Article by Gill Waller - Volunteering Lead

Thanks to willing railway companies and The Arts Society Basingstoke, the remarkable work of local schools and colleges, has been brightening our railway stations’ night subway, waiting rooms and platforms for the past five years. As well as cheering up our railway station, these exhibitions provide an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the work of artists from local schools, colleges and community groups – our Basingstoke family’s children. Their artistic talents provide a congenial environment for passengers using the station. Seeing their artwork exhibited to the public in these ways, is a rare, inspirational opportunity for flourishing young artists.
The latest exhibition, by students from Basingstoke College of Technology, will be particularly inspiring for the travelling public because of the high standard of skills on display. Twenty-one students have their work in the waiting rooms on platforms one and four. All the work on display was produced in the first term of their course - between September and December 2025. It showcases projects from a wide range of applied and fine arts which provide a comprehensive introduction to the creative industries. On Wednesday 4th February, the students were excited to see their work on display, knowing that it would be seen by the hundreds of passengers who use the station.
Samantha George, (Art & Design and Media & Games Lecturer from BCOT), said that she is very grateful for an opportunity to celebrate the students’ achievements. They are very excited to have their work on display again.
Student’s quotations:
Jax Bassindale (level 3 Game Art and Design Extended Diploma.) This is the second time that Jax has been chosen to participate in an exhibition at the Railway Station.
Jax said, ‘I am proud of myself. It has made me realise that this is something that I should pursue.’ My previous work represented the impact we will have on the environment if we do not change our ways. The current work is surreal and thought provoking.
Peter Smith, on the same course, said that he is very proud that his work has turned out so well.
Chloe Martin – (level 3 Art and Design and Communication Extended diploma) – is another student who has work displayed at the station for a second time. Last year her work was on the theme of ‘Temporal Shifts, representing Life, death and decay of organic matter. This year she is inspired by waves and rock pools. She is very happy to be exhibited again and plans to go to Art College when she finishes at BCOT.
Nadeen White, (Art, Design and Communication Diploma) has a self-portrait and two still life pictures on display. She is a mature student who is really enjoying discovering her talent on a course that is extending her knowledge and understanding. She is pleased to see her work on display.
Harriet Gates, (Art, Design and Communication Diploma) also has her still-life pictures on display. She said that she loved having her work on display where it can be enjoyed by hundreds of passengers.
Bleu ‘Vinny’ Hawkins, would like a career in communications. Her lino print explores the relationship between prey and predator. She chose symbolic colours – white for purity, black for corruption and red for violence/danger.
Blaise Luca De-Lisie Bissett, (Level 2 Art and Design Diploma), has his still life painting on display. He has experimented with applying colour theory - complimentary colours in the shadows. He is proud of his work.
Lucy Clinch, (Level 2 Art and Design Diploma)  also used blue and purple in the shadows of her face to experiment with complimentary colours and create an exciting effect. She is proud to be recognised for her achievement.
Oleksandr Panachevni (Level 3 Game Art and Design Extended Diploma)
Changed his course to concentrate on creating games. He is very pleased to have his work on display.

Photography: Gill Barlin

This year we have created 'Art Packs' to support 'The Furniture Projects Christmas Appeal'. The Basingstoke Food Bank refers families to this toy project to enable all children to have a gift at Christmas. Spearheaded by Gill Waller, our members have enthusiastically created brightly coloured cloth bags, mostly from recycled materials and also generously donated to allow our society to purchase a range of new craft and art materials. Over fifty local children will receive these art bags as a gift this Christmas.

You will have noticed that Arts Volunteering often gets showcased in our News as volunteering is an integral part of our society. Gill Waller is our Volunteering Lead, it has been her tremendous personal energy, ambition and vision for the arts and young people, that has been at the root of its success. Gill has instigated and managed significant Arts Volunteering projects, often running these simultaneously with several schools and sixth-form colleges in our local area; the impact on students and the lifelong skills learned and memories made will last a lifetime. The Marsh Award for Volunteering is a national award scheme and is an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of those actively engaged with volunteering who give that extra effort that makes a difference. As a Society we were delighted that Gill Waller was nominated and awarded a prize for her outstanding contribution to Arts Volunteering at our national AGM in London. A special lunch was held after our September lecture to recognise and thank everyone who volunteers in any capacity from, tech, to coffee who all contribute to the continuing success of our society.

