On what was probably the hottest day of the year, members of The Art Society Chiswick (TASCH) found themselves amongst a sold-out audience in the gloriously cool Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre, ArtsEd, Chiswick.  TASCH had again sponsored the Chiswick Book Festival (CBF), this time Michael Frayn at 90.

Acclaimed playwright, journalist and novelist Michael Frayn was in conversation with Torin Douglas (Director of CBF).   A great raconteur, he told us about the people who have shaped his life, some were friends; some not; some more than friends. Some have had a profound effect; some only a passing one, as revealed in his moving collection of short essays Among Others: Friendships and Encounters. 

These included: Bamber Gascoigne, his close friend from Cambridge University who introduced him to theatre; Michael Blakemore who went on to direct 10 of Frayn’s plays; people he had met who formed the basis of characters in his novels and his time as a journalist at the Guardian.  His advice to any budding novelist, go and work as a journalist as “the invented world is not like the real world”.  He only included one woman, an early love “It’s not that there aren’t women in my life who influence me, two of them I married, the others I fell in love with. I just found it difficult to write about them”.

Then we came to Noises Off!  the play for which he is best known.  It came about when he was watching a previous play The Two of Us from backstage. “There were a series of quick changes and I thought ‘this is funnier than what was going on out front’”.  Theatre critic Frank Rich "Butcher of Broadway", wrote "it is, was, and probably always will be the funniest play written in my lifetime." Frayn said he found the global success “puzzling” but was “equally puzzled why other plays had been a flop!”

Frayn turned 90 on 8th September, the day before the lecture; and the Guardian had republished some of his columns. But to celebrate in Chiswick CBF had organised the most fabulous cake by local baker/cake decorator and TASCH member, Sara Gronmark.

Michael Frayn receiving Birthday Card from Olivia Freeman (TASCH Chair) with cake in foreground

Photo: The Arts Society Chiswick by Torin Douglas

We are delighted to be a Diamond Partner of the Chiswick Book Festival and to be sponsoring an event on Friday 9 September at 8pm  in The Andrew Lloyd Webber Theatre, Arts Educational Schools, 14 Bath Road, W4 1LY when Ronnie Archer-Morgan  of BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow will talk about his new memoir, Would It Surprise You To Know?

Ronnie has worked in the antiques business for 30 years but spent his childhood in and out of the English care system, experiencing abuse, racism and brushes with gangs and the police. His life turned a corner after his first visit to the V&A Museum where a lifelong fascination with art and antiquities was born.  

Bar open from 7.30pm.  Books for sale and signing afterward.
Tickets are now on sale:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/chiswickbookfestival/t-moonrmd
 

On Thursday 7th July, the prison arts charity Koestler Arts opened its 2022 exhibition at the Supreme Court, entitled ‘The Future is Never too Big’.  This was marked by a reception attended by many members of The Arts Society Chiswick.  This exhibition is supported by The Arts Society from the Patricia Fay Memorial Fund with matching funds from The Arts Society Chiswick.

The exhibition displays 29 pieces of artwork, both poems and visual artworks. The artworks are by under-18s in secure settings including HM Young Offender Institution Feltham and those under supervision in the community.  The pieces are made from a wide variety of media, including spray painting, collage, woodwork, drawing and photography. Their work will be displayed from July until October and as well as visiting the display, members of the public can visit the Supreme Court for guided and self-guided tours, to watch live Court hearings and to visit the Court’s permanent visitor centre.

All the pieces on display were entered into the Koestler Awards through their Fast Feedback programme. This programme enables under 18s to enter the Awards at any point during the year, and they receive certificates and feedback on their work, as well as the chance to win prizes, within a short turnaround time.  Fast Feedback recognises that sentences for young people are often short and they can move through the system more quickly, so it provides an opportunity for them to have their work and talent recognised and celebrated before they move on.

President of the Supreme Court, The Right Hon The Lord Reed of Allermuir, said: “The Supreme Court supports Koestler Arts’ aim of unlocking the creative talents of young people in the criminal justice system. Art is universal, and this exhibition of work by under-18s deserves to be widely seen.”

