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
Pinned
Jon Sleigh
@jonsleigh.bsky.social
· Nov 27
Meeting people who have read my book and connected with the emotion inside continues to move me deeply. A colleague recently said reading it ‘felt like a cup of tea with friends’ and that got me! 🥹 thanks to all who keep feeding back reviews, spotting copies in book shops and your kindness 🙌
Beautiful day with friends at the National Portrait Gallery exploring connection, huge thanks to all for joining me! My lunchtime treat was the Cecil Beaton exhibition - lavish, elegant and punctuated with some very tender / human moments.
December 11, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Beautiful day with friends at the National Portrait Gallery exploring connection, huge thanks to all for joining me! My lunchtime treat was the Cecil Beaton exhibition - lavish, elegant and punctuated with some very tender / human moments.
Reposted by Jon Sleigh
Fancy spending the summer at the University of Oxford learning about the Stuarts? Look no further! My summer course is now open for applications ⬇️
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
This course investigates the story of the Stuarts (1603 to 1714) in the context of the political, social, religious, economic and cultural history of seventeenth century England.
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk
November 3, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Fancy spending the summer at the University of Oxford learning about the Stuarts? Look no further! My summer course is now open for applications ⬇️
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
Beautiful day working with my friends at Sheffield Museums on exhibtion development / consultation. Head full of ideas, heart full of sharing and my belly…. full of tea and biscuits 🤓huge thanks to all who joined us today.
October 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Beautiful day working with my friends at Sheffield Museums on exhibtion development / consultation. Head full of ideas, heart full of sharing and my belly…. full of tea and biscuits 🤓huge thanks to all who joined us today.
Had THE loveliest time working with my friends at The National Gallery tonight 🙌I was such a lucky chap to be in conversation with Verity Babbs celebrating her wonderful, funny and deeply kind new book.
October 24, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Had THE loveliest time working with my friends at The National Gallery tonight 🙌I was such a lucky chap to be in conversation with Verity Babbs celebrating her wonderful, funny and deeply kind new book.
Uplifting and emotional day with my friends at Culture Leicestershire filming for a piece on the exhibtion ‘Villiers Relvealed’. Could not be more proud to have been its guest curator as I reflect on two years of work, progress and friendship 🥹
October 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Uplifting and emotional day with my friends at Culture Leicestershire filming for a piece on the exhibtion ‘Villiers Relvealed’. Could not be more proud to have been its guest curator as I reflect on two years of work, progress and friendship 🥹
Meaningful day working at the National Portrait Gallery on forthcoming exhibtions 🙌 tea, biscuits and ending the day on gallery daydreaming with one of my favorites in the collection - unknown artist c1613 Princess Elizabeth Stuart. I’m always struck by the likeness to her father king James here 👌
October 16, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Meaningful day working at the National Portrait Gallery on forthcoming exhibtions 🙌 tea, biscuits and ending the day on gallery daydreaming with one of my favorites in the collection - unknown artist c1613 Princess Elizabeth Stuart. I’m always struck by the likeness to her father king James here 👌
Very meaningful day working with colleagues at York Museums Trust. Fascinating and important conversations I was honoured to be part of. Plus a wander around the city with a coffee being an architecture detective ☕️ I felt at times like a character in a novel 🤓
October 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Very meaningful day working with colleagues at York Museums Trust. Fascinating and important conversations I was honoured to be part of. Plus a wander around the city with a coffee being an architecture detective ☕️ I felt at times like a character in a novel 🤓
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 🤓🙌
October 10, 2025 at 12:14 PM
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 🤓🙌
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
October 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
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
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 🤓
October 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
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 🤓
Thanks and you all too - huge fan of the institute and the beautiful work you do ❤️👏
September 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Thanks and you all too - huge fan of the institute and the beautiful work you do ❤️👏
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 ❤️
September 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
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 ❤️
If you literally look beyond the politics it’s a reminder of the STUNNING artwork the government has at Chequers 🙌
September 18, 2025 at 6:26 PM
If you literally look beyond the politics it’s a reminder of the STUNNING artwork the government has at Chequers 🙌
A short lived vogue of the Jacobean court was to have it that low it showed the areola - 1610’s 🤓
September 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM
A short lived vogue of the Jacobean court was to have it that low it showed the areola - 1610’s 🤓
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 ❤️
September 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
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 ❤️
Dreadful visually and sloppy too, may have an emotional significance though to the painter or tomb? 🤔
September 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Dreadful visually and sloppy too, may have an emotional significance though to the painter or tomb? 🤔
This looks awesome 👏 🤓’saucy saints’ is genius bab 👌
August 20, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This looks awesome 👏 🤓’saucy saints’ is genius bab 👌
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 🙌
August 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM
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 🙌
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 😎
July 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
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 😎
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
July 29, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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
Very mindful and full of kindness - the defo ion of art working for people 🤓thankyou!
July 29, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Very mindful and full of kindness - the defo ion of art working for people 🤓thankyou!
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 ⭐️
July 29, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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 ⭐️
This looks BRILLIANT 🤓🙌🌈
More LGBTQIA+ history events in Bristol!
I'll be leading a series of tours around Bristol Museum and Art Gallery as part of their Gender Stories exhibition. We'll be exploring gender and sexualities on display in the museum.
www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/bri...
I'll be leading a series of tours around Bristol Museum and Art Gallery as part of their Gender Stories exhibition. We'll be exploring gender and sexualities on display in the museum.
www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/bri...
LGBTQIAP+ tour of the museum | Bristol Museums
Discover incredible LGBTQIAP+ stories and connections in our rich and surprising collections with queer historian Jack Shoulder.
www.bristolmuseums.org.uk
July 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
This looks BRILLIANT 🤓🙌🌈
Oohh beautiful thanks so much for sharing ! 🤓🙌
June 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Oohh beautiful thanks so much for sharing ! 🤓🙌
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
June 27, 2025 at 12:02 PM
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