The Guildford Institute

The Guildford Institute Guildford’s Arts Education Community & Charity. www.guildford-institute.org.uk The Guildford Institute has a special place in the heart of the local community.

A welcoming place to learn, connect & thrive, with courses, workshops, events, vegetarian café and characterful rooms for hire in the heart of Guildford. It is a unique venue where people of all ages and backgrounds can get together to learn, explore, create and meet old and new friends. With a wide range of courses, talks, music recitals, clubs and visits, there are many ways to enjoy what’s on o

ffer. Our Library holds both historical and modern volumes so you can research here or read at home, and we manage one of the most important local history archives in the area with a fascinating collection of photographs, playbills, brochures and leaflets and other important documents. We offer affordable room hire for external societies and organisations, and our vegetarian restaurant is one of Guildford’s best-kept secrets. The Guildford Institute is open to everyone – come and be a part of our extraordinary community.

28/08/2026

A Little Look Inside The GI

What goes on at The GI?

Quite a lot!!

People working, meetings, coffee, room hire, lunch, courses, workshops, wellbeing, talks, social events and all sorts of other activities. It's a wonderfully busy place!

Our programme covers a really wide range of interests, with some things happening in the evenings and at weekends too. There really is something for everyone!

We’re a charity and a community supported by our members, event attendees and volunteers, and there are lots of ways to get involved.

Come along to an inspiring talk, book onto a course or workshop, find out about becoming a member, volunteer with us, or get in touch and arrange a visit. We are your GI.

There’s plenty to discover at The GI. Come and have a look inside - we'd love to welcome you.

Learn a little more about us and what we do: https://shorturl.at/uO3IH

Wishing our wonderful Facebook community a fab weekend too!

27/08/2026

The GI Music Lounge | Rowan Stuart

We’re really excited to have Rowan Stuart Music joining us at the GI Music Lounge on Friday 25 September.

If you haven’t discovered Rowan yet, take a minute to listen to the video of a stunning live performance - it's worth a watch!

There’s something really special about Rowan’s music. His voice, guitar playing and atmospheric sound create the kind of live experience that pulls you in and we think he’s exactly the sort of exceptional talent the GI Music Lounge is about.

Bringing you closer to live music with outstanding artists.
And honestly… we can’t wait to hear Rowan live in the room, up close. Actually, we really can't wait, t's going to be a really great night of live music!

📅 Friday 25 September
🕢 7:30pm ( bar open from 7pm)

Want to make a proper evening of it?

You can also book a light meal to enjoy too. This needs to be booked when you purchase your ticket, and the meal option is already selling quickly - so don't leave it to late!

🎟️ Tickets are available now https://shorturl.at/lmiDv

Come along, discover Rowan, and experience the GI Music Lounge for yourself.
We’ll see you there for a good music, good vibes and great company.

IMPORTANT UPDATEThe Story of Vicky and The TowerIf you follow our page, you may have seen our updates about Vicky, our F...
27/08/2026

IMPORTANT UPDATE

The Story of Vicky and The Tower

If you follow our page, you may have seen our updates about Vicky, our Finance Officer, and her amazing challenge to raise funds for The GI by taking on a charity abseil from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth on 6 September!

Vicky still has a little way to go to reach her fundraising target, and it would be absolutely brilliant if we could smash it together! Her target is to raise £1,500.

We’re currently at an amazing £990!!!

Could you help us reach £1,000 today and give Vicky the boost she needs?
Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help support the important work of The GI. It would be so good if we could reach that £1000 milestone for Vicky today.

You can donate via JustGiving: https://shorturl.at/7WCwp

Thank you for all your support, we’re really appreciate it here at The GI. Thank you to our wonderful community.

Go Vicky!!

Say Cheese and Add Some Wine! 🧀🍷There are some great pairings in life…Strawberries & creamFilms & popcornA rainy evening...
25/08/2026

Say Cheese and Add Some Wine! 🧀🍷

There are some great pairings in life…

Strawberries & cream
Films & popcorn
A rainy evening & a cosy blanket
Colin Firth in any film!
Chips &… well, absolutely anything.

But there’s one pairing that might just steal the crown…

CHEESE + WINE. ❤️
And we're giving this legendary duo the attention it deserves.

Join us at The GI for a fun and flavour-filled Cheese & Wine Pairing Workshop on Thursday 17 September, where you’ll discover why certain cheeses and wines just work and how to create pairings that will impress at your next dinner party.

Whether you're a serious wine lover, a cheese enthusiast, or someone who simply thinks 'yes please' when offered both…

This workshop is for you!

🧀🍷 Thursday 17 September | 7–9pm

Come hungry. Leave knowing your Brie from your Bordeaux. 😉

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE →https://shorturl.at/J4nVy

Informative, fun and social - another great night out at The GI!

