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Jon Sleigh

@jonsleigh.bsky.social

Arts Educator & Learning Curator working nationally freelance. All views my own. (he/him) Author of ‘What Are Museums For?’ book link https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/what-are-museums-for

984 Followers  |  722 Following  |  138 Posts  |  Joined: 17.10.2024  |  2.3166

Latest posts by jonsleigh.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Inspiring morning interviewing the magical duo of artist Jermeny Deller and curator Emily Stone to explore the recent piece ‘The Triumph of Art’ c2025 at The National Gallery. A mindful conversation covering folk art, festivals, belonging, class, landscapes and our bodies 🤓🙌

10.10.2025 12:14 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Utterly joyful day working with my friends at Sheffield Museums on an exhibition consultation, using art to express identity. Of the many masterpieces I got to use my hands down favorite is this cheeky Satyr cup, c19 century maker unknown. What a face! 👌thanks to all who joined us

09.10.2025 17:47 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Beautiful day hosting ‘Silver Sunday’ at The Wallace Collection - craft, conversation and a tour from me in the Great Gallery set to music and storytelling. I was so moved at how many came and deeply engaged with us, massive thanks! My art highlight today has to be Van Dyke’s Paris c1628 🤓

05.10.2025 15:54 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Thanks and you all too - huge fan of the institute and the beautiful work you do ❤️👏

24.09.2025 17:17 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Beautiful experience today interviewing acclaimed artist Robert Taylor reading Queerness, class and belonging in uk art collections. Revisiting ‘Permissable Beauty’ c2023 at Historic Royal Palaces was deeply moving, as was our piece in focus ‘Ebony Rose Dark’ picture here ❤️

24.09.2025 17:16 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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If you literally look beyond the politics it’s a reminder of the STUNNING artwork the government has at Chequers 🙌

18.09.2025 18:26 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

A short lived vogue of the Jacobean court was to have it that low it showed the areola - 1610’s 🤓

12.09.2025 22:25 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Lovely day working with my friends at the National Portrait Gallery full of wonder and sharing 🙌 the ‘magic’ time for me though is wandering the galleries at lunchtime, seeing works and spaces that feel like old chums I’m reunited with ❤️

11.09.2025 17:16 — 👍 7    🔁 2    💬 2    📌 0

Dreadful visually and sloppy too, may have an emotional significance though to the painter or tomb? 🤔

10.09.2025 16:39 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

This looks awesome 👏 🤓’saucy saints’ is genius bab 👌

20.08.2025 09:44 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Really special morning interviewing the brilliant artist Sunil Gupta exploring the intersection of social class, ethnicity, sexuality and belonging. Our starting point was the deeply moving Untitled #02 from the ‘London 1982’ series pictured at the Government Art Collection pictured here 🙌

05.08.2025 12:27 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

2/2 at the Wallace it’s 2-4 - 30 / mins on gallery storytelling with object handing/ sensory interactions (last time studying light we used kaleidoscopes on the chandeliers) then an hour arts with breaks /tea and biscuits. Moving between galley and workshop takes 20 mins roughly but we never rush 😎

29.07.2025 21:05 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

1/2 aww thanks lovely 🥰 they are wonderful and such a mix of emotions - spaces to be playful, laugh and be cheeky, but also spaces to be honest, emotional, reflective at times - mostly kind I hope

29.07.2025 21:01 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Very mindful and full of kindness - the defo ion of art working for people 🤓thankyou!

29.07.2025 18:25 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Session 3/4 of my dementia friendly storytelling residency at The Wallace Collection ❤️ such a mindful afternoon of discovery around Jan Van Huysum ‘Flowers in a Vase’ c1726 pictured here, lovingly remade in clay over tea and laughter ⭐️

29.07.2025 16:55 — 👍 7    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

This looks BRILLIANT 🤓🙌🌈

18.07.2025 16:06 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Oohh beautiful thanks so much for sharing ! 🤓🙌

29.06.2025 18:32 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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LGBTQ+ magic last night with my friends at The National Gallery delivering a members talk on coded messages in art 🌈 a stand out in terms of emotion with the audience was Minerva and Mercury conduct the Duke of Buckingham to the Temple of Virtue Peter Paul Rubens before 1625

27.06.2025 12:02 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1
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My lovely dementia friendly residency at The Wallace Collection continues - today an exploration of Rembrandt, light and emotion. Then playful use of pastels and blending. Such a nice vibe! Thanks to our lovely group for joining us in the storytelling and making ⭐️

24.06.2025 17:12 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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A delightful morning interviewing Dame Kelly Holmes exploring being a sitter for the National Portrait Gallery 💖 together we spoke of becoming national art history, LQBTQ+ togetherness, a shared history of grown up working class, representation and uplifting others.

12.06.2025 13:48 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Preview
Villiers Revealed Digital Exhibition Virtual Tour

Find out more about artist Aaran Sian: www.instagram.com/aarancyan/?h...

If you are not able to visit in person, you can view every phase of the exhibition, including the previous iteration co-curated by @jonsleigh.bsky.social, in this interactive digital exhibition:
villiers.digital-exhibition.uk

19.05.2025 12:54 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Two places of worship visited this weekend - both sensational x

18.05.2025 12:32 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Heartwarming day at The Wallace Collection delivering our relaxed dementia friendly opening of the exhibition ‘Delusions of Gradure’ by Grayson Perry - delighted by how many joined us and the emotion we found in the storytelling 🥰 having the gallery to ourselves a huge luxury 🙌

06.05.2025 12:34 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Stunning 🤩

02.05.2025 11:51 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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A day working in my beloved brum and chance to see ‘Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White— Prints from the Rembrandt House Museum’ at Birmingham Museums Trust - beautiful, intricate and excellent storytelling.

01.05.2025 14:24 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Lovely prep day working at The Wallace Collection and time in the exhibtion ‘Delusions of Gradure’ by Grayson Perry - fascinating and immersive. Struck a cord with me on many levels, the biggest being how I project myself onto gallery spaces. Loved it 🙌

29.04.2025 15:52 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Reading this for work and I have ‘feelings’…. Excellent read and details but the innate privilege of the authors voice keeps snagging with me, especially in some of the expressions. It’s a seemingIy unchallenged confidence that I struggle to connect with. Perhaps I’m projecting. Perhaps not.

25.04.2025 12:33 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Such a lovely review of my first book with @brisunipress.bsky.social from @gem.org.uk - massive thanks to Katya Provornaya for the immensely kind words 🙌 means so much to me and made me emosh!

24.04.2025 12:22 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

I remember having my mind blown as a (dim) 16 year old when my history teacher really drilled into our heads that laws are just what enough of a powerful interest group decides is right, that the law isn't infallible, and that it can be moral to oppose certain laws

16.04.2025 10:33 — 👍 314    🔁 61    💬 4    📌 4

This picture is spot on and chefs kiss 🤓🙌

13.04.2025 15:04 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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