Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) feature in a five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, from visionary director Ivo Van Hove (A View from the Bridge).

One family, the heart of the American dream. When wartime delivers profits for Joe, it comes at a price when his partner is charged with criminal manufacturing deals, and his eldest son goes missing in action. Will peacetime bring peace of mind, or will he be confronted by the consequence of his actions?

Screening: 7.30-10pm

We can meet in the bar at 6:45pm for an included glass of wine before the screening.   

We have agreed a special price of £19.50 a ticket to include the refreshments and cinema members only need to pay £5. 

To avoid previous confusions, we have agreed with the cinema to book and pay for tickets in advance.

Email visits.tasch@gmail.com to request your seat and once we confirm, please pay into our TASCH account details can be found here.  Prebooking like this will guarantee seats in the back couple of rows as well as avoiding the hassle of queuing for tickets.

We are delighted to be continuing our collaboration with Chiswick Cinema to offer members tickets for selected Screen Arts films together with tea or coffee and cake in the Lounge Bar, post screening for the afternoon shows and a glass of wine before the performance or in the interval for the evening ones. 

Two of Britain’s greatest painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable were also the greatest of rivals.  Born within a year of each other, both used landscape painting to reflect the changing world around them.

Tate Britain is bringing these two greats together for a groundbreaking exhibition, in London, from November 2025 to April 2026, and Exhibition on Screen once again has exclusive and privileged access to bring their extraordinary art and remarkable stories to the big screen in March 2026 so that both can be enjoyed together.

Screening: 6–7.50pm

We can meet in the bar at 5.15pm for an included glass of wine before the screening.   

We have agreed a special price of £19.50 a ticket to include the refreshments and cinema members only need to pay £5. 

To avoid previous confusions, we have agreed with the cinema to book and pay for tickets in advance.

Email visits.tasch@gmail.com to request your seat and once we confirm, please pay into our TASCH account details can be found here.  Prebooking like this will guarantee seats in the back couple of rows as well as avoiding the hassle of queuing for tickets.

Our Christmas Lunch this year is at an exciting new venue “The Pavilion – School Kitchen” at Latimer Sports Grounds, Hartington Road, Chiswick W4 3AN.  It has a large car park and is easily accessible by E3, 190 or 272 buses.

This is a lovely, large airy room on the first floor overlooking the playing fields (there is a lift if needed) and we are very happy if you would like to bring a friend. 

Menu
An amuse bouche 
Traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings 
or Mushroom Wellington
Christmas pudding, lemon posset or cheese and biscuits.   

A glass of prosecco or soft drink will be served on arrival and you can order wine and other drinks at the bar.

Price is £38 per person

Please email visits.tasch@gmail.com with your menu choices to book your places.

Also let us know on booking if you have any relevant food allergies.

Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.

After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five – the moment of confession – dangerous truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend.

Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.

Time: 2pm

Running Time: 100 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Five years in production, this is the most extensive film ever made about one of the greatest artists of all time – Caravaggio. Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and with first-hand testimony from the artist himself on the eve of his mysterious death, is beautiful new film reveals Caravaggio as never before.

Multi-award-winning film makers Phil Grabsky and David Bickerstaff delve into the hidden narratives of Caravaggio’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art. The intriguing self depictions within his works – sometimes disguised, sometimes in plain sight – offer a rare window into his psyche and personal struggles.

Caravaggio’s masterpieces are some of art’s most instantly recognisable. No one else uses his signature blend of dramatic light, intense naturalism and bold, striking figures. His incredible paintings have captivated audiences for centuries. But there lies a deeper mystery – one that still beckons us to explore. What do these masterpieces reveal about the man behind the brush? Join us as we explore the many clues that help us to finally understand the life – and death – of this remarkable man

Time: 2pm

Running Time: 90 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Royal Ballet & Opera (RBO)

Lise, the only daughter of Widow Simone, is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has far more ambitious plans for her. Simone hopes to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother’s plans.

65 years after its premiere, The Royal Ballet presents Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée. This affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside. La Fille mal gardée whisks us away into pastoral bliss with Ferdinand Hérold’s cheerful score and Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs

Time: 7.15 - (live relay)

Running Time: 210 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including a glass of wine in the interval

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Royal Ballet & Opera (RBO)

In war-torn Rome, Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi live for each other and for their art. But when Cavaradossi helps an escaped prisoner, the lovers make a deadly enemy in the form of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police. At the mercy of Scarpia’s twisted desires, Tosca is forced to make a horrific bargain: sleeping with the man she hates in order to save the man she loves. Can she find a way out?

