On Monday 9 February, Sandra Steeves & Elizabeth Harding, co-chairs of The Arts Society Royal Tunbridge Wells, were delighted to present a cheque for £250 to the children’s charity Demelza. This was made possible by our successful application for a Community Grant from The Arts Society Head Office.
Katie Hook, Demelza’s Area Fundraising Manager, kindly attended our lecture at The Trinity Theatre and accepted the cheque. She spoke movingly about the work at Demelza and we hope that this small donation will help towards providing art therapy for the children in their care.
The ‘Patients Supporting Patients’ project, led by The Arts Society Macclesfield, is making a real and lasting difference to East Cheshire Hospice, raising valuable funds while celebrating the creativity of its patients.
At the heart of the initiative are beautiful coasters featuring delicate watercolour paintings created by patients attending the Hospice’s Sunflower Centre. Each design reflects not only artistic talent but also the therapeutic value of creative expression.
A group of about 30 members took up the invitation to enjoy a visit to Stanford Hall on 17 December 2025 for a tour of the hall and a Festive Afternoon Tea. We were greeted by the owners Nick and Lucy Fothergill and given an amusing introductory talk about the family’s history and how they came to be at Stanford Hall, which was built in 1697 to replace the old manor in Stanford which they had previously occupied.
Art Bags for Young Creatives in Appleby-in-Westmorland
In December 2025, around 60 art bags were delivered to Appleby-in-Westmorland Food Bank to be shared with children aged between 3 and 16. The bags were created to give young people the opportunity to explore their creativity at home, particularly at a time of year that can be challenging for families.
A frosty morning in January did not deter members and visitors to the Horsham Arts Society’s first lecture of the year. Most of us know about Oscar Wilde’s life, his rise to fame as a playwright, his witticisms and his tragic demise. However, as with all great stories, it is the way they are told and we were totally captivated by our knowledgeable and vivacious raconteur Simon Whitehouse.
What a welcome! Coffee and cake at the Hydro Hotel!!!
The only thing larger than the slices of delicious cake this morning was the size of the welcome new members were given in the Drawing Room of the Hydro Hotel by the Eastbourne Arts Society committee.
Stepping into the warm of the hotel reception from the cold,crisp but sunny morning, I was greeted by Maggie who was showing new members where to put their coats and inviting them to sport a name badge.
Our December local lecturer, Olaf Winkler, journalist, architecture critic, guide and artist, introduced his lecture with a presentation of the book Bruxelles Art Deco by Cecile Dubois, which gives seven walks which you can do on foot or by bike to discover the many different aspects of Art Deco and modernist architecture in various neighbourhoods throughout Brussels.
To further strengthen our connection with the island’s vibrant art scene, the Arts Society Mallorca is delighted to launch Art Fusion, a new platform showcasing the work of local artists across multiple genres. The inaugural exhibition will take place on 26 February at the SkyLight Gallery of Hotel Artmadams.