Photo: Hilary Kay President of The Arts Society,  Gillian Waller Volunteering Lead, Rachel Fay daughter to Patricia Fay, Founder of NADFAS (The Arts Society).

Forty members and guests visited this historic house, once home to Jane Austen's brother Edward. We were welcomed into the Great Hall and whilst sipping coffee, were treated to an introductory talk outlining the history of the area, politics and the original manor which preceded the Elizabethan house we see today.

We were guided through the rooms and corridors of the palatial building by another expert volunteer who just seemed to know everything about the house, architecture and of course, Jane Austen. There certainly is plenty to see and learn at Chawton House. It was enlightening to understand that it houses 9000 books and manuscripts and is a research library for The Centre for the Study of Early Women's Writing 1600- 1830.

The beautiful gardens and parklands were delightful to spend time exploring whilst soaking up the sunshine.

Our planned visit to this stunning garden was enhanced by a beautiful sunny afternoon. Forty members enjoyed exploring the many richly planted borders whilst gaining an understanding of how a garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll became derelict over many years and was painstakingly resurrected by the current owners, Rosamund & John Wallinger. Rosamund kindly gave us an overview of this lifelong project; we were all in awe of her.

Seeing work on public display is every artists’ dream; on display in their home town, brightening journeys of hundreds of railway travellers is what some have achieved.

The Vyne Community School students were excited and proud to see their work on display in the waiting rooms at Basingstoke railway station, last week. The waiting room on platform one features work from students in years ten and eleven. For Tanya Nguyen this is the second year her work has been displayed. This year she has painted objects that are important to her, displayed in a glass container. She loves bright colours and chose to place paper flowers in the jar to represent her love of nature. Her ambition is to become an architect. Other students in year ten developed their observational drawings into lino prints inspired by the work of artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Lily Ward used her jar to represent herself with a charm bracelet, hairband and comic book, from which she developed her lino prints. She is very proud to have her work on display at the station. Olivia Leech also has her lino prints on display. Her work includes an image of her sister’s teddy bear – an object that is very important to her. Other work on display in that waiting room includes year eleven students’ work who have been realising some inspiring outcomes in the form of tigers and peacocks as well as a look at skeletons done as a vibrant lino reduction print.

On platform four there is work by year eight students. These students have been inspired by the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser with the idea of creating a fantastic building like no other that towers into the sky. They have been experimenting with wax relief backgrounds to compose the vibrant sky they then completed these in various media and materials from oil pastels to paint. Other students have been practising their skills at enlarging a drawing using a grid. They enlarged a variety of popular characters to show their techniques in placement proportion and control of media. They experimented with various backgrounds to put their own personal stamp on the finished outcome. Tasneem Maudarbocus from year eight was delighted to see her work on display.

Tim Poet, their teacher. expressed his gratitude to the Arts Society (Basingstoke) for organising the exhibition. Tim added “This is such a fantastic opportunity for our students!”

 In addition to organising regular lectures on diverse art subjects in Sherfield-on-Loddon village hall, the society works hard to encourage young people in schools and colleges in their artistic endeavours. The Arts Society Basingstoke

 This exhibition will be on display in the waiting rooms on platforms one and four until the end of June, when it will be replaced by work from the Austen Academy.

Pop in to see it when you are travelling by train.

Without the willingness of our membership to volunteer, many of our ventures wouldn’t even get off the ground. A recent printing project with St Bede’s Catholic Primary School, was planned to take place over four sessions during two school days, some volunteers committed to all four!  The reason why…. because it was great fun!

Having plenty of willing Arts Society volunteers, enabled the children to work in small groups or even one to one, the quality of their printing was amazing with each pupil being truly proud of their work. An activity session like this is likely to have a lasting impact on the youngsters, but also for the adults too. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy, not just to this project but all volunteering roles within our society. If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please contact us at info@theartssocietybasingstoke.org.uk

Twenty-two students from BCOT are the latest artists to have their work exhibited at Basingstoke Railway Station supported by, The Arts Society Basingstoke. All the work on display was produced in the first term of their course - between September and December 2024. It showcases projects looking at photography, character design, 3D modelling, mixed media work, fashion design, printmaking and digital art. These courses provide a comprehensive introduction to the creative industries.  The students came to see their work on display and were excited and delighted to think that it would be seen by the hundreds of passengers who use the station.

