As part of Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print, we’re delighted to be offering a wide range of talks, events and workshops inspired by the show.

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Family-friendly activities and events

Summer at York Art Gallery | Book Tickets

Saturday 22 July – Sunday 30 August 2026

Join us this summer for Japanese themed activities, workshops and performances for all ages, inspired by our Making Waves exhibition.

Plan your summer day out to York Art Gallery

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Making Waves: A Closing Celebration | Book Tickets

Saturday 29 August 2026, 10am – 5pm
Sunday 30 August 2026, 10am – 5pm

Join us to celebrate the closing of the exhibition with a 2-day festival of music, workshops, creative activities, food, drink for all the family in the gallery and Museum Gardens.

What’s On:

Ippuku Tea Stand
Saturday 29 August 2026 | 10am – 5pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Japanese Gardening Society
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026 |10am – 5pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Face Painting
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August | 10am – 4.30pm
Face Painting £7, Glitter Tattoo £5, Magic Combo (Face Painting and Glitter Tattoo) £10
Suitable for ages 3+
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Paddle in the Surf: Mokuhanga Printmaking 
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August | 10am – 4.30pm (sessions run every 25 mins)
£15 per person, tickets available on the day
Suitable for all ages and abilities
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Art Outdoors: Make a Splash
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August | 11am – 4pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Sun Ring Making
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August | 10.30am – 4.30pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

Jiu Jitsu Performance 
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August | 2pm
Free
Suitable for all ages
York Museum Gardens, directly behind York Art Gallery

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Programme of workshops

Follow the links below to find out more about the individual workshops and to book tickets.

All workshop tickets include entry to the Making Waves exhibition and our wider permanent collections. 

Friday 27 February,  11am–4.30pm – Dive into Woodblock Printing  SOLD OUT

Saturday 28 February, 2pm–5pm – The Great Wave Print Party  SOLD OUT

Sunday 19 April, 10am–4pm – An Introduction to Sashiko and Boro SOLD OUT

Sunday 17 May, 10am–4pm – An Introduction to Japanese Woodblock Printing  SOLD OUT

Sunday 21 June, 10am–12.30pm – Ikebana Floral Design- SOLD OUT

Saturday 11 July, 10am–4pm – An Introduction to Mokuhanga – SOLD OUT

Sunday 12 July, 10am–4pm – An Introduction to Japanese Bookbinding (Ori-hon & Toji-hon) – SOLD OUT

Saturday 29 August, 11am–12 noon – The Art of Kokedama – SOLD OUT

Sunday 30 August, 11am – 12 noon – The Art of Kokedama – Buy tickets

Please note: Workshops are suitable for all abilities, aged 16+. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. All materials are provided.

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Making Waves Talks
Every first Wednesday of the month, 12 noon – 12.30pm
No booking required, included in general admission

A series of monthly half-hour gallery talks led by curators, academics and gallery specialists exploring the art, techniques and cultural context of Japanese woodblock print.

Please note each session will take place in the Making Waves exhibition, unless otherwise stated.

Wednesday 1 April 2026, 12 noon – ‘Secret Lives of Samurai Women: An Introduction to York Art Gallery’s Newly Acquired Print’ with Dr Eleanor Jackson

Join Eleanor Jackson, Curator of Fine Art at York Art Gallery who curated Making Waves, to learn about the history behind York Art Gallery’s newly acquired print, taking you to the heart of the major changes in Japanese society during the 19th century.

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Wednesday 6 May 2026, 12 noon – ‘A Deeper Dive: How Japanese Prints Changed Western Art’ with Dr Helena Cox

Join Dr Helena Cox, Fine Art Curator at University of York to learn how Japanese art set off a craze towards the end of the 19th century among Western artists, painters and etchers from all over Europe, and how creatives exchanged knowledge and techniques.

Dr Cox will delve deeper into the mutual dialogues between European and Japanese art at the turn of the century, with special focus on the exhibited prints by Tsukioka Yoshitosi, whose work perfectly embodies these intercultural dialogues.

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Wednesday 3 June 2026, 12 noon – ‘Conservation up Close: Caring for Japanese Woodblock Prints’ with Mhairi Boyle

Join Mhairi Boyle, a conservation professional who carried out treatment on 19 woodblock prints in preparation for the Making Waves exhibition, for an insightful talk about the preservation and display of historic works on paper.

Mhairi will highlight selected prints conserved for the exhibition and introduce the traditional Japanese materials and methods employed to conserve them.

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Wednesday 1 July 2026, 12 noon – Celest 1 and Celest 2 by Rebecca Slater

Join Visitor Experience Team Member, Jane, to take a look at the work of British-born contemporary printmaker Rebecca Salter PRA, who trained in the traditional methods of Japanese woodblock printmaking in Japan and still works with Japanese masters.

Learn about the collaborative nature of printmaking, the differences between woodblock and woodcut, and printmaking as an art medium as opposed to mass produced reproduction prints.

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Wednesday 5 August 2026, 12 noon – ‘Making Waves: The Magic of Materials’ with Professor Helen Smith

Join Professor Helen Smith, founding co-director of Thin Ice Press and Head of the Department of English and Related Literature at the University of York, for an insightful talk exploring the materials of Japanese printmaking.

Learn how traditional inks, woods for carving and washi, a Japanese paper, contribute to the textures and effects seen in the historic works on display in the exhibition. Helen will investigate the ‘water magic’ of washi and explain how skilled makers make waves in the sugeta (papermaking mold) to produce an exceptional finish.