Set in the small village of Aldenham, close to the towns of Radlett, Bushey and Watford, in the Hertfordshire countryside St John the Baptist church is a wonderful mediaeval church of outstanding beauty where Christians have worshipped since the 13 th century.
The addition of a large selection of original works of art from artists in many mediums and styles makes it the ideal place to spend an hour or two, browsing, having tea and buying something to fill that space on your wall.
There will be a big selection of both framed and unframed original art and prints to browse and buy at affordable prices as well as refreshments and maybe some live entertainment.
All proceeds from the Art Festival will help to preserve the fabric of this beautiful and historic church for the future. Your donations on entry will help this and artists will be donating a fee to hang their work and a commission on sales.
With a stunning selection from over 500 works from 80+ artists, in all styles and mediums there is a huge choice of art and something for everyone at affordable prices. All pictures will be for sale and purchasers can take pictures with them when they have paid the full selling price as listed in the catalogue given out at the door. Payments accepted by card or cash – Sorry, NO cheques!
All sales include a commission and donations for entry and refreshments will all go towards renovations and repairs to this wonderful building and help preserve it for the future.
Due to your amazing support we have already reached the maximum number of artists we can accommodate this year. If you would like to go on the waiting list then please click on the ‘Contact’ tab above and send us a message; we will be in touch if a space occurs which we deal with in the order they arrive.
We look forward to an amazing exhibition and thank you for your enthusiasm for our show!
Full instructions, details of hand in and hand back and other information are in the 2024 Entry Rules which you can download here ENTRY RULES
Enter online through the website following this link ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM or download the entry form from this link PAPER REGISTRATION FORM FOR ACROBAT READER (PDF) and send it to: Aldenham Art Festival, c/o 6 Belmont Road, Bushey, Herts WD23 2JT. We will email you shortly after the closing date for confirmation of your work and you will have the chance then to change anything.
The Aldenham Art Festival was back bigger and better than ever for its 5th event with over 85 artists from a wide area of Herts, Bucks, Beds and North London displaying over 500 artworks. It was a huge selection with prices from £15 - £2500 in all styles catered for all tastes. Probably the biggest Art Exhibition in the area set in the stunning environment of Aldenham Church, a 12th century architectural masterpiece which beautifully complements the art.
Preview night was a delight with the church packed with people welcomed by the bells ringing and wonderful live music by Adrienne Freeman and friends. Aldenham Golf Club made sure we were well ‘watered’ and fed and Councillors Helen Jones and Caroline Clapper officially opened the show for us. A visit from Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Hertsmere made for a memorable Friday morning when he delighted in tucking into the tea and cake on offer and enjoying the view from the top of the tower.
Live music from Eugenia Russell and her husband on keyboards and cello and from Laurie Kaye and friend on saxophones made a delight on other days!
Generous support from the Golf Club in promoting the event and the huge number of volunteers made a true success of the event.
Special mention of all the volunteers who helped out so willingly, providing the home-made cakes and scones and giving a warm welcome to all made this event amazing – a BIG thank you to you all!
The display of art was truly exceptional and showed the wealth of talent that abounds. There was such a wide variety of work and some truly exceptional pieces on display. This was proved in the sales which at over £12,000 were way above expectations and anything achieved in previous years. We thank all the artists for supporting us once again and hope you will again in the future.
The profits have gone to help maintain the beautiful building that hosts the event and in particular to support the installation of the new heating system that will help to preserve it for the future.
This was a truly great result, not only financially but also in many other ways. I think all those that came either to visit, help or exhibit enjoyed the spirit that went with the great art and wonderful surroundings, going away with either something they loved to go on the wall or some good memories of Aldenham, the church and the Art!
Picture shows on the left (from left to right): Councillor Caroline Clapper, Cllr Helen Jones (Chair Aldenham PC), Ken Haslar (organiser) at the preview night
Visit of Oliver Dowden MP and Deputy PM, picture shows left to right: Roy Adcock, Asst Church Warden, Louis Fletcher (son of Robert Fletcher), Oliver Dowden, Robert Fletcher (Vicar) and Ken Haslar (Organiser)
Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s festival and to those who came along and enjoyed the art and the teas! Hopefully you have filled a space on the wall or just enjoyed the occasion.
This year will live in our memories as the time we sadly lost Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The news came through about half an hour after we had started the Preview Night. The Mayor of Hertsmere was with us and called everyone to order to announce the news and we all held a moment of silence and reflection with a multi faith prayer led by Archdeacon Jane Mainwaring who was also present.
The evening continued with drinks and canapes served in an excellent way by the staff of Aldenham Golf Club who also provided it all and supported us in many other ways.
The subsequent open days saw many members of the public come along and admire the amazing standard and variety of work that was on display from 82 artists. We thank them all for the quality of their work and artistic ability that they shared with us. No less than 70 pictures were sold at a value of around £6,000. Considering the state of the economy and the death of our monarch, which must have led many people to think we may have been closed or they didn’t feel like coming out, this was a pretty good result.
Particular thanks go to our catering team who did an amazing job providing the home-made cakes of which some 32 delicious masterpieces worthy of ‘Bake Off’ came from one persons’ kitchen.
Our sponsors too played a vastly important role and without which we wouldn’t have been able to put the £5,000+ profit made back into the church funds towards the replacement of the antiquated boiler to ensure the longevity of our magnificent building.
Huge thanks to everyone – see you next time!
