Oxford News
Schwarzman Centre to open doors to public with major celebration
The Schwarzman Centre’s Open House on Saturday 25 April 2026 offers a free-to-attend opening programme to mark the launch of the cultural programme and the new 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall.
Audiences can attend performances by the Scottish Ensemble, and see the world premiere of 360 Vessels by artist Es Devlin and composer Nico Muhly, performed by chamber choir Schola Cantorum beneath the glass dome of the Great Hall. Artists Anna Ridler and Refik Anadol each present digital works that have been created using AI. Additional performances include ZooNation’s The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the new theatre, along with a line-up of artists including ground breaking Head over Wheels and physical theatre company Justice in Motion.
Es Devlin. Credit: Victor Picon, Cartier
The Schwarzman Centre’s cultural programme, directed by John Fulljames, will offer fresh new experiences for audiences drawing on the research and teaching excellence of the University of Oxford, and placing experimentation and co-creation at its heart.
Central to the programme are the Schwarzman Centre Cultural Fellows, a group of outstanding artists from around the world who are collaborating with Oxford’s leading academics to create pioneering new work. The initial cohort of Schwarzman Centre Cultural Fellows are: Refik Anadol; Lil Buck; Anna Clyne; Bryce Dessner; Rhiannon Giddens; Sarah Jones; Taylor Mac; Sir Wayne McGregor; Suzan-Lori Parks; Anoushka Shankar; Kae Tempest; Nitin Sawhney; and Bloomberg-Oxford Fellows, Es Devlin, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Marshmallow Laser Feast.
The Schwarzman Centre’s new collaboration with Bloomberg Connects, which supports the sharing of new and historical perspectives from the cultural programme’s renowned artists, writers, and thinkers, will enable visitors to access exclusive content via the Connects app to add to their experience.
ZooNation Dance Company. Credit: Foteini Christofilopoulou
John Fulljames, Director of the Cultural Programme, The Schwarzman Centre, said: ‘We can’t wait to welcome everyone into this new home for arts & culture. It’s a place where people from across the region and beyond can come together to make sense of what it means to be human in today’s world – that’s what the arts & humanities are all about. With a free opening celebration including music, theatre, dance, cabaret and more, we can promise the chance to connect both with some much loved stories and artists and also encounter something new and surprising.’
Alexandra Vincent MBE, Managing Director, The Schwarzman Centre, University of Oxford, said: ‘We are thrilled to unveil this unique and exciting programme, developed by leading artists and performers working with Oxford research and researchers, for the opening of the Schwarzman Centre. We look forward to welcoming audiences of all ages and backgrounds to the Centre over the April weekend and beyond.’
We can’t wait to welcome everyone into this new home for arts & culture. It’s a place where people from across the region and beyond can come together to make sense of what it means to be human in today’s world – that’s what the arts & humanities are all about.
John Fulljames, Director of the Cultural Programme
The Schwarzman Centre’s inaugural 2026 programme will present two themed seasons:
Other keynote performances throughout the year include an evening with Kae Tempest; ROBOTA, a new staging of Karel Capek’s R.U.R. by Headlong Theatre; a day-long exploration of the psalms curated by Edmund de Waal, in collaboration with Oxford scholars, the Aurora Orchestra and the Colin Currie Group.
Sigur Rós will collaborate with spatial sound specialists Loss>
Find out more about the events and book tickets on the Schwarzman Centre’s website.
We’ve made a gallery of pictures showing all the Oxfordshire spots which have been used for TV and film sets over the years.
Some of the biggest productions filmed here in Oxfordshire include Spectre in the James Bond franchise, which transformed Blenheim Palace in Woodstock into the Palazzo Cardenza in Rome.
READ MORE: Abandoned Oxfordshire home used as drugs den shut down
Many period dramas were also created in the county, like the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, which was partly filmed at Chastleton House in the Cotswolds.
Cotswolds villages have been repeatedly transformed and used as filming locations for their historical appeal, like the villages of Brill, Broadwell and Castle Combe.
Find all the pictures in this archive gallery of historic Oxfordshire filming locations here.
Three Year 10 pupils from Aureus School in Didcot travelled to London for the Royal Navy International Women’s Day event, held on HMS President during Careers Week and designed to showcase opportunities within the Royal Navy and beyond.
Students Antonia Pop, Ellie Swan and Tilly Mulvey are all taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.
Ellie Swan said: “It was fantastic to see the possible career paths within the Navy.”
Rob Hayden, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award manager at Aureus School, accompanied the students to the event.
He said: “During the day, students had talks from individuals within the Navy and from guest speakers, including Hannah Botterman, who last year won both the Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations with England.”
He said: “Students also had the chance to network with the speakers and other attendees.
“The event showed the students a wide range of inspirational females within the Navy and other careers.”
Aureus School, part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, says its vision is focused on ‘cultivating ambition’ and ‘high standards for all’.
Headteacher Kirsty Rogers says the Didcot-based co-educational comprehensive has undergone a ‘transformative journey’, creating a community where students feel a strong sense of belonging. She emphasises inclusivity, high expectations, and a broad curriculum that encourages ambition, resilience and respect, supported by dedicated staff and diverse extra-curricular opportunities.
The flights mark a major boost to the airport’s connectivity ahead of the budget airline’s record Summer 2026 schedule.
The new routes form part of Ryanair’s expanded Glasgow programme for Summer 2026, which will see the airline operate over 100 weekly flights across eight routes.
The new double-daily London Stansted service further strengthens Glasgow’s access to the English capital, while the launch of the Warsaw service enhances Glasgow’s international offering.
Jonathan Ford, portfolio manager at AGS Airports, said: “It’s fantastic to see Ryanair’s new services to London Stansted and Warsaw take off today.
“The double-daily Stansted route offers even more flexibility for business and leisure travellers heading to and from England’s innovation corridor, while Warsaw provides a valuable new link that expands the international connectivity available to our passengers.
“These launches mark the start of what will be a record summer for Ryanair at Glasgow, and we look forward to welcoming even more travellers through our doors.”
Last month, Ryanair launched its 2026 plan for Glasgow with 10 routes, including holiday hotspots like Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, and Tenerife, as well as city break destinations like Barcelona and Pisa.
The budget airline will also operate extra frequencies on its Alicante, Faro, Pisa, Malaga and Murcia routes.
The new schedule is underpinned by Ryanair’s two Glasgow Prestwick-based aircraft.
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