Making Waves: A Closing Celebration Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026 10am – 5pm Suitable for all ages Join us to celebrate the Making Waves exhibition by marking its closing weekend with a 2-day festival of music, workshops, creative activities, food and drink for all the family in York Art Gallery and York Museum Gardens.  Sunday Programme: Face Painting 10am – 4.30pm Face Painting £7, […]

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Face Painting Sunday 30 August 2026 10am – 4.30pm   Prices: Glitter Tattoo £5, Face Painting £7, Magic Combo (face painting and glitter tattoo) £10  Suitable for ages 3+  Choose from a range of face painting designs by Fairy Dream Face Painting, including a striking wave inspired by Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave. Glitter tattoos are also available. […]

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Taiko Drumming Performances Sunday 30 August 2026 Performances: 11am – 11.30am and 3pm – 3.30pm Interactive ‘give it a go’ session: 1.30pm – 2pm Free Suitable for all ages   Enjoy an energetic Taiko drumming performance from York-based Taiko group, Kaminari UK. Taiko, which originated in Japan, is an energetic and dynamic form of drumming combining both […]

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The Art of Kokedama Sunday 30 August 2026 | 11am- 12 noon  £25 pp |  Book Tickets Suitable for ages 10+ In this creative session, Alice from The Outside In will take you step-by-step through the traditional style of creating Kokedama: using leafy plants and moss. Kokedama, roughly translates into English as ‘moss ball.’ You’ll […]

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Micklegate Choir Performance: Sound Waves Sunday 30 August 2026 12 noon Free Suitable for all ages   This year, the Micklegate Choir will be hosting their annual summer concert in York Art Gallery’s Making Waves exhibition. The choir will be performing excerpts from their programme which explores land, seascapes and choral pieces from Japan amongst the amazing Japanese art […]

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Jiu Jitsu Performance  Sunday 30 August 2026 2pm  Free Suitable for all ages Enjoy a demonstration of Jiu Jitsu, the unarmed self-defence martial art the Samurai (armoured warriors) used to train for the battlefield, with a modern twist. This performance will offer an introduction to the sport, showcasing techniques from falling safely to defence against punches, […]

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Open Studio: Make and Play Every Saturday and Sunday from 18 July – 6 September  except 25 July and 8 August 2026 10am – 4pm Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages   Discover family friendly stamp and ink activities inspired by the Making Waves: The Art of Woodblock Print exhibition in The Studio. Experiment, collaborate and create! 

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Sketchbook Circle Wednesday 9 September 2026 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm Suitable for ages 16+ | £5 per person** | Please call 01904 687687 and leave your name and an email address to reserve a space* *We are currently experiencing issues with our ticketing system, tickets for this event will be available to purchase from front […]

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Life Drawing – Model as Muse Saturday 12 September 2026, 2pm – 4pm Adult only (18+) | £15 per person* | Please call 01904 687687 and leave your name and an email address to reserve a space** **We are currently experiencing issues with our ticketing system, tickets for this event will be available to purchase from front […]

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Art for Wellbeing Sunday 13 September 2026, 10.30am – 12.30pm Suitable for ages 16+ |  Included in general admission | Booking not required Art activities to release your creative energy! Set in the beautiful surroundings of York Art Gallery’s Studio space, this 2-hour workshop gives opportunity for discovery and time to explore a variety of […]

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