Constable 250 is about to finish its year at Christchurch Mansion. The last of its three exhibitions, Constable to Contemporary, opens to the public on Saturday 24 October 2026. It looks at what John Constable’s art means today, and it does so through work made by local people, schools and artists.
What to expect
The first two exhibitions of the year brought rare loans to Ipswich. This one is different. It features creative work made during the anniversary year through Constable 250 community partners and participating schools. It is a chance to see how people in and around Ipswich have responded to Constable’s landscapes and legacy.
The exhibition is held at Christchurch Mansion, the historic house in the middle of Christchurch Park. The organisers describe it as a way to show how Constable’s art and legacy still inspire creativity, connection and artistic expression, 250 years after he was born in East Bergholt. They say it brings “invention and imagination” to the close of the anniversary year.
The exhibition will give visitors “new and exciting moments of celebration and reflection”. If you have a child at one of the participating schools, or you know someone involved in a community project, it could be a good reason to visit and see their work on the walls.
A look back at Constable 250
The programme has been supported by National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Other supporters include:
- the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund
- Arts Council England
- Paul Mellon Centre
- Babergh District Council
- the Friends of the Ipswich Museums
- Kerseys LLP
- East Anglia Art Fund
The two earlier exhibitions at the Mansion were Constable: A Cast of Characters, which ran from 28 March to 14 June 2026, and The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape, which ran from 11 July to 4 October 2026. Both showed rare and internationally significant works on loan from the National Gallery, Tate, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, the Government Art Collection and private collections.
The final exhibition brings the focus back to Ipswich and the people who have taken part in the programme this year.
Press preview and spokespeople
A press preview takes place on Friday 23 October 2026, from 10am to 2pm, in the Wolsey Art Gallery at Christchurch Mansion. It is by pre-arrangement only, and media who want to attend need to confirm by emailing press.office@ipswich.gov.uk.
Several spokespeople will be available for interview that day:
- Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council‘s portfolio holder for Planning and Museums
- Emma Roodhouse, Collections & Learning Curator (Art) at Colchester + Ipswich Museums
- Artists and creators from Constable 250 projects and community partnerships
Planning your visit
The exhibition opens on Saturday 24 October 2026 and runs until 28 February 2027, so there is plenty of time to see it. The address is Christchurch Mansion, Christchurch Park, Ipswich, IP4 2BE.
The press release does not give opening hours or ticket details. For the latest information, check the Ipswich Borough Council newsroom at ipswich.gov.uk or the full Constable 250 programme on the Ipswich Museums website at ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/constable250.
Who wrote this about Ipswich?
Press Team
The Ipswich.love Press Team are a small group who post press release information in an easy-to-read format. If you have a press release you'd like covered on the site get in touch.
No Comments
If comments are open, feel free to leave a comment below. You need to register to comment on posts. We're all about the love & whilst we welcome your comments, we will not tolerate any abusive language or hate speech. Play nicely, people.