See you there! Great company, good times.

24/08/2026

OUR FINANCE OFFICER VICKY IS TAKING ON THE SPINNAKER TOWER!
CHARITY ABSEIL FOR THE GI!

13 DAYS TO GO…AND THE REALITY IS KICKING IN NOW! IT'S GETTING SERIOUS!

Vicky is definitely going to face the plunge! 😬

On 6 September, Vicky will take on the incredible 100-metre Spinnaker Tower abseil in Portsmouth, a challenge that is taking her a long way outside her comfort zone.

As the day gets closer, the nerves are understandably starting to kick in.

But Vicky is determined to take on the challenge and raise vital funds for The GI, helping us continue to create opportunities, bring people together and make a difference through arts education, culture, learning and community.

Now the countdown is really on. Is Vicky scared?! We reckon!

13 days. 100 metres. One very brave Vicky!

If you can support Vicky, every donation will help her get one step closer to her fundraising target and give her plenty of encouragement for that moment when she reaches the top! 🙌

🎯 Support Vicky’s challenge and make a donation.
https://shorturl.at/07LaY

And please leave Vicky a message below to let her know you’re behind her.
You’ve got this, Vicky!!

The People Behind the MusicThe GI Music Lounge is special for many reasons. The live music is a big part of it, but so a...
23/08/2026

The People Behind the Music

The GI Music Lounge is special for many reasons. The live music is a big part of it, but so are the people who help make it the welcoming, accessible and informal space it is today. People really are at the heart of what we do- those who perform, those who come along, and those who support us and help make it what it is.

We’d like to dedicate this post to the memory of Delilah Dyson, who sadly passed away recently. Alongside her husband Dean Dyson, who many of you will know as the voice of Guildford High Street and from his performances at The GI Music Lounge, Delilah was always there supporting Dean and his music, and her presence became a familiar and valued part of our evenings.

Our thoughts are with Dean, their family and friends.

Image: Delilah, Dean and GI Music Lounge Volunteer Lisa.

There’s More Happening at The GI with Evenings and Weekends Events! ✨Hello, Chelsea here, Programme Manager at The GI.Ho...
22/08/2026

There’s More Happening at The GI with Evenings and Weekends Events! ✨

Hello, Chelsea here, Programme Manager at The GI.

Hoping that your weekend is going well! Just jumping onto our socials to update you about a few things coming up at The GI.

Firstly, thank you. 💛
Thank you for following us, liking our posts, commenting, sharing and taking an interest in what we’re doing here at The GI. Every interaction really does make a difference and helps us reach more people!

I also thought it was worth reminding you that The GI has a programme of evening and weekend events too!

If you haven’t discovered this side of The GI yet, we have some lovely things coming up.

🎶 Have you heard about The GI Music Lounge yet?

You might have missed our Event Manager Lydia’s previous post about this, but it’s so worth another mention!

The GI Music Lounge brings you closer to live music, showcasing some exceptional and award-winning musical talent in an intimate setting.

There’s a licensed bar at our events and, at selected evenings, you can also enjoy a light meal, making it a relaxed way to spend an evening and enjoy some great live music.

Learn more about The GI Music Lounge via our blog https://tinyurl.com/km4bfbjr

And there’s more evening events coming up too…

📸 Photography – A Little Bit About Everything with Duncan Wade is taking place this October – an evening exploring photography with a great hands-on session.
Learn more and book: https://shorturl.at/X3434

🎨 We’re also looking forward to welcoming Tammy Ellis for Emin and Kahlo: The Pleasure and the Pain, exploring the work and lives of two fascinating and influential artists.
To book: https://tinyurl.com/3kj4z8za

So, if you’ve never been to The GI for an evening or weekend event, why not give one a try?

Music, photography, talks and interesting things to discover, all in the heart of Guildford!

We’d love to welcome you.

👉 Find out what’s coming up and book your place via our website: https://tinyurl.com/5y5zrnjt

Celebrating the Guildford Festival of the Arts at The GI!Yay, weekend calling - hoping that you've all had a good week t...
21/08/2026

Celebrating the Guildford Festival of the Arts at The GI!

Yay, weekend calling - hoping that you've all had a good week too.

We just wanted to let you know about a few things coming up at The GI.

We’re absolutely delighted to be taking part in the Guildford Festival of the Arts this October!

The festival feels like such a perfect fit for our ethos at The GI- celebrating creativity, bringing our local community together and creating opportunities for people to enjoy a memorable afternoon (or evening!) out.

Running from 1–4 October, the festival will be bringing Guildford to life with creativity and culture, and we’re thrilled to be joining in with a wonderful programme of afternoon, evening and weekend events here at The GI.

Being part of our local arts community is really important to us, and we’re so excited to be involved and celebrate alongside everyone taking part.

