The mayor of Bewdley, Councillor Nicole Harper, officially opened a new art exhibition at Bewdley Museum on October 3, with rock legend Robert Plant among the invited guests. The exhibition features works by artists Colin Simmonds and Peter Shread, both members of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, showcasing Simmonds’ expressive oil paintings and Shread’s detailed lino and woodcut relief prints. The show is part of the 37th Bewdley Festival, which runs from October 10 to 26 and includes music, comedy, and literary events.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the role of small public galleries in sustaining local visual arts communities. Photographer Colin Hill noted that the Bewdley Museum gallery is the only public exhibition space in the three towns of Kidderminster, Stourport, and Bewdley, underscoring the scarcity of accessible venues for artists outside major urban centers. The presence of a high-profile figure like Robert Plant draws attention to the show and to the broader festival, potentially boosting public engagement with regional art.