The Guildford Institute

18/10/2026

Our next GI Music Lounge is one you won’t want to miss. Award winning Dan Whitehouse will be performing songs from his critically acclaimed album, Only Love. Released last week, this is your chance to be among the first to hear them performed live!

He will be joined by special guest Molly Rymer. Support will be provided by fabulous Surrey based folk singer and songwriter Jackie Conn

Expect an immersive show that invites the audience into a reflective and transformative sound world.

⏰Saturday 24th October, 7.30-10.00
🍻Doors and licensed bar 7.00
🎟 Tickets https://tinyurl.com/ywh3zvz3

A huge thank you to Andertons Music Co. for sponsoring our Music Lounge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFxMMMNS_BI&t=19s

Only Love is the title track from Dan Whitehouse's forthcoming pian...

17/10/2026

Last night the GI Music Lounge was filled with the harmonies of Megson.

Thank you to Stu and Debbie for a wonderful evening, to everyone who came along, and to our volunteers, whose time and care make these events run so smoothly.

06/10/2026

OUR NEW REEL TAKES YOU INTO THE WORLD OF TITIAN.
MYTHS. GODS. POETRY.

Imagine creating paintings so extraordinary that you believed they could stand alongside poetry.

That was Titian - hence the music in our reel!!!

Commissioned by Philip II of Spain, and drawing largely on stories from Ovid, Titian spent more than a decade creating a remarkable series of mythological paintings- some of the most renowned works of his career.

He called them “Poesie”.

And this October, we're getting right into them.

Join Tutor Ronnie Ireland at The GI for an afternoon of Art History, exploring the stories, mythology and extraordinary paintings behind Titian's Poesie.

If you're curious about art, love discovering something new, or simply want to spend an afternoon looking at some truly remarkable paintings, come along.

TITIAN'S POESIE
27 October · 1.30–3.30pm
The GI + online

Discover something new. See Titian differently.
Book your place → https://shorturl.at/Z2ejW

05/10/2026

The GI: A Place For The Next Generation

Rather a long post but an important one! We wonder what you think too...

Here at The GI, we believe that investing in young people means investing in the future of arts education and culture.

We are delighted to welcome volunteers and interns under 30 to join us, offering opportunities to gain experience, develop new skills, build confidence and discover more about working in the arts and cultural sector.

For us, this is about more than work experience. It is about creating opportunities, opening doors and helping young people see where a future in arts education could take them.

Recent findings from a review conducted by Roundhouse Trust highlighted that pathways into the arts and cultural industries are narrowing for many young people, with fewer opportunities available to gain valuable experience.

As an arts education charity with more than 100 years of history, we know how important it is to keep creating those opportunities.

When The GI first opened its doors, our purpose was to help make arts and culture accessible to all. That belief remains at the core of what we do today.

And we believe accessibility also means making sure young people can find their way into the sector.

We want The GI to continue to be a 21st-century arts education charity: open, inclusive and shaped by the next generation.

We are proud to welcome young people into our community.

Are you a young person and interested in volunteering or gaining experience at The GI? We’d love to hear from you. Whether you already have a passion for arts education or are simply curious to explore what a future in the cultural sector might look like, get in touch!

You can contact us via the link here: https://shorturl.at/O9FIb

04/10/2026

Can we say the C word yet… Christmas?!! There We've Said It!

We know it’s only early October- but if you’re already starting to think about what you’re going to do between now and Christmas, we’ve got a few ideas for you.

Fancy trying something different this year?

Come along with friends for a festive w**e tasting. Get creative with some Christmas crafts. Discover something new at a talk. Enjoy some live music. Go Wilde at Kew. Or settle in for a very different take on A Christmas Carol.

Have a look at what’s coming up, you might find something you hadn’t thought of!!

Learn more: https://shorturl.at/JJLIK

03/10/2026

What Does An Accessible Charity Space Really Look Like? 💗

At The GI, accessibility is about more than being able to use the space.
Of course, physical access really matters. We have disabled access + facilities and a hearing loop, because everyone should be able to use our space.

But accessibility is also about feeling comfortable enough to come in the first place...

Knowing you’ll be welcomed.
Knowing there’ll be someone to chat to.
Knowing you can take part, get involved, or simply spend some time here.

That might be a coffee and a chat through our Chatty Café Scheme, coming along to a free event, volunteering, accessing us a Safe Space, or simply calling in because you know you can.

