Tea and Talk

Listen to a free talk from an expert on a different topic each month, have a cup of tea and a snack, and chat with like-minded people.

Wednesday 26th February 

Adverts from the Past - Jane Ellis

Persuading the customer to buy a particular product has always been essential in an extremely competitive market, and the world of advertising has changed out of all recognition in the last 200 years. This talk by local historian Jane Ellis looks back at adverts from local businesses, and how they promoted their wares and services. Some of these seem archaic, outlandish or even plain comical to our modern eyes!

Wednesday 26 March

Leeds City Centre – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ - Mike Piet

This month we will be joined by the Chair of Leeds Civic Trust's planning committee Mike Piet. Mike will use a few key locations in Leeds city centre which are the focus of development and talk us through what they were like in the past, what they are like now and what may be built there in the near future. 

Wednesday 30 April

People of colour represented at Temple Newsam - Ellie Leeson

The British country house as an institution conjures ideas of grandeur, wealth, beautiful objects, fancy portraits and opulent rooms with towering ceilings. Temple Newsam is such a house. Within Temple Newsam, there are several historical objects which contain imagery of black people who have, until recently, been overshadowed against the dominantly white narrative of the house. Who were these people? This talk with researcher Ellie Leeson will look at these objects and how it fits into the wider narrative and portrayal of people of colour in society.

Wednesday 28 May

Inspired by Temple Newsam - Martin Pearson

Join us for this month’s talk to hear from artist Martin Pearson about his experience of producing the artwork that is on display currently at Temple Newsam as part of the exhibition Inspired by Temple Newsam.

Wednesday 25 June

Wilkie Painting - Cat Clarke

Cat Clarke’s talk looks at how a figure in a small painting in the Temple Newsam Collection gives us a different perspective to the usual Country House narrative on the lives of Black Georgians in Britain, and how visitors can play a part in detecting intriguing stories hidden in plain sight.

Wednesday 30 July

The Village Funeral - Dr Helen Frisby

Join us this month to hear Dr Helen Frisby’s talk about Frank Holl’s painting I am the Resurrection and Life (Village Funeral). She will draw on this painting to talk about how historical paintings can help us explore not only the art movements that give birth to them but also as a social commentary about the lives and social and cultural norms of that time. 

Wednesday 29 August

Commonwealth War Graves - Brian Joyce

Delivered by a Volunteer CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) speaker, this month’s talk will take you from the creation of the commission in WW1 to present day of maintaining the cemeteries, repairing memorials, searching for missing names and amending records, and conducting reburials and rededications.

Wednesday 24 September

The visual vocabularies of Chinese decorative art - Hong Zhong

This talk by Hong Zhong will invite you to look at some of the most popular visual motifs used in Chinese decorative art, as illustrated by a variety of Chinese artefacts, from wallpapers to porcelain vases, on display at Temple Newsam. The audience will be guided to look through the artefacts’ intricate patterns and colours to discover their linguistic, metaphoric or historic origins, auspicious and benevolent meanings, and diverse applications within a fascinating cultural perspective.

Wednesday 22 October

Lady Irwin - Leeds Waits

Join us for this month’s Tea & Talk for the world premier by Leeds Waits on Frances, Lady Irwin!

Wednesday 26 November

The Butler’s Pantry - Adam Toole

Join us this month to hear from Adam Toole, the curator of Decorative Arts at Temple Newsam and Leeds Museums and Galleries to hear about how the Butler’s Pantry restoration project that opened to the public in the Spring of 2025.

Wednesday 10 December

Sculpture at Temple Newsam - Clare Nadal

Clare Nadal, our assistant curator of sculpture, talks about Temple Newsam’s era as Leeds’s Art Gallery during World War II and how this has provided the impetus for the sculpture exhibition that will be opening at Temple Newsam in 2026.