A star-studded cast includes soprano Anna Netrebko performing the role of Tosca, tenor Freddie De Tommaso as Cavaradossi, and bass-baritone Gerald Finley as Scarpia, with Music Director of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša conducting his first new production in the role. An alternative, modern-day Rome provides the backdrop for Oliver Mears’ unmissable, gripping new production of Puccini’s thriller.

Time: 1pm

Running Time: 210 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

National Theatre Live

Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.

Jessica Parks is a smart Crown Court Judge at the top of her career. Behind the robe, she is a karaoke fiend, a loving wife and a supportive parent. When an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance, can she hold her family upright?

Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite following their global phenomenon Prima Facie, with this searing examination of modern motherhood and masculinity.

Time: 7.30pm

Running Time: 140 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including a glass of wine before the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

What will be Britain’s place in the world in the century ahead? Looking back at his time as this country’s global ambassador, Jeremy Hunt asks: is Britain a minor player, marginalized by our departure from the EU and dwarfed by the rise of new economies? Or is there a major role for us to play in a rapidly changing international order? Chaired by Caroline Frost.

6:15PM - 7:15PM
Fri 12 Sep 2025
St Michael & All Angels Church

Tickets

By popular demand we are returning to the river for our Summer Party which will take place on Wednesday 6 August and will be a teatime cruise.   We will be sailing on The Golden Salamander towards Westminster and will depart and return to Chiswick Pier.

We will be enjoying a sit-down traditional English tea, plus extra savoury items and your choice of tea or coffee.  There will also be an open bar so that you can purchase your own drinks, including bottled water as there is no tap water available on board.  There will be ample time to spend outside on deck before and after tea enjoying the scenery as we cruise towards Westminster and back or you can remain on one of the two insidedecks, if the weather isn't kind to us!

You are welcome to bring a partner or friend on this social occasion.

Price: £38 per person

Timing: The boat will leave Chiswick Pier at 2pm sharp (due to the tides) and will return before 5pm.

To reach Chiswick Pier, take the E3 bus to the end of its run at Edensor Road and then it's a two-minute walk to the Pier. 

Email visits.tasch@gmail.com to book your places

Sensuous contemporary ballet meets the energy of musical theatre in four distinctive short works. Fool’s Paradise, The Two of Us, Us, An American in Paris: four works showing the remarkable choreographic range of The Royal Ballet’s Artistic Associate, Christopher Wheeldon.

FOOL’S PARADISE

Luminescent and shimmering, Fool’s Paradise marked the first of Wheeldon’s many collaborations with composer Joby Talbot. It was created in 2007 for Wheeldon’s own company, Morphoses, and first performed in 2012 by The Royal Ballet.

THE TWO OF US

The wistful songs of Joni Mitchell set the scene for the UK premiere of The Two of Us, a duet of deep intimacy and yearning. It was created in 2020 for the Fall for Dance Festival in New York, and had American ballet dancers Sarah Mearns and David Hallberg in its original cast.

US (DUET)

Us is a tender duet danced by two men. It was created in 2017 for BalletBoyz and is set to Keaten Henson’s music.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (BALLET)

The Royal Ballet celebrates Wheeldon’s extraordinary success in musical theatre by performing the ballet scene from his Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris. Set to Gershwin’s jazzy melodies, the musical is inspired by the 1951 film of the same name starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. The musical went on to win four Tony awards.

The full musical depicts a blossoming romance between the American G.I. Jerry Mulligan and a French ballerina, Lise Dassin. The ballet excerpt was Wheeldon’s take on one of the most memorable scenes from the film – an extended sequence in which the two central characters dance through Paris.

Time: 14:00

Running Time: 180 minutes

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Seven times Bafta award winner Steve Coogan plays four roles in the world premier adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy masterpiece.

When a rogue U.S. General triggers a nuclear attack, a surreal race takes place, seeing the government and one eccentric scientist scramble to avert global destruction.

Time: 13.30

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Classical ballet’s most powerful tale of love, treachery and forgiveness, Bringing together Tchaikovsky’s sensational score with the incredible imagination of choreographer Liam Scarlett and designerJohn MacFarlane, Swan Lake on the big screen will be an exceptional way to experience this ultimate ballet classic.