For some people, it’s a way to meet others and feel less isolated.
For others, it’s somewhere to find a sense of purpose, get involved, or take part in something they might not otherwise have access to.

It might be the neighbour who found purpose through volunteering.
The person who came along to a free event and met someone new.
Or someone who asked for help because they already felt comfortable coming through our doors.

And sometimes it’s nothing more complicated than having a chat, listening to each other, getting to know people and seeing familiar faces.

Those everyday moments matter too.

Because having somewhere to go, people you know and something you can be part of can make a real difference to how connected people feel.

And this is what The GI is.

Not just somewhere people can physically access, but somewhere they feel able to come in, get involved, be themselves, learn something new and belong.

What is it about The GI that makes you feel like you belong?
We’d love to hear from you! 💗

02/10/2026

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BOOKED ONTO SOMETHING TO COME INTO THE GI THIS WEEKEND...

The GI is open this weekend, and there are plenty of reasons to pop in!!

V Café is open Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 3pm
Enjoy lunch, coffee and our special Guildford Festival of the Arts Stamp Trail offer.

Explore our historic Library- Saturday
Have a look around and discover some of the Archive material currently on display.

Take part in the Guildford Festival of the Arts Stamp Trail - Saturday & Sunday
Make The GI one of your stops as you explore the festival!

Live music on Saturday evening
Filkin’s Drift take over the GI Music Lounge. And if you’re making last-minute plans, you can pay on the door!

So, whether you’re coming for coffee, culture, a wander or live music...
Come in. We’d love to see you this weekend!

01/10/2026

What Are You Curious About?

Ever wanted to learn something new… but felt you should know more first?

Maybe you've always loved history, but never studied it.
Maybe there's a language you've always wanted to learn.
Maybe you love looking at art, but wouldn't know where to start.
Or perhaps there's a subject you've always thought, “I'd love to know more about that.”

Here's the thing about our talks, courses and workshops at The GI...

You don't need to be an expert to start learning.
You don't need to know all the terminology.
You don't need to have studied it before.
You just need to be interested!

Because sometimes the best place to start is simply with a question, a curiosity, or a little “I wonder…”

That's where learning begins.

And that's what we love about learning at The GI- giving you the chance to follow your curiosity, try something new and discover where it takes you. And of course, it's a great way to meet people too! We have a wonderful community here.

What would you like to know more about? Let us know in comments below. Perhaps there's a talk or course that you would like to see at The GI!

01/10/2026

OCTOBER IS LOOKING VERY GOOD IN THE GI MUSIC LOUNGE!!

Three nights. Three brilliant artists. And three very different reasons to come along.

We’re welcoming some renowned and award-winning artists to The GI Music Lounge this October and if live music is your thing, you’ll want to know about these.

FILKIN’S DRIFT
Saturday 3 October
Award-winning folk duo Filkin’s Drift bring their distinctive blend of storytelling and contemporary folk to The GI.

MEGSON
Friday 16 October
Award-winning folk duo Megson return with their trademark mix of beautiful songs, harmonies and seriously good musicianship.

DAN WHITEHOUSE
Saturday 24 October
Singer-songwriter Dan Whitehouse brings his powerful storytelling and distinctive live performance to The GI.

Three very different evenings. One great place to hear live music, up close.

To book:
Filkin’s Drift: https://shorturl.at/09KGM
Megson: https://shorturl.at/JyKNy
Dan Whitehouse: https://shorturl.at/VTGvD

Come along, settle in and enjoy live music at The GI.

The GI Music Lounge - Bringing You Closer To Live Music
Thanks to Andertons Music Co. for being a sponor of the lounge.

30/09/2026

September at The GI ❤️

Well… what a month.

Looking back at September, we're not quite sure how we managed to fit it all in!
There was fundraising, community events, courses, workshops and talks…

Live music. Dancing. Our Heritage Open Day Festival. Delicious lunches. Visits. Lots of conversations. And, of course, some very good company along the way.
And then there was Vicky, who quite literally went above and beyond with the charity abseil!!

It's been busy, it's been brilliant, and we've loved seeing so many of you through the doors.

But now we're curious…

What was your September highlight at The GI?
Was it an event?
A course?
A favourite lunch?
Meeting someone new?
Coming back to something you love?
Or simply spending a bit of time at The GI?

Tell us below - we'd love to hear what your September looked like.
And now… shall we do it all again in October? YES!!