An exhibition: ‘Pictures for Schools’.
At David Parr House Studio Gallery, in Cambridge.
From 1 July to 8 August, 2026.
Opening in the Studio Gallery at David Parr House, Cambridge, this exhibition explores the legacy of Pictures for Schools, the famous post-war initiative founded by artist and educationalist Nan Youngman. Between 1947 and 1969, the scheme enabled schools to purchase original artworks by contemporary artists, placing museum-quality art directly into classrooms and corridors. The 2026 summer exhibition from 1 July to 8 August, drawn from the collection of Robjn Cantus, brings together paintings, drawings and prints that once shaped the visual environment of British schools. These works - often modest in scale, but rich in imagination - reflect the belief that art should be part of everyday life.
It has also been confirmed that a painting bought by the Cambridgeshire art blogger Robjn Cantus - as part of a pair, for £35 - and verified on the popular BBC TV show Fake or Fortune as a work by New Zealand artist Frances Hodgkins worth up to £50,000, will be part of this new exhibition. Cantus bought the picture in 2019 when Hertfordshire County Council sold off its mid-20th century art collection. When BBC One’s Fake or Fortune discovered its true provenance, art expert Philip Mould, who co-presents the BBC programme with Fiona Bruce, said the verification of this as a Hodgkins painting was “unquestioningly justifying that valuation of £40,000 to £50,000”.
Editor’s Notes:
One of very few working-class Arts & Crafts property in the UK, David Parr House was “discovered” by accident in 2009 by a local historian who recognised the significance of the property. David Parr was born in Cambridge in 1854. A decorative “art-workman” during the Victorian era, he was a lifelong employee of the decorative firm F. R. Leach & Sons from the age of 17. He painted schemes in grand houses and churches designed by leading figures of the Arts and Crafts movement including William Morris, George Frederick Bodley and Charles Eamer Kempe. But in his spare time, he also decorated his own home in the same styles. Remarkably, these interiors were preserved by his granddaughter who lived in the house her entire life after moving-in, in 1927, at the age of 12. Next year (2027) will mark 100 years of David Parr’s death, and 100 years since Elsie moved into the property.
The Gallery and Shop is open Wednesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm.
The House is open for tours Thursday to Saturday.
Entry to the exhibition is FREE, but booking ahead is recommended.
For full details, visit: https://davidparrhouse.org/whats-on/pictures-for-schools.