Now Then! is a creative programme bringing free events and workshops to Selby, Sherburn and Tadcaster, with a particular focus on providing experiences for families and young people. Funded by Arts Council England, North Yorkshire Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, it gives local people more chances to experience the arts, celebrate heritage and come together in shared spaces. The programme is one of the few places in the country to have been given a Place Partnership Award from the Arts Council England through the National Lottery.
Selby Abbey are a key partner and we hosted the launch of Now Then! in 2024. We have since welcomed a range of projects:
We Are Here
A digital installation by idontloveyouanymore imagining future versions of the Abbey, co-created with local residents.
Image credit Esme Mai.
Emergence
An artists residency in the Abbey using reclaimed and natural materials from the building and nearby. This featured exhibitions and workshops from visual artists Helen Brook and Mandy Keating and poetry from writer in residence Natalie Davies.
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Watch Natalie read her poem from her residency, Passion and Tide, in this captivating film:
Summer 2024
Outdoor shows Ghetto Fabulous Family Catwalk Extravaganza and Serving Sounds brought colour and energy to the Abbey grounds.
Image credit Robling Photography.
Selby Light
A three-day event featuring Ancient Futures by Heinrich & Palmer, plus work from idontloveyouanymore and a light trail by Selby College students.
Image credit Alex Wild.
Feelgood Collective
A wellbeing exhibition with Brighter Futures Yorkshire CIO and York & Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. If you missed it at the Abbey, see it on tour with North Yorkshire’s Mobile Library in Autumn 2025.
Now Then! Festival 2025
COMING UP
Selby Light 2026
Plans are already underway for the return of Selby Light, which will once again transform the Abbey and the town with large-scale light installations.