At The Arts Society Welwyn Garden, we offer a warm welcome to members and visitors who attend our monthly lectures. We are a friendly, sociable Society, meeting on the third Wednesday of the month at 10.30am. Our venue, Campus West, is a well-appointed theatre with all the facilities conducive to a splendid lecture experience.

Our last lecture of the current membership year will be on Wednesday 19 March when Cindy Polemis will talk on 'John Singer Sargent and fashion' - a chance to revisit some of the paintings featured in the fabulous Tate Britain exhibition last year. 

Before then, on Monday 17 February we will have an afternoon 'pop-up' trip to the magnificent State Rooms of Spencer House in St James's Place, London. This trip is now fully booked, but please email the committee at welwyngarden@theartssociety.org if you would like to know more.

Our membership year runs from 1 April to 31 March and covers 10 lectures, with a break in August and December. Details of our upcoming 2025-2026 programme and on how to renew membership will be circulated to existing members shortly. 

Alongside our monthly lectures, we plan an exciting programme of coach trips, visits and events for members each year. Full details of these are first publicised at our lectures, and then on this website. 

On Thursday 3 April we will be holding a Study Day, on 'Unravelling the Silk Road', to be given by popular Arts Society lecturer Chris Aslan at the Focolare Centre, Welwyn Garden City. Tickets are £45 per member, to include a sandwich lunch. We are now fully booked for this, so if you have registered your interest, don't delay, as your place will only be secured following payment and we are now taking a reserve list. If you would like to be placed on the reserve list, the booking form is attached below.

Our overseas trip this year will be to Madrid and Salamanca, departing Monday 3 November. We will be exploring the history and art of these fascinating cities, alongside visits to Toledo, Avila and Segovia. This has proved to be exceptionally popular and we are now fully booked, so if you would like to be placed on a waiting list, please contact the committee at welwyngarden@theartssociety.org

We welcome new members who have an interest in the Arts, whether art, history, sculpture, architecture, literature, drama or music. An application form to become a member for our 2025-2026 membership year will be available from this website in March. In the meantime, for more information please email our Membership Secretary Catherine Ferris at welwyngarden@theartssociety.org 

Visitors are welcome to our lectures. Do come along to the Hawthorne Theatre at Campus West and see what The Arts Society is all about. Visitors' tickets (£10) are available on the door or through the venue’s online booking system. https://www.campuswest.co.uk/

Our Committee are a friendly team. We are always happy to encourage members to get involved in the Society, so whether you are a long-standing member or new to the Society please consider joining us or helping as a volunteer! Contact us via the email address below.