‘Great Railway Stations – Evoking the Spirit of Romance and Adventure’ is the topic of ArtsNational Narrabri’s first arts talk for 2026.
London tour guide and gallery guide Ian Swankie will be in Narrabri for the presentation at The Crossing Theatre on Monday, March 9.
If you think of St Pancras International or New York’s Grand Central Station, you imagine long romantic journeys.
You know they are special places, promising excitement and adventure, and there are dozens of these glorious stations all across the world.
We will be looking at the magnificence of station architecture, engineering and design, including the many depictions of stations in art – such as Monet’s Gare St Lazare or William Powell Frith’s Paddington.
This is a journey which is lavish, colourful and fun.
A Londoner with a contagious enthusiasm for art and architecture, Ian Swankie is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral. He is also a freelance London tour guide.
Since 2012 he has led a popular weekly independent art lecture group in his home town of Richmond in West London.
Kanazawa Station, Japan: Kanazawa Station was chosen as one of the 14 most beautiful stations in the world by Travel & Leisure in 2011. It is characterised by a dome supported by massive pillars modelled after Japanese drums used in traditional performing arts. The inside of the station is decorated with local traditional handicrafts as if it were a museum.
Ian is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City of London’s famous livery companies.
The illustrated arts talks take place in cinema one, The Crossing Theatre, with arrivals in the foyer starting from 6.30pm ready for a 7pm start.
Lecture time is approximately one hour, followed by drinks and canapés in The Crossing Theatre café all included in the ticket price, and providing a great opportunity to have a chat with Ian.
If patrons wish to have a drink prior to the talk, beverages and snacks can be purchased from the kiosk and taken into the theatre.
Members who join by this first lecture of the year (March 9) will be given a complimentary visitor’s ticket to bring a friend along to any lecture of their choice during the 2026 season.
These tickets can be redeemed online at any TryBooking link throughout the year, or alternatively members can bring a friend along on lecture night and claim the ticket at the door.
ArtsNational Narrabri is part of a volunteer-led organisation offering a wide spectrum of arts-related topics to 36 societies across Australia.
Ian Swankie: A Londoner with a contagious enthusiasm for art and architecture, Ian Swankie is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral. He is also a freelance London tour guide.