All pictures below are courtesy of Ken Haslar
Last year’s Aldenham Art Festival, ( its third year), was by general acclaim the biggest and best yet. There were more artists and more artworks than ever before. Over 80 artists drawn from a wide area of Herts, Bucks, Beds and North London as well as our local regulars from Aldenham, Radlett, Bushey and Watford entered over 500 artworks, both framed and unframed. The expansion of the browser section gave artists greater opportunities to exhibit their mounted but unframed work, in addition to the three framed pieces allowed per artist. The browsers proved to be popular both with the artists and with the visitors. Sales of artwork nearly doubled in value on last year to nigh on £9k which in addition to revenue from sponsorship, artists entry fees, donations and income from refreshments and sundry items meant that there was a good profit to help support the fabric of the fabulous building it is held in.
Not only was the Festival a financial success but it was an enjoyable weekend in line with the commitment to make the Church a centre for social and cultural activities for all members of the community. Guests included the Worshipful the Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Alan Plancey, at the Preview, Oliver Dowden MP on Friday and various other guests over the weekend. The valuable sponsorship of Aldenham Golf and Country Club was supplemented by additional sponsors, Oliver and Akers Estate Agents, London Colney, and Morris Wealth Management, Radlett. Others have contributed anonymously. The colour brochure was largely financed through the advertisements of local businesses and professional organisations. We thank them all.
The team of volunteers from the church did amazing work at every stage of the operation including the provision of cake, tea, coffee and other refreshments. Others worked tirelessly transporting and erecting the display boards and hanging the paintings. The bell ringers provided a peal of bells to open the Festival on the Preview Night and flowers in the church added to the ambience of the occasion. Stewards provided a warm welcome throughout the weekend. Our Treasurer has been working overtime, it really was a team effort.
Perhaps the greatest debt of all must go to the artists. Numerous comments were made about the quality and variety of the work on display appealing to all tastes making it one of the best art shows in the area.
We look forward to another great show this year and for those who sold work, congratulations. For those who did not sell, stick with us, we are on the way up!
Our thanks and congratulations to all for a fantastic result!
More information on how to enter the next event: Aldenham Art Festival 2020
All pictures below are courtesy of Ken Haslar
After the great success of last year’s show this year’s event was staged over the weekend of Thursday 14th - Sunday 16th September in the beautiful setting of Aldenham Church.
With well over 430 paintings both framed and unframed to choose from it was an eye-catching exhibition with some amazing original, contemporary and traditional works of art to browse and buy at affordable prices from £20 - £900.
The event kicked off with the Preview evening with delicious canapés and drinks kindly supplied by Aldenham Golf and Country Club to whom we are enormously grateful. not only for this but also for the massive support they have shown us this and last year. Well over 100 people came to this evening and in the following three days many more came to view the works and to sample the delicious home made cakes and refreshments.
The addition of the new browser racks made a huge difference to the public’s access to them and lots more sales were made of unframed work than before. This will be further expanded next time.
The event kicked off with the Preview evening with delicious canapés and drinks kindly supplied by Aldenham Golf and Country Club to whom we are enormously grateful. not only for this but also for the massive support they have shown us this and last year. Well over 100 people came to this evening and in the following three days many more came to view the works and to sample the delicious home made cakes and refreshments.
In all, 58 pictures were sold and over £5,000 was taken on sales. The commission on this coupled with the entrance donations and refreshment sales meant that over £4,000 was handed over to the church for much needed maintenance of this wonderful medieval building. But it wasn’t just about sales, lots of people came and had an enjoyable couple of hours admiring the pictures, the historic building and enjoying a great social occasion.
Huge thanks go to everyone who helped to put this show on and supported us. Plans are finalised for next year and the 2019 event has all the signs of becoming one of the biggest and finest art shows in this part of the world.
More information on how to enter the next event: Aldenham Art Festival 2019
All pictures below are courtesy of Ken Haslar
It was amazing to see this beautiful 12th century church not only full of people but also full of quality original paintings, collages and other mediums – 209 framed and 215 in ‘browser racks’ made it a massive show. With so many styles, sizes and mediums to choose from the show must be considered amongst the best in the County for lovers of art seeking to fill a space on their walls, and many did so!
The event brought many local residents into the church for the first time who were surprised at this little gem in the heart of the village. It was also a brilliant social occasion for parishioners and local residents.
The event began with a Preview Night on Friday 15 th September with over 180 guests and artists attending; they were treated to Prosecco, wine and soft drinks accompanied by trays of wonderful canapés all with the compliments of Aldenham Golf Club and accompanied by live music from Harpist Lucy Haslar.
The event continued over Saturday 16 th and Sunday 17th , with delicious home-made cakes and refreshments available to all visitors. During the event a pianist played soft light music, at times other musicians and singers accompanied him. One very enthusiastic and talented singer was local resident Julia Romanenkova who sung her native Russian ballads.
Over £3000 was raised for the church and will provide much needed funds to preserve this wonderful building. At the close of the Art Festival thirty-eight paintings were sold raising a total of nearly £4000 plus donations and refreshment money. Pretty good for a first time!
Paul Lancaster, General Manager at Aldenham Golf Club said ‘We were more than happy to supply the refreshments and some sponsorship for the Aldenham Art Festival. It was a good opportunity for us, as new owners of the club, to get more involved in the village and the community.
Plans are made this year and with some improvements in mind 'Aldenham Art' will become a landmark event in the calendars or artists, buyers and visitors alike.
All pictures below are courtesy of Ken Haslar
