My ‘The Arts Society’ Story

At the time of writing I am, unbelievably, now in my third year as Visits Secretary for the Arts Society Great Ouse Valley.

It was my sister, living in Felmersham, who told me in January 2017 about the establishment of a new NADFAS (now The Arts Society), meeting at the Sharnbrook Hotel nine times a year. I had moved up from Surrey in June 2015, loved my new life in the country but felt a certain lack of access to The Arts. The area is not devoid of culture, but it’s different, and throughout almost my entire career spent working in London, I was used to joining friends for an exhibition, a concert, the opera or a play and took it all pretty much for granted. I mostly worked in and around buzzy, sophisticated Mayfair, with immediate access to The Arts in its many forms. For the last couple of years before I moved to East Northants, I worked in the City, and each day of my working week I’d walk over to the City along the South Bank from Waterloo Station and back again later in the day,  feeling my spirits lift at the sight of the Thames, its bridges, the boats on the water, the Royal Festival Hall, British Film Institute, the National Theatre, Tate Modern, I’d walk over the Millennium Bridge and there was St. Paul’s Cathedral, and then myriad other architectural and sculptural splendours, both ancient and modern, that make the City of London feel like it’s the centre of the world. Amazing to be part of that.

Does this mean that I miss London? Not really. It’s still not far to go when I want to go back, but when I moved away I was ready for a change, a new life. On moving to East Northants I joined the village book club, a local walking group, the local ladies’ group, signed up for art classes, all on top of taking on a sizeable stone built house in need of refurbishment. When I heard about the Arts Society Great Ouse Valley, I investigated further, choosing to join there rather than Northampton or Oundle, because of my sister’s location in Felmersham and the easy drive down the A6 to the Sharnbrook Hotel, the current venue for our lectures. The first time I attended an Art Talk I was hooked. The quality of the talks is superb, the subjects so diverse and the membership fee is incredibly good value for money. Here was the answer to my need for cultural sustenance, for enrichment and exposure to subjects which ordinarily I’d never have bothered to discover on my own. New friendships too: all those I meet at the talks are friendly, interested and interesting. A shared love of The Arts makes it so easy to strike up a conversation.

Not that long after I became a member, NADFAS  changed its name to The Arts Society, to more broadly reflect and incorporate The Arts in all their forms. I thought this was inspired and certainly, the programme of talks offered by the Arts Society Great Ouse Valley is a veritable cultural smorgasbord, a feast of Arts subjects of every kind by quality speakers. After a few months of attending as an ordinary member, I tentatively volunteered when the call went out for help with organising visits. Before I knew it I had become Visits Secretary and found myself on the Committee.  I help to organise a few very different visits a year and love working with my brilliant fellow committee members to make our Arts Society one of the best.  We’re evolving, we’re modern in outlook, we want to grow and make a difference, we’re sociable and we’re a society which meets in the evening. I’m so glad to be a part of it.

All of us benefit through membership, but on top of that, I like the fact that our membership means that the Arts Society, as a leading arts education charity, can benefit others in the community and help transform lives through the aid of grants to arts and heritage projects.

I wish I had investigated NADFAS (now The Arts Society) while I was in London, but was always too busy. How fortunate I am to have discovered the Arts Society Great Ouse Valley. We’re evolving and growing. Join us on our journey!