The technology all worked marvellously and we both enjoyed the guided visit from the comfort of our own homes. The visit reminded us of bygone holidays in the North East. It was very entertaining and a welcome distraction from lockdown. The speaker made it all the more interesting by imparting an impressive level of detailed knowledge. As promised, I have made a contribution to Society funds on behalf of myself and my guest this afternoon.

Thank you to everyone involved for the planning and hard work that goes in to making these events possible especially in difficult times.

Some of you may remember that in 2018, we made a grant to Koestler Arts to support their work in Feltham Young Offenders Institution.

They have just written to us to say "The Arts Society Chiswick is helping to nurture a lifelong love of the arts for some of our most underrepresented young people. Thank you." They have also sent us this wonderful document which we recommend you read to see their artwork and how much our support means to them.

The committee would like to thank those members who have sent us messages of appreciation and support since lockdown began. We wanted to share with everyone the following which our member, Elizabeth Marr, sent to us after our virtual Christmas Extravaganza. As one committee member said "It suddenly makes it all feel worthwhile." Another wrote "What an encouraging message...it’s lovely to have such appreciative feedback."

Dear Arts Society Chiswick

What a wonderful two hour Christmas treat.  You have all worked so extremely hard to bring us via Zoom some great lectures and virtual visits.  I can't tell you just how much these mean to me.  Living on my own and missing the interaction with other members, the Zoom presentations have kept my spirits and mental attitude at a safe level.................

I fear we are now in for a long haul of restrictions.  The Winston Churchill advice of KBO (Google will give the answer) might have to be our cry. As most of us are a mature lot, we have the capacity to do just that. 

My grateful and heartfelt thanks to all of you.  The fact that  you managed to send out Christmas cards was exceptional.  You are to all the members "The Chiswick Treasures".

With warmest wishes for a safe Festive Season.   

Elizabeth Marr

It is week 10 of lockdown and we are pleased to report that our members have embraced the digital alternatives to our lecture programme with enthusiasm.  We have now held two lectures by Zoom and two more are planned for June and July.  Details are here on the website.  We were delighted by the turnout of an estimated 80 members at each lecture and the positive feedback.

The Committee continues to look after the Society’s affairs with Zoom meetings and we are actively reviewing how and when we can re-introduce physical meetings.  In the meantime we keep in contact with our members by Mailchimp.

We are very aware of the financial hardship being experienced by our local cultural organisations. We have made donations to the Chiswick Playhouse and now to Chiswick House through its LEGO® brick model. 

We have added a new page to our website with the best Links for art and culture across the world and continue to bring you our daily suggestions for culture available online via @ArtsSocChiswick. 

In early March our committee debated whether to hold our lecture planned for the 12th.  Some felt that it was too early to cancel, others that we should. We held the meeting even though the original lecturer decided to pull out, finding a replacement living locally who spoke on a very similar subject.   About 80 (down on our normal numbers) attended an excellent lecture, which received very positive Feedback. 

The warning signs were there and some very loyal members decided not to attend. Within hours everything had changed.  First we decided to postpone our April AGM and then the Study Day for Tuesday 17th March was cancelled and the lecturer rebooked for the same month in 2021. After the weekend a decision was made to cancel everything with a view to resuming activities in September – nothing happens in August.

There were several things to consider:-

·         The health and safety of both the lecturers and our members

·         Lecturers are self-employed and dependent on the income from lectures

·         How to ensure that our Members still get value for money from their subscriptions

·         How does our 5 year old Society maintain its members (250 on 31st December 2019)

The first task was to cancel our meeting venue, our lectures from April to July and visits planned for April, May, June & July plus our summer lunch party on a river boat. Where possible, the lecturers were all contacted by phone, as cancelling lectures is not a kind message. We ascertained where payment was necessary and settled that. Our meeting venue was supportive and did not ask for payment.