And a little heads-up… we’re expecting some of our events to book up quickly, so if something catches your eye, don’t leave it too long! 💫

📅 Friday 2 October – Afternoon
Impressionist Revolutions with Ronnie Ireland
Book here: https://shorturl.at/GB8sY

📅 Friday 2 October – Evening
Photography – A Little Bit About Everything with Duncan Wade
Learn more & book: https://shorturl.at/f9IBc

📅 Friday 2 October – Evening
Emin and Kahlo: The Pleasure and the Pain with Tammy Ellis
To book: https://tinyurl.com/3kj4z8za

📅 Saturday 3 October – Afternoon & Online
Unpacking Art: Women in Art II with Chris Holley
Discover more & book: https://tinyurl.com/ynz8w3p3

We can’t wait to welcome you, celebrate the arts together and enjoy everything this wonderful festival has to offer.

Come along, get creative, discover something new and celebrate Guildford’s brilliant arts community with us! 💛

What Is Going On?!!Although our wonderful historic library is closed until Thursday 3 September, there is certainly no r...
20/08/2026

What Is Going On?!!

Although our wonderful historic library is closed until Thursday 3 September, there is certainly no rest for our brilliant library volunteers!

They have been busy behind the scenes moving books, overseeing maintenance, tidying, organising and making sure everything is ready to welcome you back.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to our incredible volunteers for giving so generously of their time, energy and enthusiasm. Our library simply wouldn’t be the same without you!

With only a limited number of independent libraries remaining across the UK, we are incredibly proud of our library and the wonderful service it provides to our community.

So, when we reopen in early September, we’d love you to come and visit! Pick up a library card, browse the shelves and discover some beautiful books just waiting to be read!

You can take a peek at our library catalogue and start planning your next read:
https://shorturl.at/RwK8A

And if you’d like to learn more about our library’s fascinating history, as well as our opening times, you can find all the information here:
https://shorturl.at/r278S

We can’t wait to welcome you back! The library is such a treasure, you need to come and see for yourself! You'll love it.

AN EVENING OF JAZZ, GREAT SONGS & SOME SERIOUSLY TALENTED MUSICIANS! 🎶Bringing You Closer to Live Music...The GI Music L...
19/08/2026

AN EVENING OF JAZZ, GREAT SONGS & SOME SERIOUSLY TALENTED MUSICIANS! 🎶

Bringing You Closer to Live Music...The GI Music Lounge, Saturday 12 September.

If you love Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, Cole Porter, Gershwin and the Great American Songbook, then we have a rather special evening lined up for you at The GI Music Lounge in central Guildford.

On Saturday 12 September, the Vic Cracknell Jazz Quartet returns to The GI Music Lounge ( at The Guildford Institute) for an evening of swinging interpretations of some of the greatest songs ever written and this time, they’re bringing a very special guest!!

🎷 Duncan Lamont Jr. – saxophone
Duncan is a hugely respected jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer who has performed with the BBC Big Band, in West End productions and on film soundtracks. He has also worked with artists including Amy Winehouse, Natalie Cole and Dame Shirley Bassey.

And there’s a wonderful musical family connection too…
Duncan’s late father, Duncan Lamont Sr., played saxophone with Frank Sinatra, as well as Benny Goodman and Count Basie. ✨

Joining Vic and Duncan will be:

🎹 Andy Sturmey – piano
A Royal Academy of Music-trained pianist whose extraordinary career has seen him perform with Elton John, George Michael, George Benson, Diana Ross, Shirley Bassey and many more - as well as appearing in some of the biggest West End shows!!

🎻 Joe Yeadon – double bass
A wonderfully versatile musician with decades of experience across jazz, funk, pop, classical and big band music.

🥁 Robin Lowrey – drums
A highly accomplished drummer with a passion for jazz, soul, funk and big band music.

And at the heart of it all is Vic Cracknell, award-winning singer and musician, bringing his love and knowledge of the Great American Songbook to the stage.

Expect great songs, swinging rhythms, stories about the music and the artists who made these classics famous all in the intimate surroundings of our GI Music Lounge.

🍷 Doors & bar: 7pm
🎶 Music: 7.30pm – 10pm (with interval)
📅 Saturday 12 September
📍 The Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford
🎟️ Tickets: just £15!!!

This is a lovely chance to spend a Saturday evening listening to some superb live jazz and supporting The Guildford Institute at the same time. ❤️

Bring a friend, bring someone who loves jazz, or simply treat yourself to a wonderful evening of live music.

🎟️ Book your tickets here: https://shorturl.at/gCOii

We’d love to see you there for a great night out!!

Address

The Guildford Institute, Ward Street
Guildford
GU14LH

Telephone

+441483562142

Website

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