Those of you who knew Richard, our Development Director, who we so sadly lost in 2017, will remember not only his huge contribution to the College but also his passionate love for the literature, culture and music of his native North of England, and especially of Northumberland and County Durham.

Richard Berg Rust grew up in Northumbria and was a life-long champion of the North of England. He wanted to showcase northern talent, helping to alter attitudes and to celebrate the wealth of culture he found there. He was Director of Development for the Theatre Royal in Newcastle and oversaw its expansion for three years. He was also the founding father of the Northumbrian Association and campaigned to get the Lindisfarne Gospels back to Durham Cathedral supported by Sir Tom Cowie and the then Bishop of Durham Michael Turnbull. In the process he raised money to take culture, history and copies of the Gospels to schools in the area of which he was rightfully proud.

In his memory the College has instituted an annual event – on Northern themes, which it hopes members and alumni will help to endow.

We are delighted to announce details of this year's event, a talk entitled 'Where's North from Here?' to be given by Laurence Sillars, Head of Henry Moore Institute Programmes.

Over the last 20 years Sillars has realised more than 300 exhibitions and projects with artists at every stage of their career, from the internationally renowned to the newly graduated. In this talk he will draw upon his experiences of working in some of the UK’s leading visual arts organisations outside the capital—Tate, BALTIC and the Henry Moore Institute—and reflect upon the north as a unique and vital context of artistic freedom, experimentation and growth in England.

Sillars is currently Head of Henry Moore Institute Programmes and based in Leeds. From 2009-17 he was Chief Curator at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead and from 2002-9 was Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at Tate Liverpool. Sillars has co-curated two Turner Prize exhibitions and three Liverpool Biennials. He has overseen partnerships with Channel 4, Tate, the BBC and his projects have toured internationally.

This event is free and the 1 hour talk will be followed by a drinks reception.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP via the Eventbrite link below.

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This lecture has been made possible by the kind support of alumni, seniors and friends of the College. If you would like to help support this lecture series so it can continue well into the future please donate here. Please select ‘Other' in the Designation drop down on the donation form and specify 'RBR Fund'.

Alternatively, email development@hughes.cam.ac.uk.