Time: 13:30

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

David Tennant and Cush Jumbo lead a stellar cast in an enthralling new production of Shakespeare Macbeth filmed live at the Donmar Warehouse especially for the big screen. The immersive cinema surround sound places the audience inside the mind of the Macbeths, asking if we are ever really responsible for our actions.

Time: 14.00

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

American soprano Angel Blue headlines as the Ethiopian princess in a new production of Verdi's Aida by Michael Mayer that brings audiences inside the towering pyramids of ancient Egypt with intricate projections and dazzling animations.

Time: 12.30

Special Price: £18.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Payment will be taken at the cinema on the day.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

Our Christmas Lunch will once again take place in the Lowiczanka restaurant on the first floor of POSK on Friday 13th December at 12.30pm.

This will include a welcome glass of Prosecco, after which we will be served a splendid three-course lunch, plus tea or coffee, for a cost of £45. 

Drinks will be available to buy at the bar. 

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL!

Please see the menu below and let us have your choices when you book.

Mushroom Soup Or Borsch with Croquette (v)

****

Roast turkey with a creamy sauce, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce

Or

Roast Cod with almonds, lemon sauce, mashed potatoes and vegetables

****

English Christmas Pudding Or Cheesecake 

Following the meal we will be entertained by the delightful Simon Whitehouse who will regale us with stories about Christmas traditions.   Simon is an award-winning Blue Badge guide and actor as well as being an accredited Arts Society lecturer who many of you will recall from his enthralling Study Day on Oscar Wilde.

You can book your place, or places, by emailing visits.tasch@gmail.com.  You can then pay on-line to the usual account, (Sort Code 23-05-80, Account Number 14258698) with Christmas Lunch as reference.  Alternatively, you can send a cheque payable to The Arts Society Chiswick to: Mary Buchanan, 11 Homefield Road, London W4 2LN. All postal bookings will be acknowledged by email on receipt of payment.

We look forward to seeing you there!

We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Chiswick Cinema with the following – all at the special price of £18.50, including tea/coffee and home-made cake after the performance.

Kiss Me Kate – Monday 25 November at 2pm.  

Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block lead the cast in this new 5-star production of Cole Porter’s legendary musical comedy, filmed live at The Barbican.

Cinderella – Tuesday 17 December at 2pm.

A magical production of this classic tale from The Royal Ballet, filmed at Covent Garden.

For further information and to book, please email visits.tasch@gmail.com

The Arts Society Chiswick are delighted to be once again supporting the Chiswick Book Festival with Bill Wyman in Conversation with Tony Palmer

Best known as bass player of The Rolling Stones and for his career in rock and roll, Bill Wyman is also an avid photographer, collector, and author of 13 books.  He talks to the award-winning film director Tony Palmer about his recent releases - illustrated memoir Billy in the Wars recalling his experiences of growing up in wartime Britain, and Bill Wyman’s Chelsea about the borough where he has lived for the last 32 years.

Event Details

From: 4:15PM to 5:15PM

Location: The Andrew Lloyd Webber Theatre, Arts Educational Schools, London, W4 1LY

Ticket price: £12.00

Book Now

This year our summer lunch party will be on Wednesday 21st August.

The venue is the same as last year, The Duck and Ball Cricket Club, which is on Riverside Drive next to Dukes Meadows. The post code is W42SP. It is easily accessible from the A316, buses E3 and 190 stop nearby, and there is a large free carpark.

Last year’s lunch was a great success, much enjoyed by members and their friends. This will be a great opportunity to chat to fellow members and also to bring a friend with you if you wish, as there is plenty of room for all, both outside and inside if the weather doesn't oblige!

We will be providing a buffet lunch and all drinks will be available to buy from the bar.

Cost is £28.00 per person

Arrival from 12.30, lunch served from 1pm

Please email  visits.tasch@gmail.com to secure your place

We look forward to seeing you there

.

We have partnered with Chiswick Cinema to offer members a screening to their ScreenArts afternoon Encores together with tea or coffee and cake in the Lounge Bar, post screening. 

The first will be the multi award-winning production of Noël Coward’s provocative comedy featuring Andew Scott (Vanya, Fleabag) returning to the big screen by popular demand.

"As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed by an escalating identity crisis as his many and various relationships compete for his attention, Garry’s few remaining days at home are a chaotic whirlwind of love, sex, panic and soul-searching."

