Curious Histories - Festival Special 2026

Curator of the Royal Pavilion, Alexandra Loske, and Brighton University's Fiona Ponikwer, star in our Ageing Well Festival double-bill. We are delighted that our Curious Histories lecture programme is returning to the city's vibrant Ageing Well Festival, which provides opportunities for people aged 50 and over to explore new experiences and meet new people. But do please note that you don't have to be over 50 to attend our show: we're open to all! The festival highlights the many activities that help reduce isolation and increase well-being in the older population. This double-bill of unusual talks features Dr Alexandra Loske, the Curator of Brighton's Royal Pavilion, and Dr Fiona Ponikwer of Brighton University - two terrific speakers who are returning to our programme. The show will be held at St. John's church in Hove. We're asking for a small donation to come along. Ample refreshment will be provided at our bar, serving both alcoholic and soft drinks, which takes cash and cards. Doors and bar open at 7pm and the talks begin at 7.15pm. There will be an interval between the talks and we should finish by 9pm. Our talks: Finding Miss Gartside: A visionary Shropshire Lad(y) Dr Alexandra Loske, curator of the Royal Pavilion, returns to Curious Histories with the story of an unique personal pilgrimage. For many years, she had been researching, writing and lecturing about a certain Miss Gartside (c.1754-1819), the first known woman in Western culture to have published an illustrated treatise on colour. Like many creative women in history, Gartside had been overlooked or marginalised, but her pioneering spirit and thinking becomes clear when comparing her daring writing and abstract illustrations with other works on colour from the Georgian period. Alexandra made it her mission to bring this intriguing botanical painter and colour theorist out of the darkness of history. In 2024, she published the first stand-alone monograph on Gartside, as well as writing her Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry. While on holiday in Shropshire in the summer of 2025, Alexandra decided to search for where Gartside last lived and where she died in the winter of 1819. This turned into a moving journey of exploration, conversation and discovery, with surprising findings. This talk tells the story of finding Miss Gartside. The Vampiric Victorian City Some unusual cultural and artistic histories of the nineteenth century take centre stage in Dr Fiona Ponikwer's talk. She looks at how, long before Bram Stoker, ideas of vampirism were utilised in literature and art to show apprehension and horror at the phenomenon of rapid, uncontrollable urbanisation in the Victorian age. Our speakers: Alexandra Loske is curator of the Royal Pavilion and a colour historian. She is the author of several books on colour and other topics, including the substantial Book of Colour Concepts (TASCHEN) and The Artist's Palette (Thames & Hudson). Her research on Gartside and other women in colour history is supported by the Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research at the University of Sussex and the V&A Museum, London. Fiona Ponikwer recently retired from the University of Brighton as a senior lecturer in the School of Applied Sciences, but she started her academic career in a very different area. This talk returns to her first passion and the subject of her doctorate: how vampirism as a metaphor in late 19th century art and literature reflected the fears and concerns of the time. FAQs How do I find out more about Curious Histories? You can follow us here on eventbrite, or join our public facebook chat group. How does the ticketing work? The tickets are by donation and we request £6 per person. If you would like to get more than one ticket, simply enter a figure in multiples of five. In other words, £12 buys you two tickets, £18 buys three, and so on. How do I get to and from the event? On-street parking in the vicinity is relatively limited, but the following buses stop within a minute's walk of St. John's (Palmeira square stop): 1, 1X, 2, 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 21, 25, 46, 49. Hove railway station is approximately a 15 minute walk from the venue. What refreshments will be available? There will be a bar serving a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It will take both card and cash payments. Where does my donation go? All proceeds from the bar and the retiring collection go straight to the community work of St. John's, such as the Cornerstone food bank. Are there ID or minimum age requirements to attend the event? No, the event is open to all ages. Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? No, we will have a list of names on the door. Is it okay if the name on my ticket or registration doesn't match the person who attends? Yes, that's fine. Will latecomers be admitted? The first talk will begin at 7.15pm, but there will be some seats reserved for latecomers. What if I've bought a ticket but am unable to come? If you're not able to come, you are welcome to offer your ticket to someone else. If you can't give your ticket to another person, drop Curious Histories a line - if the event is sold out we may be able to re-sell it for you. Is there wheelchair access to the venue? Yes, St.John's is fully wheelchair accessible. Alexandra's search for Miss Gartside ...