The next task was to rescue the lecture programme, which would give our members value for their subscriptions and keep the lecturers employed. We do not normally have a lecture in December, so our first thought was to hold an extra lecture at the end of the year. Our venue was fully booked for December, so our planned June lecture has been booked for the end of November. Our planned July lecture has been rebooked for January and our May lecturer has been rebooked to give a different lecture in early 2021. Our April lecture will go ahead, a little later than planned but it will be streamed on Zoom, so our members can sit at home and enjoy the lecture. If this is a success, we might try to organise Zoom lectures in May and maybe June.

We plan to keep in contact with our members by offering lectures by Zoom, regular Mailchimps keeping them in touch with the arts world and phone calls to those who are isolated.

Press Release issued by Woodbridge Park:

Woodbridge Park go Hip Hop crazy!

Woodbridge Park were lucky enough to receive a grant from The Arts Society Chiswick to be able to get Hip Hop artist Toby G, MBE up to Hounslow. Toby G; originally from Poland, and a proud Romani Gypsy spent two days at Woodbridge Park Education Service, teaching the pupils and staff some smooth moves.

Head of Service, Ian Berryman says: “Our pupils deserve the best and this grant from The Arts Society Chiswick has enabled us to get the best. Toby has provided a mind-blowing experience to our pupils over two days and taken them away from the ‘day-to-day’ to a very special place. It is so amazing to be able to see our pupils smile, laugh and be children – they deserve a childhood and the best education just like everyone else. They have also been able to get some real insight into Hip Hop as an art form.”

Toby worked with one of his apprentices, Jackson to inspire pupils and staff to get up, join in and have a go. The atmosphere was amazing and over the sessions, children who were refusing to join in, found the energy and confidence to get moving and grooving.

Toby says: “It has been a privilege to be able to come to Hounslow and build a relationship with the pupils and staff at Woodbridge Park. I feel so honoured to see the staff in action, their passion and dedication for their students has blown me away. When I look at these young people, I see myself as a young man, and all I needed was someone to see my potential and the staff are providing this for their students at Woodbridge Park. Can you imagine if there was also positive outside provision – youth centres and youth workers on the streets; nurturing their talents and providing positive role models. This is 100% needed and would amplify the daily efforts of the staff at Woodbridge Park. Peace and love, Toby G, MBE.”

Woodbridge Park Education Service is Hounslow’s Local Authority Alternative Provider which makes provision for those children and young people who cannot attend mainstream schools for a variety of reasons. It has five centres across Hounslow and offers educational programmes to over 240 children and young people every year.

In late 2018 we made contact with Koestler Arts, the UK’s leading prison arts charity, and agreed to sponsor a project at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution. The scheme encourages young people in custody to engage in the arts and creativity. 

Their annual exhibition, in partnership with the Southbank Centre, includes entries to this year’s Koestler Awards from inmates of prisons and institutions across the UK, and from British prisoners abroad and is showing at the Southbank Exhibition Centre, Level One Royal Festival Hall, from today until 3 November. The works exhibited show the breadth and variety of creativity and imagination fostered by the work of the Trust and is both visually impressive and thought-provoking. Admission is free.

Further details of the exhibition can be found here.

Once again we are delighted to support Hounslow Music Service. The service teaches over 13,000 pupils each week in the London Borough of Hounslow though a structured programme of bands, orchestras and choirs.

Last year we bought them a much needed clarinet. This year it was something very different as we sponsored a Schools Choir Competition. Our sponsorship enabled the final event to take place in the Paul Robeson Theatre. It was a joyous day with 13 choirs taking part. Each choir received a certificate and the winning school was awarded the trophy (pictured here) for a year.

Through The Arts Society Greater London Area members are being offered an amazing volunteering opportunity at the Houses of Parliament. Full details can be found here.

Members who wish to become involved must register their interest as soon as possible.  Other Societies in Greater London will also have been notified and the uptake will be heavy. Please contact directly Rosalie Gowlland, the co-ordinator for Heritage Volunteering in the Greater London Area.

