The Hold is a Suffolk County Council facility on Ipswich Waterfront, housing Suffolk Archives, the John Blatchly Local Studies Library, an exhibition gallery, café, shop, and teaching spaces shared with the University of Suffolk.
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The University of Suffolk's English team will host a day of workshops and talks at The Hold on Saturday, 14 November 2026, linked to Suffolk Archives' Witches: Suffolk's Dark Legacy exhibition.
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Suffolk Archives will host a new exhibition on the county's 17th-century witch trials, featuring rare loans from the British Library, V&A and Tate never seen in Suffolk before.
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A new art trail and drawing competition is inviting the town's young artists, from toddlers to teenagers, to create their own Constable-inspired landscapes while The Hay Wain hangs in Christchurch Mansion.
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Hundreds of women attended The Hold in Ipswich on Saturday for Let's Talk Women's Health, where expert-led seminars on breast cancer, endometriosis, pregnancy and menopause drew crowds eager to ask questions and learn how to better look after their health.
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Future Female Society, which has supported more than 2,400 women and girls across Suffolk, celebrated its 10th anniversary this week – with its founder reflecting on a decade of life-changing impact and looking ahead to the next ten years.
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A new exhibition exploring the lives, achievements and challenges of disabled people in Suffolk opens at The Hold in Ipswich on Thursday, 27 February 2026.
Long Reads
From traditional pantomimes at the Regent and New Wolsey Theatre to dance adaptations of classic tales and cinema screenings, Ipswich venues are offering entertainment for all ages throughout the festive season.
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The personal letters of Margaret Catchpole, a servant girl who became a Suffolk legend after her daring jail escape and eventual deportation to Australia, invite visitors to decide for themselves whether she was a criminal or a woman charting her own path.
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Residents can question Suffolk's Police and Crime Commissioner and safety experts about violence against women and community safety concerns at The Hold on Wednesday, 24 September, from 18:00.
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Suffolk residents can access newly digitised historical records for free at The Hold in Ipswich and Suffolk Libraries, with online beginner sessions planned to help people get started.
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The stories of remarkable women who performed skilled but back-breaking work in Suffolk's once-booming herring industry are being brought to life in a new touring exhibition.
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A leading academic will share her personal experiences of living under discriminatory legislation as a lesbian teacher in Suffolk and how those challenges led to her involvement in an acclaimed British film.
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