Filmed live from The Old Vic in London during a sold out run in 2019, Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical) directs this giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness

Cost is £18:50 per person to include ticket, a coffee or tea and a pastry or cake from a selection on the day served in the Lounge post-screening.

For Chiswick Cinema Members the cost is just £5.00 for the tea and cake, if using your free tickets from your allocation, please make us aware if you are a Chiswick Cinema Member when requesting a place

Tickets will be allocated by Chiswick Cinema and payment will be taken on collection at the Usher Point from 1:00 with screening starting at 1 30. Running time 166 minutes

Please email  visits.tasch@gmail.com to reserve your place. 

We look forward to seeing you there

Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Arts Society Chiswick

The Annual General Meeting of the Arts Society Chiswick will take place at 7.45pm on Thursday 9th May 2024 at the Polish Cultural Centre (POSK), 238-246. King Street, London W6 ORF. Please email any resolutions for discussion at the AGM, in writing, to the Hon. Secretary no later than Thursday 4th April 2024.

The current Committee Members, except for the Hon. Secretary and the Visits Organiser have all put themselves forward for re-election.   We are actively seeking additional Committee Members. If any member is interested in joining the Committee, email the Secretary before Thursday 4th April 2024, to express your interest. Please include a telephone number, so we can contact you to tell you more about it.

AGENDA 2024

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Our Christmas Lunch will take place in the Lowiczanka restaurant on the first floor of POSK  at 12.30pm.

This will include a welcome glass of wine, after which we will be served a splendid two-course meal for a cost of £40. Drinks will then be available to buy at the bar. Partners and friends of members are encouraged to join us for this social occasion.
 

Guests may choose either:

Buttery breast of turkey with roast potatoes, gravy and mixed vegetables
or
Vegetarian stuffed cabbage
*
Apple cake, or cheesecake or cheese & biscuits

Following the meal we are thrilled to tell you that we have secured a very special guest speaker. The actor Simon Williams, renowned for a variety of stage, TV and radio roles from Upstairs Downstairs to The Archers will be joining us to regale us on his work – which should be highly entertaining.

You can book your place, or places, by emailing visits.tasch@gmail.com. You can then pay on-line to the usual account, (Sort Code 23-05-80, Account Number 14258698) with Christmas Lunch as reference. Alternatively, you can send a cheque payable to The Arts Society Chiswick to: Mary Buchanan, 11 Homefield Road, London W4 2LN. All postal bookings will be acknowledged by email on receipt of payment.
 

You can also email us with any queries.

 THIS LUNCH IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.                                                                                               

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 holding our Summer Party at a venue in Chiswick that many of us may not be familiar with.   It is the Duck & Ball, which is the cricket club on Riverside Drive, next to Dukes Meadows.   It is easily accessible from the A316 (buses E3 and 190 stop nearby) and there is a large, free car park.

This will be a great opportunity to chat with fellow members and also to bring a friend with you, if you so wish, as there will be plenty of room for all.   There will be ample seating, both in the open-sided marquee or at tables on the grass, if the English summer weather allows!

We will be providing a buffet lunch and all drinks will be available to buy from the bar.

Cost is £25 per head.    Timing: From 12.30pm.

 Please email visits.tasch@gmail.com to secure your place.

Today our Study Days resume in the Sapphire Room at POSK. The session will consist of two one-hour lectures with a 15 minute break in-between. The first lecture will start at 10.30am with coffee and tea being available from 10.00am. Following the second lecture there will be time for questions and we expect the morning to finish at 1.00pm.

Our study morning will give us 2 lectures about the life and times of Oscar Wilde, from his Irish roots, to his days as a student at Oxford and his meteoric rise to the heights of celebrity. We travel with him to the United States and examine his starring role within the artistic and theatrical worlds of 19th Century London. The second lecture examines how, when at the height of his success, a fateful decision led to disaster. We see how his involvement in the queer underworld of naughty nineties London and his passion, resulted in him being at the centre of the most infamous series of trials of the 19th Century.

Our study day lecturer is Simon Whitehouse, an Actor, Lecturer, Presenter and award winning Blue Badge Guide. His specialisms  are Theatre, Literature, Fashion and Art History, but above all he has a passionate interest in the life of Oscar Wilde.

Cost for the 2 lectures plus tea/coffee is £35.00. To book a place please contact studydays.tasch@gmail.com.

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.”

