Newsletter: Events at Clare Hall, Winter 2026
Dear Clare Hall members and friends,
Please find below a list of events taking place this week and beyond, to which you are warmly invited.
➢ Members’ events
Pool and Gym Membership Sale |
Sign Up by Saturday 31 January 2026
Clare Hall is pleased to offer a 6 months sports membership at a discounted rate if you sign up before the 31st of January. This will give you access to our heated pool and gym located in West Court.
Please read our Gym and Pool Membership Rules and complete this Membership Form, also sending a completed copy of this PAR-Q to porters@clarehall.cam.ac.uk.
College Bar, Lent 2026 |
Wednesdays and Fridays, 7-11pm
The College bar is open two nights a week – Wednesday and Friday evenings, 7-11PM.
Family Supper |
Friday 30 January 2026, 5.30pm
Join us for a Family Supper starting in the Meeting Room at 5.30pm where we do a craft activity, before heading for supper at about 6pm. After supper we will return to the Meeting Room to watch a film together if there is enough demand.
There is no need to book – this is an informal event and dinner will be the regular dining hall with usual prices, and half price for children. Family suppers are organised by Chandy Nath and Susannah Salter.
Visiting the CUL’s Cairo Genizah Collection |
Register by Thursday 5 February 2026
Following last week’s colloquium talk by Professor Sidnie Crawford, Visiting Fellow, on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Cairo Genizah manuscripts, several fellows and students expressed interest in visiting the Cambridge University Library’s Cairo Genizah Collection, the world’s largest and most significant single collection of medieval Jewish manuscripts.
In response, and at the initiative of Professor Crawford, we are pleased to announce that, in cooperation with Professor Benjamin Outhwaite, Head of the Genizah Research Unit, we are organising a visit to the collection. Two time slots are available: Monday 9 February and Wednesday 18 February, at 2:00 pm.
Please register your interest with Dr Li Tang (lt422@cam.ac.uk), Convenor of the College Colloquium Series, by 5 February. Each visit is limited to 12 participants, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Small Formal Hall |
Wednesday 11 February 2026, from 7pm
We will be holding our next Small Formal Hall on Wednesday 11 February. Numbers for these Formal Halls will be limited to a maximum of 60. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 23 January at 3pm; please book in via Upay in the usual manner.
Foundation Feast 2026 |
Wednesday 18 February 2026, from 7pm
Celebrate our wonderful College and join us for the Foundation Feast on Wednesday 18th February. Booking will be available via Upay, opening on Friday 23rd January at 3pm and closing on 11th February. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to book early to secure your place.
- 7:00 pm – Reception in the Common Room
- 7:30 pm – Feast in the Dining Hall
Cost: £55 for seniors and £36.5 for students (including wine or soft drink)
Dress code: Black Tie
➢ Lectures and talks
Clare Hall Colloquia |
Tuesday 20 January – Tuesday 10 March 2026, 7.15pm
The Clare Hall Colloquia provide members of the College – especially (but not exclusively) Visiting Fellows and Life Members – with an opportunity to present their research, whether in its early stages or already published, in a friendly setting. They are a great way to discuss your ideas, meet fellow members and to contribute to our vibrant community. Sessions take place on Tuesday evenings during term time, 7.15–9.15pm, in the Clare Hall Meeting Room. Refreshments are provided.
The next session is on 3 February 2026, with speaker Professor Sara Brill (Visiting Fellow, Fairfield University, USA)
Title: Birth as Concept and Ideal in Plato’s Dialogues
From theorizing the best political community, to constructing vivid after-life imagery, to choice metaphors for the importance of philosophy, Plato found birth good to think with. Why he did so, and why we should care, are the topics of this presentation. With a focus on a few key passages, I argue that Plato uses the language of human coming-to-be in order to connect philosophical thought to the forms of generativity that were seen as indices of power in Greek antiquity.
Please see the full Lent programme here.
Climate Sciences SIG |
Monday 2 February, 7pm
The Climate Sciences SIG is pleased to invite you to a special screening of the film “Water’s Journey“ this coming Monday 2 February, at 7pm in the Meeting Room. The film showcases the extensive research of Professor Petri Pellikka, a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, focusing on the climatic impacts of land cover change in Kenya’s Taita Hills. Petri will be in attendance to say a few words on the film and provide firsthand context on his work.
About the film: Water’s Journey is based on research projects of Professor Petri Pellikka on climatic impacts of land cover change in Taita Taveta County, Kenya. The film tells what happens to water resources when forests are cleared for agriculture and grazing in the Taita Hills, which is a water tower rising from dry savannah plains over 2000 meters above the sea level. Professor Pellikka and University of Helsinki have been carrying out research in the area since 2003 with funding from DG International Partnerships of the European Commission, Research Council of Finland and Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The footage was filmed in 2014 and premiered in 2015. It has been shown by the National Broadcast TV channels of Finland 10 times and is also available in Internet in Finnish.
