Art has always played an important role in the house's history. In 1890, Francis Baring, the 5th Lord Ashburton, converted the Orangery into a Picture Gallery that also doubled as a fashionable Ballroom. This was later converted into a state-of-the-art RIBA award-winning auditorium.

As part of this year's expanding programme, the Festival has invited exciting contemporary visual artists to display their work in the stunning Grade I listed house and gardens. We welcome two exhibitions: one showcasing new and existing works by Joanna Cohn and the other by Jane Gordon Clark. Both artists have had prior successful exhibitions at the Festival.

Joanna Cohn appeared at The Grange as a singer twenty years ago, but now she is returning as a successful contemporary artist. Joanna’s stunning large-scale paintings will be displayed throughout the house, and focus on bringing gardens and nature into the house.

Joanna’s etchings of the building were shortlisted for the prestigious V&A illustration award in 2024.

Jane Gordon Clark will also bring a selection of sculptures to the Grange, including the first public viewing of her maquette of The Infanta, inspired by Velasquez's famous 1656 painting “Las Meninas.”