This fundraising study morning is arranged by The Arts Society Richmond and will be live on Zoom and YouTube at 10.30am.  Tickets £25.  All proceeds will be donated to the British Red Cross, Ukraine Crisis Appeal.  

It is an introduction to the 19th century Ukrainian artist Ilya Repin and the landscape paintings of Ukrainian artist Arkhip Kuindzhi, Russian artist Ivan Shishkin and Lithuanian artist Isaac Levitan.

Purchase tickets at https://tixoom.app/richmond/adzsdcpe. The Zoom and YouTube links will be emailed to you automatically.  If the Zoom limit is exceeded, please use the YouTube link because YouTube has no maximum numbers. The study morning will not be recorded.

10.30 - 11.30am Lecture 1: Ilya Repin (1844-1930 born Chuhiv, Kharkiv province in modern day Ukraine). An introduction to this prolific and astounding realist painter, famous for his portraits and his genre and historical paintings.

11.30 - 12.00 Break

12.00 - 1.00pm. Lecture 2: An introduction to the stunning, thought provoking and awe-inspiring landscapes of Arkhip Kuindzhi (1841-1910 born in Mariopol in modern day Ukraine), Ivan Shishkin (1832-1898 born in Yelabuga, Russia), and Isaac Levitan (1860-1900 born in Kibarty in modern day Lithuania)

The Arts Society lecturer Dr Kathy McLaughlan is giving her time free,  and Tixoom are waiving their fees. Please buy your ticket now and support Ukraine.

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

The Study Day will be held as a Zoom session and will consist of two one hour sessions with a 20 minute break in between, and time for questions at the end of the second lecture. The first lecture will start at 4.00 pm.

Our  lecturer is Sarah Cove, an accredited paintings conservator-restorer, technical art historian and lecturer, with more than 35 years experience working on paintings for the heritage and private sectors. She is based in London and Falmouth and is a specialist in British Portraits, 19-20th century British landscapes and oil sketches on paper and board. She has appeared on several TV programmes for the BBC, notably ‘Constable in Love’ with Andrew Graham-Dixon and twice on ‘Fake or Fortune?’, where she was instrumental in the discovery of 3 lost Constables. She has been an lecturer for the Arts Society since 2003 and is an experienced international speaker, having lectured independently at major public and gallery venues across the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

The first lecture discusses the nature of painting materials from the Middle Ages to the present day and common problems associated with the ageing and deterioration of easel paintings on canvas, panel, board or paper in a range of mediums: oil, acrylic, egg tempera and mixed media. Problems can involve natural deterioration and neglect, accidental damage, vandalism and even war – the most surprising event being a large hole caused by a Turkish canon ball going through a picture in the 18th century!! Modern ‘museum standard’ approaches to conservation and restoration are illustrated with superb detailed images from early Italian religious paintings in egg tempera, via rapid oil sketches by John Constable to 20th Century British portraits and modern abstract works, many from little known collections, taken during Sarah’s conservation treatments. Hints and advice on the proper care of paintings in homes are given throughout.

Our second lecture entitled ‘What’s in a Crack’ will take a closer look at the paintings of Stanhope Forbes RA and the Newlyn School of painters. In this lecture she considers the materials and techniques used in Oil sketches and exhibited works by Stanhope Forbes and his contemporaries, in the light of technical examination undertaken during recent cleaning and conservation. She will feature details of notable and little seen works from private collections as well more familiar works scrutinised in gallery collections both near and far. Very little technical examination or scientific analysis of Newlyn School works has been formally carried out in collections worldwide to try and address the questions that arise from technical problems. Are they the result of faulty technique? What can they tell us about the under-layers of a painting and the working up of a composition? This lecture draws together recent discoveries about the working processes of this close artistic community. Sarah will reveal the secrets of the painters methods as viewed under the microscope, working solely from her own research and conservation records, and will ask as many questions as she answers. The lecture is illustrated with unique close-up macro-photos and the use of scientific methods such as x-radiography and infra-red reflectography.

We hope you are enjoying our programme of “virtual”  study days.

However we of course have to pay our lecturers so we ask that you kindly contribute a minimum of £10 per person when you join us.

Payment to The Arts Society Chiswick - Sort code: 23-05-80, Account no: 14258698, Reference: Study

Our first online Study Day, will consist of two one hour sessions with a 30 minute break in between. This was originally scheduled for November.

