Changing of the Guard

The Arts Society Gravesend held their AGM on Tuesday 13th May. It marked the end of Sue Shirley’s term as our chairman, after three hard working and successful years as we recover from the covid years. As a thank you we presented her with an arrangement of flowers. Our new chairman, Gary Holden, was introduced to members at the AGM.

At the AGM Sue highlighted that in the past year we have increased our efforts to raise the profile of our society, so we have engaged in marketing activities with posters and bookmarks which have significantly helped to raise our profile and contributed to increasing our membership to 139 members.  This has also led to increased numbers of visitors we get to lectures, many of them eventually go on to become members.

We have promoted our society through our websites and through communication with the local press as well as a new banner to go outside our venue at each meeting.  

We promoted arts education by using the community grant to fund a visit to Ifield School Arts Week by the arts education charity Magic Lantern who worked with the students in interactive art appreciation sessions as reported in the Spring 2025 Arts Society magazine. 

We also provided our members, with a range of social activities such as coffee/tea with a cake or biscuits and an opportunity for a chat after our November and April lectures. A group of us also visited Hever Castle and grounds and another to Belmont House near Faversham. In addition a group will be going on a short holiday to Derbyshire in October.