Nevill Holt Festival has announced its full 2025 visual art programme, running from 30 May to 22 June, with a vibrant line-up of exhibitions, talks, and installations across the historic Nevill Holt Estate.
Headlining this year’s programme is acclaimed British artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman with her blockbuster exhibition Chila Burman: Love Memoirs. The show celebrates Burman’s jubilant vision, exploring themes of gender, identity, and heritage through her signature neon works and playful installations.
The exhibition includes some of Burman’s most iconic pieces, such as her globally exhibited Ice Cream Van and the neon artworks that once lit up the façade of Tate Britain.
“In 2022 Chila was awarded an MBE for her contributions to visual art and this year she designed the BRIT Awards invites and afterparty for the UK’s leading music company, Universal Music,” the festival announced.
Love Memoirs will be displayed throughout the chapel, theatre galleries, and grounds. On 14 June, Burman will appear in conversation with Jonathan Badyal of Trafalgar Strategy, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear directly from the artist.
Also featured in the programme is a curated exhibition by leading contemporary gallery Saatchi Yates. Founded by Phoebe Saatchi and Arthur Yates, the gallery will present works by Benjamin Spiers, Danny Fox, Rachel Zhang, and Will St. John within Nevill Holt Hall.
Local talent is also spotlighted in Sculpted in Stone, an exhibition from Northants & Rutland Open Studios. Artists Régis Chaperon and Ana Ruiz Agüí present bold, imaginative stone sculptures that push the boundaries of the medium.
The festival’s permanent collection of 20th and 21st-century British sculpture will also be open to all ticket holders. Set within the award-winning gardens designed by Rupert Golby and Head Gardener Andy Bretherick, the collection includes works by Nic Fiddian-Green, Antony Gormley, Rachel Whiteread, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Allen Jones.
Visitors can also enjoy Burman’s Ice Cream Van and additional sculptures by local artists throughout the grounds.
The visual art programme is further enriched by a series of talks featuring major figures in the art world. Highlights include:
- Yinka Shonibare in conversation with Frieze Director Eva Langret (31 May)
- Glenn Brown with art historian Marco Livingstone (7 June)
- Michael Craig-Martin with Marco Livingstone (12 June)
- Talk Art podcast live with Russell Tovey and Robert Diament, joined by Harland Miller (12 June)
- Chila Burman in conversation with Jonathan Badyal (14 June)
Listings and ticket information can be found here