LECTURE 1   4PM -5PM 

A chronological history of the outstanding and diverse Devonshire collection, told through the interests, characters and tastes of its collectors over 16 generations, from Elizabethan beginnings to the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and their family. Each generation left its mark on the collection and it is fascinating to see how the diverse personalities have contributed to what is now considered to be one of the finest family collections in Europe.

LECTURE 2   5.20PM - 6.30PM

A look at the life of Deborah Devonshire, the youngest of the Mitford sisters and wife of the 11th Duke of Devonshire who through her marriage took on one of Europe’s greatest treasure houses, Chatsworth. In the second half of the 20th Century, in partnership with her husband, she imbued it with spirit, elegance and a sense of welcome that transformed it from being a worn-out survivor of decades of taxation, war and social change into one of the best-loved, most emulated and popular historic houses, gardens and estates in the country. She also became a bestselling author, champion of the countryside, its skills, traditions, livelihoods and food, trustee and patron of numerous charities, businesses and good causes and the most famous poultry keeper in the country. She met Hitler and Churchill and a dazzling array of her contemporaries including President Kennedy, Evelyn Waugh and other luminaries from the world of Culture and Art. She had a lasting impact upon Chatsworth and everyone she met. Our lecturer was lucky enough to work with her for 20 years and this lecture pays tribute to her life.

Our study day lecturer is Simon Seligman. Simon studied art and architectural history at Warwick University, including a semester in Venice. From 1991 to 2010, he worked at Chatsworth in a variety of roles, latterly as Head of Communications. He lectured about Chatsworth, the Devonshire Collection and associated topics, throughout the UK and on several US tours. Simon gave numerous public presentations and interviews with the late Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. Alongside his lecturing, he has worked part time for John Ruskin’s charity, the Guild of St. George, is a trustee of three arts festivals and is a Life Coach in private practice.

**No charge to members but a donation to help cover our costs would be much appreciated.

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.

Our study day will be undertaken by Dominic Riley a bookbinder, artist and teacher. Dominic first learned bookbinding at the age of 16 from Benedictine Monks at Douai Abbey in Berkshire and later at the London College of Printing. He has worked at the V&A and for various Binderies in London, New York and San Francisco. As a result, he spends part of the year teaching across the USA. He has his own Bindery in the Lake District, from where he travels across the UK, teaching masterclasses and lecturing. He is Vice President of the Society of Bookbinders and was elected Fellow of Design Bookbinders in 2008. His binding work mostly consists of the restoration of antiquarian books and Design Bindings. He has won many prizes in Design Bookbinders Competitions, including both first prizes and the Mansfield Silver Medal in 2007. His bindings are in collections across the world, including the British Library and the John Rylands Library in Manchester. In 2010 he bound a special copy of the winning entry of the Booker Prize, which was presented to the author. In June 2013 he won first prize in the prestigious Sir Paul Getty International Bookbinding Competition. His winning binding was acquired by the Bodleian Library in Oxford. In 2012 Dominic was presented with one of only 400 copies of the Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, a huge book with illustrations by Burne Jones and decorations by Morris.  Once completed, the newly bound copy was donated to the V&A museum.

For our Study Day, Dominic will give a lecture on the subject of the Book as Art, followed by a practical demonstration of some aspects of the art of bookbinding, such as restoration techniques and tooling with gold leaf. The aim is to show some of the ancient skills involved.

In the afternoon Dominic will bring some interesting books from his own collection to talk about, including special old bindings, strange and quirky examples and some fabulous artists’ books.

For the last session participants are invited to bring along a book of their own that they might like to discuss. This could be an old curiosity, which they would like to find out more about, or a treasured volume in need of repair. Dominic will offer helpful advice about how to care for such books and give guidance to those considering having a binding restored.

Cost £35.00 per person.

The booking form can be downloaded here.

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.

This Autumn Study Day has as its subject Covent Garden Opera House. Our lecturer Nigel Bates, describes himself as a musician, speaker, manager, presenter and consultant. He started his musical career in the Band of the Scots Guards, then went on to join the Orchestra of Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet and to hold an appointment as a Professor at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After a freelance period working with most of the London orchestras and ensembles, Nigel was appointed to the Section Principal Percussion of the Royal Opera House Orchestra, in 1993. Alongside that appointment, he was involved in many other projects for the Royal Opera House. Nigel left the Royal Opera House in 2009 in order to emigrate to Australia, undertaking a number of lecture tours across Australia and Tasmania, and working to establish a community orchestra in Central Queensland. He returned to the UK in 2011, and continued to work as a performer, producer and creative leader. In 2012 he was appointed Music Administrator of The Royal Ballet and continues to perform with all the major London orchestras.

