Bucks professor joins more than 100 artists in Wycombe community exhibition 

A Bucks New University (Bucks) professor is among more than 100 local artists showcasing their work in a town-wide group exhibition celebrating High Wycombe's creative talent. 

Nela Milic, Professor in Arts Practice, is exhibiting her installation Mid Century, Half Empty, Half Full as part of the Community Arts Exhibition 2026, organised by We Make Wycombe, in partnership with Wycombe Arts Centre. 

An artist specialising in memory and identity, Nela’s installation features dried roses collected from her 50th birthday. Framed as a three-dimensional still life, the work reflects on ageing, change, memory and the start of a new chapter in life. 

Nela explained that the title was inspired by comments she received when turning 50 that life was now 'all downhill'. Rather than accepting that perspective, she wanted to explore how the same milestone could be viewed differently. 

The roses, once in full bloom and now dried, represent the passing of time and the transitions we experience in life.  

“It's a new beginning,” she said: “It's the end of something and the beginning of something else. I like the fact that mid-century means that I have another 50 years to go.” 

For Nela, taking part in the exhibition is also an opportunity to represent the University as a local cultural producer and be part of the wider creative community in High Wycombe. Her work can be seen in Place Partnership Hub, the home of We Make Wycombe on the High Street (by Costa Coffee).  

She said: “I'm really glad that Bucks is represented in the exhibition. As a member of staff here and socially engaged artist, I work within the community, and I'm really proud to be part of that community and be acknowledged as one of the local artists.” 

The exhibition spreads across six venues: We Make Wycombe Hub, Wycombe Arts Centre, Wycombe Museum Café, Patch Foyer, High Wycombe Library and Hughenden Manor Café. 

Ami Aubrey, Partnerships Manager at We Make Wycombe, said: “This is a significant milestone for cultural collaboration in High Wycombe. With more than 100 artists coming forward, including many exhibiting for the first time, the exhibition celebrates the creativity within our communities. It’s an exciting opportunity to bring people together, connect audiences with new spaces and help build a more inclusive and connected cultural landscape for Wycombe.” 

 The exhibition runs until 21 November, with an accompanying Arts Trail encouraging visitors to explore the different venues and discover the breadth of creative work being produced across the town. 

Visit the exhibition 

The Community Arts Exhibition runs until 21 November, 11am–3pm. Opening times vary between venues.