Interviews with BCOT Students 22 January 2025

Kayla De Klerk is studying level 3 Creative Practice - Game Art &Design Diploma

Kayla was inspired to create this piece after having read about the Kamloops Point shipwreck, on Lake Superior, Canada. There were no known survivors, but a year later, a note was discovered left by a single survivor. Her work is on the theme ‘Temporal Shift’ - combining past, present and future in one image. 

Her ambition is to become a Games Design or a Conceptual Artist

Chloe Martin is studying a level 3 Art and Design and Communication diploma 

Her work was on the theme of ‘Temporal Shifts’.  Acrylic dark background with lighted colours abstracts with animal heads.  It apparently represented Life and death and decay of organic matter.

She was very happy to being exhibited and has a wish to work in the creative industry.

Sunny Sparks is studying a level 3 Art and Design and Communication diploma   

Designs based on fashion throughout the ages inspired by historical pieces and different eras of fashion.  A mixture of Egypt / Hollywood / Victoriana. Her picture was a montage of figures mixing fashions together.  Drawn in ink with colour wash.  They were like preliminary fashion design sketches. Sunny thought that displaying the art to the public was very important and good for the public to see and satisfying for the artist.

Jax Bassindale is studying level 3 Creative Practice - Game Art and Design Diploma

Jax’s work represented the impact we will have on the environment, if we do not change our ways, we will end up killing the earth around us. Deadland is a vast ocean that represents how isolated we will become if we cannot escape our past.

Ambition – Games Design

Ethan Cunliffe is studying level 3 Creative Media Production & Technology: Game Art and Design Extended Diploma

Ethan wanted to create a moody scene with dim lighting. Things can be forgotten, left to rust, beautiful things can be discarded, left to rot. We need to look after our possessions and take greater care. He is happy to have his work displayed. 

Ambition – Games Art, possibly Portsmouth.

Kateryna Hrydasova - is studying level 3 Creative Practice - Game Art and Design Diploma

Katerina described her work as a temporal shift, representing the past, the present and the future in the same moment. A small shell looking at the enormous shell of the mountainous snail. The small snail becomes part of the past/future by making the mountain scene in its scale and height.

Cody Hapgood is studying level 3 Creative Media Production & Technology: Game Art and Design Extended Diploma. 

Cody has created a video of an angry planet over time to exemplify a temporal shift. He used 3D modelling to create the environment. He is very proud to have his work displayed at the station.

Benn Brain is studying a Level 2 Diploma in Art and Design 

His work is about the passage of time in 2 D animation. 

Kyle Davis is studying a level 2 Diploma in Art and Design 

He has created a pencil sketch using digital technology. He is proud to have his work on display.

Gabriel Moura is studying a level 3 Art and Design and Communication diploma

Gabriel’s work focuses on Temporal shifts. This is the second time of having work displayed at the Station.

Isla- Rae Mudie is studying level 3 Art and Design and Communication diploma

Isla is showcasing print work inspired by natural forms. She is excited to have her work displayed and wants to make a career in the world of Art. 

In collaboration with Dove House School Academy, we have mounted yet another exhibition of work by students there. The colourful photography and other artwork can be found in the waiting rooms on platforms 1 and 4/5. Students are very proud to have their work displayed publicly and said it gave them confidence in going forward. Some of the students want to go forward to be graphic designers and this is a good start.

Also the new work from students at Queen Mary's College features in the night exit. This is a stunning exhibition, chiefly of modern art. 

What talent there is among the young people of our town!

What a brilliant day we had visiting their Majesties' gardens at Highgrove on May 1st 2024. The weather was kind to us and we got round the gardens without a drop of rain. We had a knowledgeable and brilliant guide who told us so much about how the gardens were created. One is not permitted to take photos of most of the garden at Highgrove but my memory can easily paint pictures of the sumptuous azaleas and rhododendrons, purples, pinks and even yellows - quite stunning.

His Majesty believes in natural gardening and as one would expect, the meadows were rich in colour.  Bluebells have given way to hundreds of Camassia spikes, which are striking.

