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What's On - Exhibitions

Box Office: 0845 890 2435

Actors & Musicians of Chelsea

From Mozart to Mick

The most exciting annual Chelsea Society Exhibition in many a year, 'Actors & Musicians Of Chelsea: An Historical & Contemporary Review' presents in pictures, rare photographs and text, brief but insightful biographies of the myriad actors and musicians who have lived in Chelsea and environs from the 18th century and the days of Ranelagh Gardens right up to the present day.

Informally subtitled 'From Mozart To Mick', the exhibition showcases Chelsea musicians as diverse as Mozart and Mick Jagger, as well as Vaughan Williams, John Ireland, Percy Grainger and many modern 'pop' music stars, and actors including Lawrence Olivier, Sybil Thorndike, Mrs Patrick Campbell, Kiera Knightly, Rex Harrison, Sean Connery, Peter Ustinov...the list is endless!

As well as people, the Exhibition will also include posters, artefacts and rarely-seen memorabilia from the Royal Court Theatre, the Chelsea Palace, the Chenil Galleries and other famous Chelsea arts centres. In addition to the fascinating exhibits, there will also be free live performances on a stage within the exhibition. On Monday 16 June these will include rarely performed songs from Ranelagh Gardens and on Friday 20 June (midsummer's eve) there will be a Sybil Thorndike day with members of the family performing excerpts from Facade and Doctor Syn.

Open daily 10.00am - 6.00pm, Mon 16 - Thu 26 June. Free entry Chelsea Town Hall, King's Road, Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea College

A stunning exhibition of graduate collections of hats and fashion from Higher National Certificate in Millinery and BTEC National Diploma in Fashion students. An opportunity to see exciting and innovative work at close hand from the designers of the future. Open Mon 9 to Fri 13 June

Private view at 6.30pm on Tues 10 June

Opening times Mon 10am-9pm, Tues 10am-4pm,

Wed 10am-9pm, Thu & Fri 10am-4pm

First Floor Hall, Kensington & Chelsea College,

Hortensia Road, Chelsea. For more information call: 020 7573 5258 www.kcc.ac.uk

Gallery 286

Gallery 286 is a private gallery located in one of the few surviving complete terrace houses on Earl's Court Road, with many original features and a unique atmosphere. Usually viewing is by appointment only or by invitation to one of the monthly salon-style openings, but Jonathan Ross and Camilla Shivarg are pleased to open their house and garden (see page 35) for the Chelsea Festival. Rachael Weitzman will be showing New Paintings in the gallery.

Open 12.00noon - 3.00pm on Sun 15 June.

286 Earl's Court Road, SW5

Further details at www.gallery286.com

Chelsea Art Society 61st Open Exhibition

From its foundation in the heyday of Chelsea's Bohemian era, the Chelsea Art Society is the oldest and sole survivor of the many art groups that blossomed then. Rosetti and Turner began the trend to settle in Chelsea in the mid 19th century, followed by Whistler, Sickert, Augustus John, and John Singer Sargent, amongst the hundreds of active painters working there. One of them, Sir James Drogmole Linton a frequent exhibitor at the RA and an Honorary member of the Scottish Water-colour Society picked Chelsea as the place to start an art group, to exhibit annually. In spite of the disruption of two world wars, the Chelsea art Society survived in dormant form to be revived in 1946 by A Egerton Cooper RBA. Its annual Open Art Exhibition in Chelsea is firmly established in late June and the huge variety and the high standard of work is reflected in the number of buyers, and its prominent position in the King's Road attracts visitors from around the world. This year's exhibition will include a wide variety of media and styles - paintings, prints and sculpture. The exhibition is a marvellous hunting ground for the art lover and collector to see and buy the work of well known and established artists, or to acquire the work of the famous names of the future.

Private Views on Tue 1 & Thu 3 July, 6pm to 8.30pm

Demonstration Thu 3 July at 4.30pm.

Exhibition open Tue 2 to Sun 6 July. Daily 10am - 7pm,

Sun 10am - 2pm. Free entry. Main Hall,

Chelsea Old Town Hall, King's Road, Chelsea