Dear Member
This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Arts Society and we are going to celebrate!
The winter exhibition will be special. The preview evening on the 23rd November will be a celebration with the Stevenage Mayor and many local dignitaries invited. We have a few founder members still active in the Society and we hope they will play a central part. All members are invited and welcome to bring along family and friends. The evening will start at 6.30pm and there will be a finger buffet and a birthday cake. Please make sure that you keep the date in your diaries and enter paintings and pottery for the exhibition. Enter as many pieces as you like even if they are ‘not for sale.’ We want to showcase the talent and skill the Arts Society has amongst its members. Final hand in day for this exhibition will be Saturday 10th November 10am to 12 midday. Alternatively, you can hand in your items to the workshop on any Wednesday evening between 7.30pm and 9pm until 14 November.
Now many of you may be aware that Old Stevenage Community Association (OSCA) is in negotiation with the Art Society and Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) regarding a new lease for Springfield House, with the Arts Society as tenants. SBC has now withdrawn all funding to community centres so OSCA has to generate enough income to keep Springfield House going. It is inevitable that we will have to give up the studio rooms and galleries we currently occupy so that they can be let.
Behind the scenes the committee is working hard with OSCA to ensure that your Arts Society continues to thrive in Springfield House. We are now able to be able to tell you that we are retaining the workshop, some storage space and the pottery. However, without income from studio rents we will have less funds to pay as rent to OSCA, so it is inevitable that we will have to increase our yearly subscriptions from April 2019. These have not been increased for several years.
We are aware that we are the cheapest art society in the area. For example, Letchworth Art Society charges £50 including membership of the Settlement of £18. Other Art Society subscriptions vary between £30 and £35 and some have waiting lists of potential members. Please look online and compare us with other societies. Write to the Arts Society with your views or email. We now have an email address on the new website or you can email [email protected] or phone on 07757299130/01438237610 The new website is live now at www.stevenageartssociety.org.uk
WE ARE CALLING AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING ON THURSDAY 15TH NOVEMBER at 7.30pm in the workshop for all members to attend. This will enable the committee to give assurances about the future of the arts society and so that you can give your views and ask questions. It will be greatly appreciated if as many members as possible can attend and show your support to the Society.
There are a few members who have not paid their subscriptions for 2018/19 and we would be grateful if they could let us have their payment as soon as possible. We hope that you will continue with your membership of the Society as we very much appreciate you all.
The workshop is available for the use of members when the artist groups are not using it for a small fee of £1.20. Tuesday evenings, Wednesday am, Wednesday evenings and Thursday evenings are group times but at other times it is free so ring Mary, Ted Walsby or Anne Laidler to arrange a time.
We have some items which we would like to sell or find new homes for, so if anyone is familiar with Freecycle or Ebay please volunteer your services for advertising them.
We look forward to seeing you on the 23rd November at the celebration preview evening.
The Committee
This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Arts Society and we are going to celebrate!
The winter exhibition will be special. The preview evening on the 23rd November will be a celebration with the Stevenage Mayor and many local dignitaries invited. We have a few founder members still active in the Society and we hope they will play a central part. All members are invited and welcome to bring along family and friends. The evening will start at 6.30pm and there will be a finger buffet and a birthday cake. Please make sure that you keep the date in your diaries and enter paintings and pottery for the exhibition. Enter as many pieces as you like even if they are ‘not for sale.’ We want to showcase the talent and skill the Arts Society has amongst its members. Final hand in day for this exhibition will be Saturday 10th November 10am to 12 midday. Alternatively, you can hand in your items to the workshop on any Wednesday evening between 7.30pm and 9pm until 14 November.
Now many of you may be aware that Old Stevenage Community Association (OSCA) is in negotiation with the Art Society and Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) regarding a new lease for Springfield House, with the Arts Society as tenants. SBC has now withdrawn all funding to community centres so OSCA has to generate enough income to keep Springfield House going. It is inevitable that we will have to give up the studio rooms and galleries we currently occupy so that they can be let.
Behind the scenes the committee is working hard with OSCA to ensure that your Arts Society continues to thrive in Springfield House. We are now able to be able to tell you that we are retaining the workshop, some storage space and the pottery. However, without income from studio rents we will have less funds to pay as rent to OSCA, so it is inevitable that we will have to increase our yearly subscriptions from April 2019. These have not been increased for several years.
We are aware that we are the cheapest art society in the area. For example, Letchworth Art Society charges £50 including membership of the Settlement of £18. Other Art Society subscriptions vary between £30 and £35 and some have waiting lists of potential members. Please look online and compare us with other societies. Write to the Arts Society with your views or email. We now have an email address on the new website or you can email [email protected] or phone on 07757299130/01438237610 The new website is live now at www.stevenageartssociety.org.uk
WE ARE CALLING AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING ON THURSDAY 15TH NOVEMBER at 7.30pm in the workshop for all members to attend. This will enable the committee to give assurances about the future of the arts society and so that you can give your views and ask questions. It will be greatly appreciated if as many members as possible can attend and show your support to the Society.
There are a few members who have not paid their subscriptions for 2018/19 and we would be grateful if they could let us have their payment as soon as possible. We hope that you will continue with your membership of the Society as we very much appreciate you all.
The workshop is available for the use of members when the artist groups are not using it for a small fee of £1.20. Tuesday evenings, Wednesday am, Wednesday evenings and Thursday evenings are group times but at other times it is free so ring Mary, Ted Walsby or Anne Laidler to arrange a time.
We have some items which we would like to sell or find new homes for, so if anyone is familiar with Freecycle or Ebay please volunteer your services for advertising them.
We look forward to seeing you on the 23rd November at the celebration preview evening.
The Committee