There are only eleven gardeners who work tirelessly on a variety of what can only be described as garden 'rooms', each with its own character and gate or door leading to the next. At times one felt as though one was visiting a secret garden. 'Rooms' range from open meadows to a walled vegetable garden, an  arboretum, a formal yew topiary and a stunning stumpery along with many other sections. It is hard to believe that when His Majesty took over the property most of the garden was open field.

Of particular interest to our Arts Society were the number and variety of art works ranging from Indian temple sculptures to classical pieces and modern art works. There are water features that add a magic, including a pool within a pool with a surface so smooth it is like glass.

Our walk around the gardens was completed with a sumptuous lunch and with produce from the estate itself.

All together it was a terrific day and thanks must go to Richard Elphick for his organisation and to Jane Coulson, who started planning this a number of years ago.

A new project "Under Our Feet" has got off to a good start with a morning's work at Winklebury Junior School with Year 4 students, in collaboration with textile artist Vanessa Rolf. We spent the afternoon visiting the Iron Age Fort at Winklebury. More to come on this venture.

UPDATE

The "Under your Feet Project" is nearing completion. Volunteers had a wonderful couple of days with the children, looking at archaeological artefacts and encouraging them in their observational and accurate drawing of what they could see. We have learned as much as the children, I am sure.

Also this week at Winklebury, volunteers have been helping with sewing skills on a tie-dye and appliqué project to make cushions with a space theme. What a success! 

There will be an opportunity to view the results of all this work in our exhibition at the Willis Museum which runs from 8th June, for 6 weeks, to 14th July.

Also see our write-up in Hampshire Cultural Trusts advertisement here.

Wow! what a fantastic Study Day we had with Mark Hill today! Mark gave a very interesting lecture called Cracking Glass, when we learned about glass of the twentieth century, the major companies involved, the new trends and popularity of the pieces today. In the second lecture, he took us through trends in glass, ceramics and furniture of the twentieth century with a look at who is buying what and why. And of course we played good better and best.

A sumptuous lunch was followed by a valuation session where participants on the day had brought in their own pieces. Some very interesting stories were uncovered and valuations made. The crowning glory was the piece that had been bought for £35 and turned out to be worth in the region of £5000!

It was a super day for all involved. Thanks to the committee and particulalry the Programme Team.

The Vyne School have excelled once more. Our exhibition space at the Basingstoke Railway Station is looking wonderful. More about this and more on the Arts Volunteering section of the website. Here.

Go and visit when you travel. Pictures in the gallery section of the website.

Please don't forget to see the work from QMC students in the night exit when you leave!

Twenty-one students from BCOT are the latest artists to have their work exhibited at Basingstoke Railway Station. On Wednesday 1st November, they braved the weather to see their work on display and take pride in their achievements. They were excited and delighted to think that it would be seen by the hundreds of passengers who use the station.

Their teacher, Hannah Middleton, expressed her gratitude to The Arts Society Basingstoke for organising the exhibition. She said, “The work looks brilliant in the frames, and it is such a fantastic opportunity for our students!”

There are examples of work from a wide range of courses; from observational pencil drawing, to designs for computer games, mysterious landscapes created by blending photography and painting together and sculptured heads suitable for film or cinematic use.

This exhibition will be on display in the waiting rooms on platforms 1 and 4 until the end of January, when it will be replaced by work from The Vyne School. Pop in to see it when you are travelling by train.

What a success our exhibition at the Willis Museum, Basingstoke has been!

Thank you if you visited and thank you if you entered a photograph.

Over one hundred of our photographs were on display and the public was able to vote for their favourite, which will shortly be announced. The overall winning photograph, chosen by our external judge, was by member Lesley Dixon, who is a potter at Bartley Heath Pottery in North Warnborough. All of the twelve shots chosen by the independent judge are in the calendar, which is available at the Willis Museum, at Bartley Heath Pottery and it will also be on sale at lectures.

