John’s Chronicle Editor, Dan Bavister, goes behind the scenes at the Arts, Music and Culture Formal, reviewing a wonderful evening of entertainment and creative expression.
Durham is a city of culture. Rooted in its ancient theological and intellectual heritage of the old Bailey, it is a city of storeyed lore and rich tradition. And St John’s College, nestled within the UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounding Durham Cathedral, plays host to much of this opulent artistic heritage, that is still swelling with ever greater intensity and insight, this very day.
The Arts, Music and Culture Formal was hosted at St John’s on Thursday the 18th of January, at which numerous prestigious alumni and friends of college were hosted for dinner. The evening began with a panel discussion on arts careers in the LRC Lecture Theatre, followed by a drinks reception in Crossroads and finishing with a three-course dinner (with wine and non-alcoholic drink options) in Leech Hall.
The panel discussion, chaired by Catherine Wilcox, consisted of many notable and distinguished alumni of St John’s. There was Aowen Jin, the artist, lecturer and social commentator, and Bex Lindsay, professional podcaster and BBC Radio 4 presenter, who cut her teeth hosting shows on Purple Radio while in Durham.
Then there was Matthew Hancock (no, not THAT Matt Hancock!), who began his career as the Station Manager for Purple Radio, and is now an illustrator, graphic designer and game designer.
Last but by no means least, there was Clare Finney, veteran food journalist and author of two books: The Female Chef, which won the Fortnum and Mason Food Book of the Year Award in 2022, and Hungry Heart: A Story of Food and Love, which was named Times Food Book of the Year 2024.
The night was a powerful demonstration of the enduring influence of the arts
As a special treat for this formal, comedian and podcast host alum Stevie Martin kept us laughing with her stand up routine even before starters were served.
The hard work of college staff, the brilliant SJCR Exec and the Food and Formals Officer was clear for all to see. It is aboundingly evident that these diligent and enthusiastic teams of volunteers are the driving force behind the striking success of all college formals.
The work of the Catering team was also central to the success of the evening, highlighted by the unusual but delightful and sumptuous dishes served. The starter of bread accompanied by flavoured butter and a shower of Maldon salt was followed by a choice of Pan-Fried chicken or Moroccan Cauliflower Roulade. The meal reached a delightful conclusion via a cornucopia of indulgent cake slices, ranging from chocolate to cherry.
The night was a powerful demonstration of the enduring influence of the arts. Even in the face of grotesque assaults on artistic expression via UK government austerity policies, that have destabilised the rich creative heritage of this country, artists and creatives have nonetheless discovered and forged safe havens for expression and creativity. And while many of the speakers were realistic about the difficulties associated with pursuing an arts career, they were also clear that to find one’s feet in this profession, is one of the great joys of life.
For those alumni with career experience, across any discipline or sector, they feel could be beneficial to share with current students at St John’s, please reach out to the college’s lovely Alumni & Communications team at johns.alumni@durham.ac.uk. We would love to see you attend one of our formals in future!
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