During our study day Nigel will look at the history of the Opera House and the architecture of the building. We will also learn about the tribulations and triumphs of working with the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies. We will see several performance video clips with an additional focus on set design, production values and how the digital age has been embraced by the opera and ballet worlds. In addition we will discover the way that daily performances and rehearsals of opera and ballet all fit into this elegant Victorian theatre, the workplace of more than a thousand people. Finally we will look at the way artistic inspirations, the people involved and the unique building all function together to create world class opera and ballet in a unique environment.

The cost for the day is £35. The booking form can be downloaded here.

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.

Our study day will be undertaken by Steven Desmond, an independent landscape consultant specialising in historic gardens and architecture since 1985. He is a freelance lecturer including  the Universities of Bristol and Oxford; a specialist tour leader and lecturer in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. He has also undertaken  an Arts Society tour of Australia in 2010. He has written a book entitled Gardens of the Italian Lakes. The focus of the study day will be on the way that many artists of the past have found a fulfilling outlet for their creative forces in the garden. Some have designed gardens, others have painted gardens, still others have regarded working in the garden as an essential activity. Our day will cover the relationship between Gertrude Jekyll and Lutyens, look at the gardens of Harold Peto and at the Artist as Gardener.

Cost £35.00 per person

The booking form can be downloaded here.

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.

This Study Day will be lead by Judy Rudoe FSA.  The morning session “Jewellery in the Age of Queen Victoria: a mirror to the World” will be followed in the afternoon by a discussion about pieces of jewellery brought along by those attending the lecture.  These pieces can include Georgian, Victorian and 20th century jewellery. Members should not worry about whether the piece is “good enough”.   Pieces in silver or base metal as opposed to gold and diamonds can be just a interesting.

Judy Rudoe is a senior curator at the British Museum where she has worked since 1974 specialising in jewellery and 19th & 20th century decorative arts. She is an international authority on jewellery and has written widely on the subject.

The cost of the day is £35.00.

The booking form can be downloaded here.

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.

Music lovers generally regard JS Bach as the greatest of early 18th century composers. In fact, he is so important in the history of music that we close down the Baroque period with his death in 1750. However, Bach is also one of the most challenging of composers and rarely reveals the subtleties of his music on first or even second hearing, causing some of his listeners to feel distanced from many of the finer moments in his output. This study day goes beneath the surface of Bach’s music to decode some of his musical symbolism, to reveal some of his working methods and to highlight some of his aesthetic goals.

 Session 1

A general background to the life and music of JS Bach, a look at his position in Western music and his impact on later generations, and a brief study of his publishing history

 Session 2

An exploration of Bach’s musical language, to include examples from instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Inventions, the Sinfonias, and selections from the preludes and fugues

 Session 3

focuses on Bach’s vocal music and includes moments from the St Matthew Passion, the Anna Magdalena Notebook, and examples from the secular and church cantatas

Peter Medhurst’s work as singer, pianist and lecturer-recitalist has taken him all over the world.  Closer to home, he has presented events at the Barbican, St John’s Smith Square, and the Royal Festival Hall.  In addition to his appearances on the concert platform and in the lecture hall, he sets aside time to devise and lead tours abroad. 

 Peter Medhurst was born of German and English parents, and did his musical training at the Royal College of Music  In 1978, a scholarship from the Austrian government gave him the opportunity to have coaching with the accompanist Erik Werba at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.  On his return to England he took harpsichord lessons with Ruth Dyson, who became his accompanist and fellow keyboard duettist in a professional partnership that lasted until her death nearly 20 years later.

The cost of the Study Day is £35.00 and includes tea and coffee on arrival.  

"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?

Before the Bolsheviks brought down the Tsarist regime in 1917, Russian artists and musicians staged a daring revolution of their own by radically changing the very language of art.  Their new position as leaders of the European avant-garde continued in the new conditions of Soviet Russia after 1917.  Some major artists, like Natalia Goncharova, chose to remain in exile in the hope of one day returning to Russia. Others, like Kandinsky, Chagall and Malevich, went on to play a leading role in early Soviet culture amidst utopian hopes for a bright future.  This day of lectures will explore the Russian arts from late Tsarism until the end of the 1920s.  The experimentation which gave rise to Suprematism and Constructivism will be discussed in the context of the valiant quest led by more traditional artists to preserve traditions of beauty, and the political engagement demanded by the Stalinist regime.

