Check out some of the fantastic art events, workshops and celebrations taking place in Shrewsbury this August, 2025. I am doing my best to support/contribute to all of these as well as running some of my own.
Emergency Gel Plate and Stencil Workshop – Harvey Taylor
Something woke me at 3 am and told me to put on a gel print/stencil workshop.
Happening Sunday! 17th August 2-5pm.
7 places. And 3 have gone already.
Half price, at £20, due to short notice.
BOOK HERE: https://www.englishbridgestudios.org/event-details/from-stunning-stencils-to-gel-prints
Highly Flammable Studios is a dynamic creative venue fronted by ace videographer (and talented performer) Aaron. In addition to all the amazing services they offer, HFS are showcasing some of the best local artists this August. Come and have a go! It’s free, but please donate what you can to cover materials. You get to take your art away with you and it’s child friendly too!
These are drop in events so no need to book.
Drawn Collective.
Next on the list, this August is the truly inspiring Drawn Collective ‘Drawn in Summer’. As this is the 10th such event, the founder and inspiration behind Drawn, Cherie Jerrard, decided to put on a massive celebration including an actual Indian Circus! There will be street food, lots of lovely art to buy and loads more. Expect a real buzz at Shrewsbury Flaxmill on 9th August. The kids will love it too!
Just Click on the Drawn image below and it will take you to the Drawn website where you can review all the events, tickets prices, and book tickets and tote bags online. Or pay on the door.
English Bridge Studios – Summer of Wellbeing.
Artists at English Bridge Studios (aka my second home) have a fantastic array of workshops this August. This is a brilliant opportunity to learn new skills, meet unique artists at their Shrewsbury base, and participate in the community art phenomenon currently taking Shrewsbury by storm.
Follow the link here, and scroll down the page, to book onto an EBS Summer of Wellbeing workshop.
For example, Caris Jackson is offering a weekly morning workshop every Thursday throughout August.
There are also lots more English Bridge Studios workshops, including an Emergency Gel Plate and Stencilling Workshop on 17th August run by me! throughout late July/|August 2025 on Mosaics, Print Making and Folk Dolls and lots more. BOOK now as these are going quick!
I am not even going to try and list all the events at this iconic community venue in the heart of Shrewsbury. Just follow the link to The Hive here. What I am going to tell you is that there is a FREE exhibition here now until 29th August by the seriously creative Wellbeing Art Group who meet every Thursday at English Bridge Studios and which I am proud to now play a role in supporting. Jean Mills has been leading WAG for 10 years and Jackie Coyle for the last 2 years. Check out the fabulous handmade books which they helped participants create. Joseph Coyle ran the doll making project for WAG participants, and I got involved back in May, leading the giant canvas abstract art project (which celebrates 40 years of artistry at English Bridge Studios).
Gateway Gallery – PRINT NOW!
This is a brilliant way to introduce yourself to the works of a dozen or more extremely talented local printmaker artists who help to make Shrewsbury such a vibrant cultural hub. You can also acquire prints at really affordable prices and maybe even get to meet the lovely Lucy Cadell who curates these exhibitions (and runs very popular art workshops throughout the year at fab locations, with wine)
This exhibition is on now and runs until runs until 29th August 2025
Below the image is a list of what’s still on and where on the Shrewsbury Arts Trail. Or you can go direct to the Shrewsbury Arts Trail website here.
The reason I put this image in (and not the Picasso or Banksy), is because it represents the predominantly local artists, exhibiting some of their finest work on the top floor of Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery. Another exciting demonstration of the fantastic art available here on our doorstep in Shrewsbury.
24 June – 16 August: Open Exhibition – Visual Art Network Gallery
1 July – 31 August: Shrewsbury Arts Trail Open Exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery – these are the local artists on the top floor.
The Parade Shops – more stunning local art, PLUS visit the fabulous Artisan Lab where you can meet the ever dynamic Josey, buy and support lots more local makers and artists, and then nip into Bobbys for an excellent Taco.
1 July – 31 August: Shrewsbury Arts Trail Inspirational Exhibition – renowned artists Halima Cassell MBE, Andrew Logan MBE, Jacob Chandler and Ian Rayer-Smith as well as modern masters including Pablo Picasso., again at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, first floor.
1 July – 31 August: Exhibition of photographs by Shropshire photographer, Jordan Stokes
Theatre Severn
1 July – 31 August: Exhibition of High Street flag designs by local children – Greenhous Hub
Swanhill Studios If you haven’t met the irrepressible Sam Pooley-Stride yet, you haven’t really arrived. Sam is one of those forces of nature that will drag you kicking and screaming out of Plaato’s Cave and show you the real world in all its glory and chaos. You’ve missed her deeply personal, recent ‘All Roads Lead to Mother’ exhibition (unless you were one of the hundreds who didn’t). But there’s always more going on at Swanhill Studios. Follow the links for upcoming events. And if you are a practising artist you could also think about joining The Circle.
Artshack is open all the year round. Maggie Allmark is the best host and the most fantastic teacher and there are so many talented helpers (Linzi McGivern, Jacob Gourley, Audrey Whyle) and members, that it is impossible to do them all justice. If you want to dip your toe in the artistic waters, in a truly supportive and warm environment, this is a great place to start. I will be visiting again soon!
Open Mic Poetry Shrewsbury
There are several open Mic events. The Good Hands open mic in Frankwell is closed for August, but will be back in September. Meanwhile The Dolphin pub in Shrewsbury hosts a monthly poetry and spoken word open mic night. It takes place on the last Tuesday of every month at 8pm, hosted by Claire Brown. Attendees are invited to share their own poetry or spoken word pieces.
Katherine Soutar – Bear Steps Exhibition from 3 August
If, like me, you are a sucker for pre-IT multimedia (aka illustrated texts, poetry), I think we are going to love Katherine Soutar’s upcoming exhibition at Bear Steps Gallery in Shrewsbury. You can find out more about Katherine’s highly evocative work at http://katherinesoutarillustration.com/ I am especially looking forwards to the Meet the Artist day on 9th August. In the meantime check out ‘When sorrows come, Hares and poems’ especially The Names of the Hare, a beautiful medieval poem which Katherine has ‘reverse’ illustrated. That’s my term for when you create a visual image and subsequently discover someone has already written about it, even though the image did not exist at the time of writing. (see below)
The Makery Shrewsbury Market
Oh…. and finally….. check out the truly amazing Makery in Shrewsbury Market where the effervescent Kate Johnston of Coppermoss Jewellery, Mel Fullerton of Silverlicious Artisan Jewellery, and Annalin Owen of Annalin Makes will entice you with their fab jewellery and prints.
Want your event to appear here? Just fill in the contact form, I’ll send you a short e mail, and then you can forward images, short videos, and text. The focus is on VISUAL ARTS events (but I will consider music, spoken word, dance from Shrewsbury and surrounding area). Give me a couple of weeks notice, but the longer the better!
There is NO CHARGE for listings here. Just promote the bejezus out of any of my events on all available media when I have some!
Harvey Taylor Art and Performance 