Christmas at the Bar Convent

28 Nov – 19 Dec

Gather your loved ones for a visit to the Bar Convent this festive season as our historic house becomes aglow with a twinkling tree, dazzling decorations, and an exciting new luminous installation as part of this year’s Christmas experience Let there be Light!

A brand-new light installation will take centre-stage against the befitting backdrop of our stunning C18th Chapel this Christmas. Hope: Shadow and Light is a collaborative community work of art that not only responds to the Bar Convent’s Christmas theme but is part of a global drawing campaign originating in Viborg, Denmark; one of York’s fellow UNESCO Creative Cities of Media Arts. The project, in partnership with York arts charity, New Visuality, and installation artist, Nick Walters will see more than 200 drawings from 15 countries on five continents projected in the Bar Convent’s Chapel dome alongside work created in York as part of #DrawWithDenmark – Green Together 2023 Campaign.

Drawing is a universal language, and this global campaign uses creativity to generate positive change in a way that makes the world come together; a message that particularly emanates at Christmas.

Joining the visual conversation are local schools Our Lady Queen of Martyrs and St George’s RC Primary, learners from Blueberry Academy, ESOL students from York College, and even York’s Civic Party, led by the Lord Mayor of York himself. All art will be distilled into video installation in the exhibition and Chapel.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see this beautiful installation in addition to experiencing our Georgian Parlour dressed for Christmas, a special display in the exhibition and, of course, enjoy York’s favourite traditional Christmas lunch in our café.

Please book Christmas lunches in advance. No booking is required to visit the rest of the house.
Two-course Christmas Lunch: £27pp
Exhibition: Adult £6, Concessions £4, Children £2, Family Ticket £12
Chapel and Georgian Parlour: Free
Last admission: 4pm