Page updated 3rd February 2026

A to B – from Arts and Crafts to Bauhaus

This will be an 8-Session journey to trace developments in art, decoration architecture and design from Ruskin and Morris, through Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau to the emergence of modernism in the early decades of the 20^th century.

Running through the programme is a golden thread: the belief that art, design, craft, architecture and learning from the natural world can improve the quality of everyday objects, buildings, and places and in doing so enhance human life.

Each session will include time for questions, discussion and shared reflection. No specific knowledge is required other than having a general interest in these topics.

The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month from September to November 2026 and January to May 2027

Who is it for?
This is for anyone with a general interest in art, design, architecture, ideas and cultural history. There is no need for specialist knowledge to enjoy this course. However, if you do have a particular interest in any of the people or topics included in the programme and you would like to join our presentation team we would very much like to hear from you. A detailed skeleton for each session is available for anyone requiring further information.

Cost:  there will be room fee of £8 payable at the first session.

Programme Overview

Session 1 – Ruskin, Morris and “Form Follows Function”
Ideas of craft, nature, social reform and beauty in everyday life

Session 2 – The Arts and Crafts Movement
Architecture, design, social ideals and the reaction against industrialisation

Session 3 – Art Nouveau, Jugendstil and Mackintosh
New materials, new forms, and the flowering of modern decorative design

Sessions 4 & 5 – Vienna, Germany and the Birth of Modernism
The Vienna Secession, Wiener Werkstätte, Deutscher Werkbund and Darmstadt

Sessions 6 & 7 – The Bauhaus
Its philosophy, teachers, teaching methods and global influence

Session 8 – The Legacy
From Bauhaus modernism to environmental and human-centred design

Key figures include:
Ruskin, Morris, Mackintosh, Klimt, Behrens, Hoffmann, Gropius, Klee, Kandinsky, Albers, Mies van der Rohe, and many others

Dates:
8 September 2026
13 October 2026
10 November 2026
12 January 2027
9 February 2027
9 March 2027
13 April 2027
11 May 2027

For enquiries about the course or if you wish to express an interest in participating please contact:
Karen Boddy or Ian Watt.