The Arts Society Conference and AGM 2023 will be taking place in Bristol from 23-24 May 2023. 

This is an opportunity for members to reengage, reinspire and reimagine the future of The Arts Society. 

We are busy planning the event to make it as engaging and interesting for members as possible.  
Over the course of two days, there will be the chance to explore Bristol, hear from inspirational speakers, engage in discussions and participate in the AGM - see below for further info.

Bristol: Please click here to access a guide to the "Best of Bristol": attractions, places to vist and things to do in Bristol during your stay.  With many thanks to The Arts Society Bristol and in particular Kate Floyd for collating this information highlighting a range of fantastic options in Bristol.  Please note these are suggestions for activities for members to do in your spare time and we hope they had to your enjoyment of attending the Conference and AGM in Bristol. 
We also have a selection of curated walks and tours specifically arranged for The Arts Society. These are bookable and have limited numbers.  Please see below for details and how to book.  Again thanks to Kate Floyd for arranging these tours. 

Agenda:
The current outline event agenda is as follows:
(please note this may be subject to change)

Tuesday 23 May: Evening Reception (6-10pm)
The evening reception will take place in the Paintworks area of Bristol and includes:

• A talk on the history of the Royal Photographic Society by Programmes Director, Dr Michael Pritchard
• Private viewing of the current RPS exhibition - likely to be Food Photographer of the Year, as well as the opportunity to view the Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition 
• Reception at Paintworks Event Space with welcome drink, canapes, live music from local musicians, The Alex Bishop Trio, and an opportunity to meet fellow members

This is an optional event with a cover cost of £40.  
Please note there are limited tickets available for this reception due to venue capacity.  Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so please ensure you book your ticket as soon as possible if you would like to attend. 
Book here: https://retail.theartssociety.org/agm 

Wednesday 24 May: Conference and AGM 10am-5pm
Taking place at St George’s Bristol (Great George St, Bristol, BS1 5RR).  Highlights of the day include:
Keynote speakers: 
George Ferguson (former President of the Royal Institute of British Architects and first elected Mayor of Bristol 2012-2016) 
Samir Savant (CEO of St George’s)
Volunteer recognition
Member discussions around the future of The Arts Society, challenges and opportunities
AGM 
The AGM will be taking place at St George's on 24 May.  It will be live-streamed for those members who are unable to attend in person. 

There is no charge to attend the Conference and AGM on Wednesday 24 May but we do ask members to please book your place so we know numbers and attendees in advance. 

Please reserve your place here:  https://retail.theartssociety.org/agm

Each Society which attends will be eligible to claim up to £150, either to cover their costs or as a contribution towards them.  This is in recognition of the importance of the event.  Claims can be submitted following the event and details on how to claim will be circulated in due course.

Best of Bristol - what to do during your visit:
Over the course of your visit there will also be opportunities to explore Bristol.  If you arrive early on Tuesday you may wish to visit one of Bristol’s many museums and galleries, enjoy a Trail of Discovery, or explore the harbour area. Please click here to access a "Best of Bristol" guide, very kindly collated by The Arts Society Bristol. 
Bookable walks & tours: We are particularly pleased to offer some curated walks and tours, specifically for The Arts Society members on both Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning.  These are bookable with a small cost and have limited numbers so please do book as soon as possible to avoid missing out. 
For details of the walk options, please click here.
For details of the gallery tours, please click here. 
To book your place, please click here and select the walk/tour you wish to book.

If you are staying until Thursday why not take the opportunity to go further afield and visit Cardiff, Gloucester or Cirencester?

Accommodation:
If you are looking to book accommodation in Bristol, Meet Bath & Bristol have collated a range of hotel options in Bristol: https://meetbristolbathres.bzon.uk/event/the-art-society-agm-2023-2/

Please note attendees must book their own accommodation. 

We will regularly update this webpage with event details, and registered attendees will receive joining information leading up to the event. 

If you have any queries please contact: hello@theartssociety.org