The Arts Society Chiswick is delighted to have been able to support Hounslow Music Service by purchasing a much needed clarinet for them.

Hounslow Music Service provides high quality, inclusive instrumental and vocal lessons for children and young people in the borough. Their 70 tutors teach over 13,000 pupils each week across Hounslow.

Their service offers lessons in and out of school, and runs a structured progressive programme of bands, orchestras and choirs to cater for beginners to advanced musicians.

Pupils are able to hire instruments. We contacted their CEO who was keen to buy a particular clarinet so that a talented student could progress with her music but the organisation did not have the funds to do this.

A committee member attended one of Hounslow Music’s recent concerts and was delighted by the very high standard of music. Each primary school in the borough took part in the choral singing and the standard of the band was amazing.

We plan future support by sponsoring a choir competition which will involve all the primary schools in the borough.

"Thank you very much for your excellent arrangements made to give us all pleasure today; such an opportunity to meet and greet friends…The quiz you devised had just the right amount of difficulty and exasperation to amuse us. I had a very happy day, with good cheer and good company." Noreen

"I thoroughly enjoyed the whole occasion and felt it was Chiswick at its best; very good company, excellent food and entertaining quiz. What more could we want or need!" Jane  

"I just wanted to say – another triumph. Everyone seemed to have a great time at the Christmas lunch – certainly my table and everyone I spoke to. It is a real opportunity for members to get to know each other better…It was brilliantly organised…a big thank you from me and my table." Hilary

Another very successful Christmas lunch. Above are the thoughts of some of our members. Be sure to book early for 2018. Put the date in your diary now – December 6th again!

Know the answer to any of the questions below? This is just a random selection from Avril’s popular annual quiz. Perhaps you will be on the winning table next time.

What used to be harvested on Chiswick Eyot opposite Chiswick Mall?

How many Christmas trees are there around Fuller’s brewery?

Some of us visited G F Watts’ studio near Guildford earlier this year. What is the name of his statue in Hyde Park?

How many reindeer pulled Santa’s sleigh? Can you name four of them?

The Arts Society Chiswick officially launched its new name prior to the Society’s October lecture on October 12th, at our usual venue: the Polish Centre, King Street, Hammersmith, with complimentary drinks for members, the local press and invited guests.

Since we began as the Chiswick branch of the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts (NADFAS) in 2015, we have quickly established ourselves as part of the cultural life of Chiswick, Hammersmith and surrounding areas – and now have over 250 members.

The consensus among our membership was that the new name communicates more accurately the broad nature of our interest in all elements of art and culture – and was a logical and natural progression from the previous lengthy and rather restrictive name.

The Arts Society was formed to bring people together within their communities to promote the appreciation of the arts and has been a leading arts education charity for over 50 years. In that time, it has developed a loyal membership of over 90,000 members across a global network of local arts societies, of which Chiswick is proud to be one. As Chief Executive Florian Schweizer explains, The Arts Society “better communicates who we are and what we do and what we mean to members. A big part of that is social, hence: ‘Society’ and an even bigger part is the arts, thus: ‘The Arts’.”

Alison Watson, Chiswick’s Chair, says, “Our recent programme has covered topics ranging from contemporary street art to the Roman Empire and from Capability Brown’s garden landscapes to a fascinating lecture on arms and armoury, given by the Wallace Collection’s own Californian jousting champion. September’s lecture was on David Bowie. This represents the wide-ranging nature of our members’ interests.” She goes on, “We also aim to work with other arts-related organisations in our part of West London. This year we were a Gold Sponsor at the Chiswick Book Festival, and next year plan to develop this relationship further, with a joint lecture in 2018. And, as part of our commitment to Young Arts, we have collaborated with Magic Lantern, by funding an arts education programme for the Cambridge School Shepherd's Bush, a school for children with Special Needs.

