A national festival celebrating Grinling Gibbons' extraordinary legacy, from August 2021 - August 2022
3 August, 2021 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Grinling Gibbons — one of the greatest wood carvers in the history of European sculpture.
The Grinling Gibbons Society is coordinating this tercentenary with a year-long national festival — Grinling Gibbons 300 — to celebrate the achievements, influence, and vibrant legacy of this astonishing craftsman.
The festival, which will run from August 2021 until August 2022, will include a rich programme of public events, creative projects, educational experiences, online resources, and a major touring exhibition — Centuries in the Making. This exhibition brings together Gibbons’ works from museums, churches, historic houses and private collections across the UK, and will be shown at Bonhams, London, followed by Compton Verney Art Gallery in Warwickshire.
Other festival highlights will include Baroque musical performances, talks and tours, at many sites across the country where Gibbons has left his legacy in wood and stone.
During Gibbons’ life, and in the 300 years since his death, his artistry and unique vision has shaped the material culture of Britain and beyond. In mutual recognition of the genius and cultural significance of Grinling Gibbons, a diverse spectrum of organisations, including guilds, museums, historic houses and collections, has come together to plan a national tercentennial festival with the status and scope befitting this national icon.
Britain’s next generation of carvers continue to be inspired by Gibbons, both creatively, and in their quest for excellence. A tercentenary award for emerging wood and stone carvers, created in collaboration with the Master Carvers Association, is providing an opportunity for upcoming carvers to evolve their skills and showcase their talents on a national level.