Biomedical & Life Sciences SIG |
Wednesday 4 February, 6pm
All Clare Hall members are welcome to attend the meetings for the Biomedical and Life Sciences SIG this Lent term. Meetings are held on Wednesdays 6.00-7.00pm in the Clare Hall Meeting Room.
The next meeting is on 4 February with speaker Dr Jiayu Li (Clare Hall, Affiliated Postdoctoral Member) – “Deciphering the very beginning of a human life – Understanding early human embryo development in the lab”.
For further information, please contact convenors Dr Chris Cooper at cdoc3@cam.ac.uk, or Dr Rachel Sippy at rjs271@medschl.cam.ac.uk, or Dr Mike Trower at miket.clarehall@gmail.com.
Film & Moving Image SIG |
Thursday 12 February, 7.30pm
All Clare Hall members are welcome to attend the screenings and events of the new Film & Moving Image SIG. The full schedule for Lent can be found here.
Upcoming event: Movie Magic Special Preview Screening, 7.30pm, the Phoenix Cinema, London.
Come join us as we travel to London to watch the first preview screening of Movie Magic (2025). Recently accepted by the Chicago Irish Film Festival, this independent comedy about cinema ushers was edited by Clare Hall student Carter Rogers and directed by Robinson graduates Michael Magarren and Alex Kennedy. You can watch the trailer here and get (free!) tickets here.
Communicating Research to Policy Makers SIG |
Friday 13 February 2026, 11am
The new Communicating Research to Policy Makers SIG will hold its first ever event on Friday 13 February at 11am in the King Room. All are welcome – the event is planned to be relevant to all, regardless of your field.
Tips and Tricks for Policy Development with speaker James Tanna, Clare Hall Associate, Senior Evidence Officer at CBM UK.
About the session: Policy development is as exciting as it is challenging. ‘Good’ policy can effect significant, beneficial change on many people’s lives while ‘bad’ policy can be very harmful, negatively impacting those the policy applies to and eroding all-important trust in the policymaker. But how do you create ‘good’ policy and avoid ‘bad’ policy? In this approximately one-hour session, we will briefly explore some policy development tips and tricks before working in groups to reflect on the steps you would take to form a policy addressing a current pressing issue.
Please do come along! If you plan to attend, please let us know by signing up for the event here, so that we can plan the practical element of the session. You can also use the link above to sign up to receive future emails from the group.
For questions and further details, please contact Dr Chandrika Nath, convenor, at chandy.nath@gmail.com.
English Literature SIG |
Friday 20 February 2026, 5pm
All Clare Hall members are welcome to attend the meetings for the English Literature SIG this Lent term. Meetings are held at 5pm in the Clare Hall Meeting Room, followed by a group dinner in the Dining Hall.
For further details please contact Professor Eric Nye, SIG convenor, at ewn10@cam.ac.uk. Zoom link provided on request.
The full schedule can be found here.
➢ Music
Clare Hall and Clare College Joint Evensong |
Tuesday 3 February 2026, 6.15pm
The Clare Hall Choir will be performing in a joint Evensong with Clare College on Tuesday 3 February. The service is 6.15pm and will be in Clare College Chapel. The service will include music by Charles Villiers Stanford, Ola Gjeilo, and Stephen Paulus. All are welcome to attend.
Masterpieces for Tenor and Horn |
Saturday 7 February 2026, 7.30pm
This concert brings together a compelling programme of works written for tenor and horn, performed by Alessandro Cortello (tenor), Alexei Watkins (horn), Eleanor Ryan (violin), Patrick Hemmerlé (piano), Darren Bloom (conductor), and a student ensemble.
Programme:
- Beethoven An die Ferne Geliebte
- Brahms Horn Trio
- Finzi Eclogue
- Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
Tickets are available via Eventbrite: General Admission – £20, Clare Hall members – £15, students – £5.
Emmanuel Bach and Jenny Stern |
Saturday 21 February 2026, 7.30pm
This concert presents a programme of rarely performed works that look ahead to new musical ideas and expressive possibilities, brought to life by Emmanuel Bach (London Firebird Orchestra) and Jenny Stern (Royal College of Music, London).
The Fantasies by C. P. E. Bach and Schubert explore mood and atmosphere in ways that anticipate the Romantic movement. André Previn, best known as a conductor, was also a fine pianist and composer, and his Violin Sonatas reflect his close musical partnership with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. The programme also features a suite for violin and piano by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, drawn from incidental music written in 1919 and first performed at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, revealing the confidence and imagination of a remarkable young composer.
Tickets are available via Eventbrite: General Admission – £20, Clare Hall members – £15, students – £5.
