Bath’s Victoria Art Gallery has released a list of free workshops and activities open to all over the October holidays.

Free October half-term activities for families include:

The Big Draw – Exquisite Corpse: The Surrealist drawing game: Saturday, 21st October, 10.30am to 2pm.

What wild and weird creatures can you come up with? Play the Surrealist artists’ drawing game and create a unique creature using pastels and card.

Surreal Sunnies or Cact-eye glasses: Tuesday 24th, Thursday 26th and Friday, 27th October, 10.30am to 2pm.

Create cact-eye glasses for a surreal view of the exhibition. Make surreal sunglasses using colouring pens and colourful felt.

Marvellous Masks: Wednesday, 25th October, 10.30am to 2pm.

Make a marvellous mask of one of our Surreal characters from the exhibition. With one eye or an apple for a head, use your imagination to create a fun mask.

When Dreams Confront Reality: Surrealism in Britain is organised by The Hepworth Wakefield in collaboration with the Victoria Art Gallery. Tickets are available to book here.

A major new exhibition of Surrealist art will open at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath this month. When Dreams Confront Reality: Surrealism in Britain opens on 13th October 2023 and runs until 7th January 2024.

This stunning exhibition celebrates the diversity of British Surrealism and its influences with works by artists including Max Ernst, Julian Trevelyan, Leonora Carrington, and Man Ray. Featuring paintings, collage, drawings, ceramics and sculptures, it offers a rare opportunity to see these artworks together in the heart of Bath.

The Victoria Art Gallery is only the second venue to host the exhibition following its debut at the Hepworth Wakefield last year. The artwork on display comes from The Sherwin Family Collection, arguably the most significant collection of British Surrealism in private ownership, which is now in the care of the Hepworth Wakefield.

Cabinet Member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “It is a privilege to host this stunning exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery and we are delighted to be working with the Hepworth Wakefield to bring this important collection of British Surrealist art to Bath.

The exhibition will be free for local Discovery Card holders, and there will be free family activities with a Surrealist theme over October half-term.