1. The Story of Russian Art before 1905

2. The Revolution in Art: The Emergence of the Russian Avant-Garde on the Eve of 1917

3. Art in Revolution:  The Russian Avant-Garde after 1917

Rosamund Bartlett completed her doctorate at Oxford and is an authority on the cultural history of Russia.  Her books include Victory Over the Sun: The World's First Futurist Opera and Shostakovich in Context, as well as biographies of Chekhov and Tolstoy.  She is also the translator of Chekhov and the new Oxford World's Classcics edition of Anna Karenina.  She has contributed articles on art, music and literature for publications such as the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, the international art magazine Apollo and the programmes of the Royal Opera House, and is currently writing a history of Russian modernism.

The cost of the Study Day is £30.00 and includes tea and coffee on arrival.  The booking form can be downloaded here. 

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 Study Day is now fully booked. 

The day covers the early developments in Modern Art, including Fauvism, Futurism, Expressionism, Cubism, and others and links painting and sculpture and how they relate to major social change and historical events of the period in Britain and Europe.

Surrealism and art produced by totalitarian regimes in the 1930’s and how this affected art after the War;  pop art and abstract expressionism in the USA and British art in the post-war period are also covered.  The Study day finishes with body art, performance art and the impact of feminism, the rise of film and video techniques, the Turner Prize and British artists of the 1990’s.

The lecturer will be Linda Smith BA (Hons), MA, who has two first class degrees in Art History and is an experienced guide and lecturer at Tate Britain and Tate Modern and the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

The cost of the Study Day is £35 and includes tea and coffee on arrival.  Lunch is available at the POSK café, at local cafés or bring a packed lunch.

The next Study Day will be Art and Revolution on 22 November.

Handel, Hogarth and Captain Coram had a shared concern for the poor of London and especially the children. Thomas Coram (1668 - 1751) took seventeen years to raise the money necessary to build the Foundling Hospital for destitute mothers and their babies. William Hogarth (1697 -1764) gave many of his valuable paintings to the Hospital to attract benefactors to the building and so founded the first art gallery in London.

George Frederick Handel (1685 - 1759) offered to give a fundraising concert in the Hospital chapel which included the Foundling Hospital Anthem ending with the Hallelujah Chorus from his “Messiah” which was an instant success. Handel continued to give performances of the “Messiah” until his death leaving valuable manuscripts to the Hospital in his will.

Janet Cannetty-Clarke traces the history of these three remarkable men and their combined efforts to improve the lives of needy children in London and the establishment of the Thomas Coram Foundling Hospital. The Study Day will include recordings of Handel’s music.

Janet Cannetty-Clarke was a lecturer at Birkbeck College in music and Conductor and Musical Director of Sussex Chorus for 37 years and has been a NADFAS lecturer since 1984.

Cost of the Study Day is £35.00.

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.
 

Dr. Anderson graduated from Leicester University with a  Degree in Art History and Archaeology and followed this by 8 years working as an archaeologist .She was senior lecturer on the Fine Arts Valuation degree course at Southampton Solent University , specialising in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism . She is currently Hon. Research Fellow at Exeter University and consultant for Lord Leighton's Studio – House, Kensington. She has published books on Art Deco teapots, Edward Burne-Jones and Roman Pottery, has lectured for NADFAS since 1993 and held many other prestigious posts.

 Deemed the Father of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris inspired succeeding generations.   In the 1880s the Art Workers Guild and the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society provided a platform and showcase for craft-work.  The following decade saw architects and designers leading the way: C.F.A. Voysey, Charles Ashbee, William Lethaby, Ernest Gimson and the Barnsleys.  For a brief period England led the way in progressive design.  Arts and Crafts ideology was adopted in Scandinavia, as seen in the silver of Georg Jensen and the designs of Gerard Munthe. In America, Gustav Stickley founded The Craftsman magazine and opened his own workshops. But American designers realized the machine had to be embraced if good design was to reach everyone.

The Special Interest Day will take place in the smaller Sapphire Room at POSK. There will be coffee on arrival after which Dr. Anderson will give a morning lecture followed by a break for lunch,which is not provided, but there are plenty of options for this locally as well, of course, as the cafe at POSK. There will be lots of time to meet with other members. An afternoon session will follow.

The cost of the day is £35.00 per head.