➢ Art
‘All of Your Demons Will Wither Away‘ by Marguerite Horner |
Friday 16 January – Thursday 26 February 2026, 9am-4pm
Clare Hall is proud to present All of Your Demons Will Wither Away, a remarkable exhibition by Marguerite Horner, which will be open for public viewing Monday to Friday between 9am to 4pm. It demonstrates afresh this college’s interest in the diversity to be found in contemporary art and its ability to provoke thought and feeling. The dominant images in this show are concerned with light on water.
The exhibition’s title is explained by the artist. Drawn from Fatboy Slim’s Demons (sung by Macy Gray), it carries the lyric: “All of your demons will wither away, ecstasy comes and they cannot stay.” It therefore speaks to transformation – to the quiet promise that illumination, however brief, can dissolve the shadow.
Marguerite Horner
Learn more about the exhibition here.
The Bell Collection of British Studio Pottery, 1920-1980 |
Ongoing
A rotating display of some 400 pieces of studio ceramics. Learn more at https://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk/bellcollection/
➢ External events
Exhibition Panel Discussion, ‘A Gap in the Clouds’ |
Friday 30 January 2026, 5pm
Join an interdisciplinary panel exploring the themes of A Gap in the Clouds, the current exhibition at The Heong Gallery, Downing College. The discussion will bring together artists, curators, and researchers to consider how landscapes – both real and imagined – reveal and shape our inner lives.
Professor Barbara Sahakian, Fellow of Clare Hall and renowned expert in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, will be among the panel participants, sharing insights from her interdisciplinary work at the intersection of psychology, cognition and human experience.
This event is open to all. Book your spot via Eventbrite.
Green Careers Festival |
Monday 9 February – Tuesday 17 February 2026
Interested in building a career that makes a positive impact on the planet? The Green Careers Festival, organised by the University of Cambridge Careers Service in partnership with Cambridge Zero, is your chance to explore sustainable career paths, connect with employers, and discover opportunities across a wide range of sectors.
Running from Monday 9 to Tuesday 17 February, the festival brings together events designed to help you take your next step, regardless of your academic background.
Registration is open until Wednesday 4 February. See the programme and register here.
SDG & AI+ Academic Conferences 2026 |
Submit papers by Sunday 31 May 2026
Two non-profit, peer-reviewed academic conferences focusing on SDG and AI+ will be held in Cambridge in summer 2026. Both events are organised by UniHive and hosted by Clare Hall and Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.
Professor David Cope (Foundation Fellow at Clare Hall) and Professor Pietro Liò (Professorial Fellow at Clare Hall) will act as the Academic Chair of each conference.
- Call for papers opens: Friday 30 January 2026
- Paper and poster submission deadline: Sunday 31 May 2026
➢ Activities and Societies
Pilates Sessions |
Mondays, 9 January – 20 March 2026
We are delighted to host pilates classes at Clare Hall throughout the Lent Term. The classes will be held on Mondays during lunchtime. Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that aims to strengthen muscles while improving postural alignment and flexibility.
A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.
Taiji (Tai Chi) and QiGong Sessions |
Wednesdays, 14 January – 18 March 2026
We are pleased to host Taiji (Tai Chi) and QiGong sessions at Clare Hall in the Lent Term. The sessions will be taking place in the Richard Eden Suite on Wednesdays during lunchtime, starting on 1 October 2025.
A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.
Yoga Sessions |
Thursdays and Sundays, 15 January – 22 March 2025
We are delighted to host regular Thursday lunchtime and Sunday afternoon yoga sessions in the Lent term. Yoga is a holistic mind–body practice that combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote strength, flexibility, and inner balance.
A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.
Clare Hall Book Club |
Monday 2 February 2026, 8pm
Join the College’s Book Club as they discuss Flesh by David Szalay. All College members are welcome to attend in-person, meeting in Clare Hall’s King Room, or via Zoom. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to be, please send an email to gloria.carnevali@icloud.com, confirming your Clare Hall connection and putting the following as the email title: I would like to join the Book Club mailing list.
Learn more about the Book Club on this page.
Choir Practice |
Various Dates
A reminder that Clare Hall Choir practice takes place in Robinson College Chapel every Monday (in term-time, but not always restricted to the official Cambridge term dates) from 7.30-9pm. New members are always welcome, and no previous singing or musical experience is necessary. The only requirement is that you want to sing and have fun doing it! If you are interested in joining, please email Ben de Souza, the Choir’s Director, who is a Clare Hall Associate, freelance choral conductor and accordionist: bd402@cam.ac.uk.
Recent recordings of the choir can also be found on our YouTube channel.
Clare Hall Families |
Various Dates
Clare Hall Families is an informal group that holds events throughout the year, centred around our popular Family Suppers, which take place each term.
Join the Clare Hall Families mailing list and WhatsApp group by filling out the form.
For any enquiries, please contact Chandy Nath at chandy.nath@gmail.com.
Find a full range of events at https://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk/events