Art & culture

All the latest culture news from across Bedford Borough. Everything you need to keep you up to date with what’s happening in Bedford Borough on your mobile or desktop via the Bedford Clanger and the Bedford Independent.

The Bedford Independent was founded to provide the people of Bedford Borough with a modern news desk that would give them easy access to genuine and unbiased Bedford news. We are independent in ownership and opinion.

Our mission is to inform and inspire the people of Bedford. To do this we will work hard to bring them the news that matters to them from our town centre to the most rural of the Borough’s villages.

Our editorial team are NCTJ trained and follows a standards code set out by the independent press regulator IMPRESS Standards.

Delight at discovery of living descendants of John Bunyan

After a decades-long search, including an article on this very website, a family of living descendants of John Bunyan have been found, and an updated version of the John Bunyan Family...

‘Mayes Yard’ town centre art space to be discussed at community meeting

A community meeting is being held tomorrow (Friday) to discuss a proposal for a town centre arts space in the Mayes Yard development of Bedford town centre. Local artists are encouraged...

Celebrating Bedford’s unsung publishing hero: Noel Carrington and Puffin Picture Books

The founder of the much-loved Puffin Picture Books is the subject of the latest free exhibition at the Higgins Bedford, shining a spotlight on one of Bedford's most influential yet...

New literary exhibition at Bedford’s Panacea Museum

A new literary exhibition is opening at the Panacea Museum this Saturday (4 October) as part of the national Being Human festival. Based in Bedford, the Panacea Society...

New exhibition: The Panacea Society and the Second World War

A new social history exhibition has opened at the Panacea Museum this month, exploring the unseen story of this remarkable society and World War II. The Society was enthusiastic about their commitment to the local...

Behind-the-scenes at the Open Studio Big Weekender

Five Bedford-based artists are inviting the public into their town centre studio to get up close and personal with their work from Friday, 21 to Sunday, 23 March. Mo Rahman, Talia Giles, Fiona Wilson, Emily Baxter and Giacomo Verdura...

Exhibition: ‘Colour and Light’ illuminates The Higgins Bedford

Art from the 18th century right up to the present day will be on display at The Higgins Bedford in its new exhibition, exploring the fascinating relationship between Colour and Light. Opening this Saturday (15 February) and...

Sect Education: the Spring reopening of Bedford’s fascinating Panacea Museum

After a busy closed season, the Panacea Museum is getting ready to welcome visitors back for 2025 when it reopens on Thursday, 6 February with freshly painted walls and exciting new exhibitions exploring the story of the unique religious sect...

New ‘Light and Shade’ exhibition opens at the Eagle Gallery

This February, a new exhibition opens at the Eagle Gallery on St Peter's Street, featuring the work of local artists. Entitled 'Light and Shade', the exhibition will open from 3 - 27 February and has been curated by Les Miller...

Review: Unwrap the magic of the Higgins’ Edward Bawden and Me exhibition this Christmas

Unwrap the magic of a hidden gem this Christmas – just on our doorstep, a free exhibition teeming with quirky art for all ages is waiting to be explored. Running until 26 January, ‘Edward Bawden...

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