favourite book. Cover image: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, public domain. -=-=-=- Thursday 20 November, 9pm, Chapel: Choral Compline, followed by port and hot chocolate. Sunday 23 November, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 24 November, 7.30pm, Chapel: DCMS Organ Recital. Tuesday 25 November, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: Life Drawing. Register via  Eventbrite . Tuesda...

Visiting Scholar Demetrius Floudas enthuses about the Mask of Agamemnon, and we hear from one of the directors of this week's DDS show, 'An Evening with Chekhov.' Cover image: Xuan Che, 'Mask of Agamemnon', licensed under the  Creative Commons   Attribution 2.0 Generic license. -=-=-=- Thursday 13 November, 6pm, Emmanuel College Chapel: The Chapel Choir join forces with our friends across the road...

Third-year Art Historian Apple Sershi reveals why the devil in art is so fascinating. Cover image: detail from Bartolomé Bermejo (1440-1500) 'St Michael Triumphs over the Devil', photo credit Sailko (1 March 2017), licensed under the  Creative Commons   Attribution 3.0 Unported  license. -=-=-=- Friday 7 November, 7pm, Paddock: Fireworks display. Free to Downing members and guests. Refreshments on...

Downing's Creative Arts Co-ordinator Fran Rothwell-Hughes introduces the new Gallery Exhibition 'A Gap in the Clouds'. Cover photo: Edvard Munch, Melancholy, 1902. Woodcut, 38.2-38.5 x 45.5-49.5cm. Private collection, Norway. Photograph: Sidsel de Jong. -=-=-=- Thursday 30 October, 12.30-1pm, Gallery: Curator's Tour 'A Gap in the Clouds'. All welcome; booking not required. Sunday 2 November, 6pm,...

Continuing last week's law-related theme, masters student Tiffany Tivasuradej discusses Agatha Christie's play 'Witness for the Prosection'. Cover photo by TomasEE, licensed under the  Creative Commons   Attribution 3.0 Unported  license. -=-=-=- Thursday 23 October, 9-9.30pm, Chapel: Choral Compline, followed by port and hot chocolate. Saturday 25 October, 5-5.30pm, Chapel: Informal performance o...