Celebrate the magic of the BFG

A fun, family-friendly exhibition of the magical illustrations that brought the BFG to life opens at the Beaney in Canterbury on Saturday 3 March.

‘BFG in Pictures’ was curated by Quentin Blake and features 40 of his original artworks, prepared for Roald Dahl’s classic story The BFG. The exhibition is presented courtesy of the House of Illustration and includes unpublished illustrations which will be exhibited for the first time alongside the final illustrations for the book.

Running alongside it is a programme of family activities, including the ‘share your dream’ competition. Open to all ages, entrants are invited to share their dreams through pictures, poetry or short stories, for the opportunity to have their work transformed into an original illustration that will go on display in the Beaney.

There are three age categories to enter – six and under, seven to 12, and 13 and over – the ‘big kids’ category.

Runners up and winners in the ‘big kids’ category will also have the opportunity to participate in a special writing workshop hosted by a published author.

The exhibition and associated activities are all part of the new Beaney family programme. This has been designed to create a welcoming and positive experience for families across the city council’s museums and gallery service, combining free or affordable activities at weekends and over school holidays with high quality exhibitions.

Chairman of the council’s Community Committee, Cllr Neil Baker, said: “This exhibition is sure to jog people’s memories of their childhood, as the BFG is such an iconic book. We’re very pleased to welcome it to the Beaney and expect it to be very popular with our visitors.”

‘BFG in Pictures’, a touring exhibition from the House of Illustration, runs from Saturday 3 March to Sunday 20 May in the Beaney’s Special Exhibitions Room.