Arts Ebor Newsletter March 2023

Dear Friends,

With Spring bursting forth and lengthening days we come to the final lecture of our 2022-23 season and look forward to an exciting year ahead. It is always good to welcome guests at our lectures – so you might like to bring along a friend to this or future meetings.

March Lecture:

An intriguing title for this month’s lecture – but what is the link between Pliny the Elder, a French cabinet maker’s son and Yves St Laurent? To enlighten us we could have no better guide than Caroline Holmes. She has lectured around the world, and currently for the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, has written several books featuring gardens and has presented programmes for radio and television. We are in for a treat!

We meet in the Shepherd Hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday 8th March. As usual you can enjoy a chat over a glass of wine or soft drink from 6pm before the lecture.

Forthcoming visits and events:

A couple of times a year we arrange a post-lecture meal at a local restaurant. These have proved popular and we are sure that those who have booked a place at Côte after this month’s lecture will have an enjoyable evening.

Also this month we look forward to the Arts Deco study day with Anne Anderson on Saturday 18 March. The programme for the day and directions to Belfry Hall will be sent separately to those who have booked. This will be a good introduction to our visit to Lille and Antwerp in May when Anne will be our guide (this trip is fully booked).

Peter Burnett will contact those who have booked a place on our trip to Hull on Tuesday 21 March – and the optional visit to the Hull Truck Theatre performance – with final details.

Copies of the brochure/booking form for our planned visit to Cardiff will again be available at this month’s lecture. A copy is also attached. The booking deadline for this trip, when deposits must be paid, is 13 April. Please send your completed form and deposit to Joanna Heywood (details on the form). There is much of interest to see in Cardiff – including the Grade II* listed Coal Exchange Hotel where we will be staying.

Richard Drysdale has provided the full itinerary for an exciting trip to India between 22 October and
7 November 2023. The itinerary was attached to our February newsletter and the closing date for deposits is 15 March. Please contact Richard – dr5372@hotmail.com if you would like to know more. I can thoroughly recommend this trip. Richard’s planning is meticulous, the accommodation superb and the guide for the trip, Vineet, is excellent.

Social Events:

June is one of the two months in the year when we invite members to share in a social gathering. On Friday 23 June from 4-6pm we return to the York Cemetery Chapel. With its Grade II* listed chapel – modelled on a Grecian temple – and 24 acres of garden, this site is a gem. Details of the event are on the attached flyer. Please contact Sheila Bartlett to reserve a place.

Looking further ahead, our Christmas social in December will be at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall and details will follow in due course.

Committee Support:

We are very pleased that Marilyn Morley has agreed to take over the role of Treasurer when John Cuckson ‘retires’ at the end of our 2022/23 year.

This does however leave a gap in our support team. Linda Ward has worked tirelessly with Claire Blenkin and then Marilyn to arrange our lecture programmes. Please contact Linda if you might consider stepping up to help – it really is an interesting role.

We would be glad to hear from any members who would be willing to join the committee – ‘many hands make light work’ as they say! Changes to the committee will be ratified at our AGM in June.

Membership:

This month marks the end of our 2022/23 season. So, if you haven’t already done so and you wish to avoid paying the guest fee for future lectures, then do please send in your membership renewal form to Michael Harran and your payment by Bacs (preferably) or cheque.

We have managed to keep membership fees lower than many other AS branches in the face of increasing costs but we can only do this if we have a solid membership base. We depend on you!

With best wishes from your Arts Society Ebor Committee.