The Arts Society Chiswick meets on the second Thursday of the month (except August and December) in the Malinova Room of the Polish Centre, King Street, Hammersmith. Lectures start at 8pm. The Society also organises trips, visits and Special Interest Days and provides various volunteering opportunities within the local community.

Our first Young Arts project supported a collaboration between Magic Lantern and the Cambridge School in Shepherd's Bush.

Magic Lantern is a charity which uses visual learning and works of art to help children observe and explore the world around them. It presents interactive art shows in the classroom, as its website says, "to encourage pupils to see things differently and to work out what is going on for themselves."

The Cambridge School is a mixed state Special School for 11-16 year olds with Special Needs, whether in terms of language, communication or social or emotional development.

We funded four Magic Lantern sessions at the school during the summer term. Two members of The Arts Society Chiswick attended a morning session. They were impressed by the variety of artworks used in the sessions, and the children's enthusiasm, particularly when responding to the modern pieces.

We hope to maintain the connection with both Magic Lantern and the Cambridge School. The school is at present fundraising for an outdoor Sensory Garden/Classroom. We are considering whether we will be able to offer some financial support for this initiative in the future.

Members enjoyed a glorious visit to the Royal Gardens at Highgrove.   We arrived in time for lunch in the beautiful setting of the Orchard Restaurant, where we were served a delicious two-course organic meal.

We were then divided into two groups each with an expert garden guide for the two hour tour. After a short film covering the history of Highgrove our private guide took us on a leisurely walk through the many beautiful and individual gardens.  We all had a different favourite - the Cottage Garden, the Thyme Walk, the Terrace, the Sundial Garden, the Wildflower Meadow, the Kitchen Garden and the Stumpery were some of the highlights.   There was time for tea in the sunshine and a visit to the Highgrove Estate Shop before our return to London.

What our members said:

“As I was breakfasting on eggs from Highgrove this morning (delicious by the way) I reflected on what a lovely day it was yesterday and how much I and others had enjoyed it.”

“It all went very smoothly and the visit was very interesting and gives you a certain admiration for the achievements of Prince Charles.” 

“Yesterday was a wonderful day, thank you so much for organising this.  The garden is more established since my visit many years ago, and in places changed.  My first visit was wet and we didn't see it all but yesterday we were just so lucky with the weather and the very good coach driver, not forgetting our guide Maggie who was also excellent.”

Photography is not allowed but at the end of our visit we were able to have two group photos taken. The other one can be found in our Gallery. 

This autumn ChDFAS is very pleased to be able to sponsor a pilot series of five Creative Art Workshops for people with dementia, which will take place at the Catholic Centre, 2 Dukes Avenue, W4 2AE from 10:30am to 12:30pm on Tuesday 20 and 27 September, and 4, 11 and 18 October.

The facilities at the Catholic Centre are being provided free of charge for this pilot.

ChDFAS is looking for members who might like to volunteer to work with the project leader, who is both the artist and a ChDFAS member on any (or all) of the above dates.  Volunteers will be asked to attend at 09:45am to set up the room and should be completed by 1.00pm at the latest.

Many thanks to all who have volunteered to help.  No further assistance is needed at these sessions.

About the project:

Each session is led by an artist who will encourage participants to create, explore...and have fun. No experience required! All materials and tea and coffee will be provided.

The workshops are designed for people with early stage dementia to attend with a family member, friend or carer to support them.

The increasing number of people with dementia is one of the most pressing challenges facing our society. A key goal is to find effective treatments that can delay clinical onset and slow disease progression. There is also strong support for the proposition that participating in the arts in group settings can offer benefits in a significant and profound way.

Do you know anyone who might like to participate? If so please contact the organiser, Bud Murryweather, directly on 07802 862 861 or email artivate@btinternet.com.

Following the racist graffiti attack on POSK at the weekend Chiswick DFAS, supported by the national office, wanted to express our concern and support for POSK and the community it serves. As you know we have a close and cordial relationship with POSK and were appalled by this attack.
 
The letter sent on behalf of the committee and our membership can be read here.