The opening of the exhibition was attended by Deputy Mayor, Dan Putty, and Patricia Hindley and Diana Heatly, representatives of our HAMPSHIRE & ISLE OF WIGHT AREA team, which very generously funded this event. The exhibition also featured copies of the work by students from Queen Mary's College Basingstoke, whose work we have displayed in the night exit at the Basingstoke Railway Station; work byYear 2 children from Winklebury Infant School and from St Bede's Catholic Primary School.  We have promoted art in all these schools during the last year. 

We featured in the Basingstoke Gazette on 2nd August and the article can be read here.

Thank you all members who entered a smartphone photograph for our competition and celebration of all that is North Hampshire.

The independent adjudicator has made their decision and chosen twelve photographs for our calendar. It is a pity there are not more months in the year because there were so many excellent photographs to choose from, but we shall be rewarded by having our photographs on display at the Willis Museum at the top of town from July 22nd to August 13th. There will be a private viewing the day before it opens and you will receive a Mailchimp with an invitation if you are a member.

The calendars will be on sale at the venue and afterwards at our lectures. A prize will be awarded at the opening ceremony to the person who took the photo to go on our front cover.

Don't forget to go along and see our photographs alongside the volunteering work we have supported, which inlcudes: the Climate Unity Quilts from St Bede's Catholic Primary School; the Transport Quilts from Winklebury Infant School and copies of the work from students at Queen Mary's College, originals of which are at the night exit at the Basingstoke Railway Station.

Why don't you take your family along to see your photographs and buy a calendar to remember the occasion!

THE ARTS SOCIETY BASINGSTOKE

'Keep it Local' - Calendar 2024

Sales of the calendar will help support our work with Arts Volunteering.

Do you love North Hampshire, do you have a Smartphone? If the answer is yes to both, then you have the perfect ingredients to help your society create a fabulous calendar for 2024!

GENERAL INFORMATION

Our 2024 calendar will be a series of Smartphone photographs sent in by our members which depicts our local area of North Hampshire. We are asking you to send in your pictures between now and 25 June 2023. After that date we will choose the best to print - one for each month of the year, plus a cover photo.  Please note your photograph should not contain images of children or people.   

We are looking for pictures that show off the very best parts of North Hampshire throughout the changing seasons. Do you have a special view, a favourite walk, a fabulous garden plant, or indeed a hidden gem you'd like to share, then start snapping.

HOW TO ENTER YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

You may submit as many photographs as you like before the closing date of 25 June 2023.  All we ask is that they are taken by you using your smart phone.

To fit the calendar, all photographs should be in landscape view (longer top and bottom & shorter sides) not portrait view (longer sides and shorter top & bottom).  Please note: Smartphone photographs only, no photographs taken with a traditional camera.

SUBMITTING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

When you are ready to send your photograph(s) please follow BOTH STEPS below.

STEP 1 Click this DROPBOX link and follow the instructions

STEP 2 Send an email to gilljones@me.com telling us where your photo was taken and which month of the year it represents. If you are sending more than one photo at a time please identify each one in your email.

You can use the Dropbox link to send as many photos as you wish until 25 June 2023.

If you are unsure how to follow the instructions, ask a committee member to show you at a lecture.

*By submitting your photograph, The Arts Society Basingstoke will have the right to print and distribute it in the form of a calendar and also exhibit it at The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery between 22 July - 13 August 2023

JUDGING

An independent judge will select 12 pictures (one for each month) for the calendar plus an overall winning picture for the cover.  We will then assemble and print a calendar for 2024. We want to prepare and print the calendar in time to sell at our September lecture 2023.  

Welcome to the 2021-2022 season

Dear Member

I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful sunshine today. Thank goodness the cloudy skies have finally gone.

I am delighted to be able to provide the final details about the brilliant lecture we have planned for 15th September. Julian Richards is familiar to us for his numerous TV appearances and he is a world famous expert on Stonehenge.

You will be able to meet him next week in a hybrid lecture. This means that you can choose whether to join us in Sherfield-on-Loddon Village Hall or watch from the comfort of your armchair at home. If, like me, you are anxious to get back to meeting in person again, then you will need to book online. We have 140 places, which will be available from TicketSource on a first-come, first-served basis. This online booking for a place in the hall is only available to members. Click here to book. 

To enable as many people as possible to attend, please only book tickets according to your joint or single membership. Only members will be admitted to the hall. The doors will not be open until 10.30 to enable us to rehearse with the lecturer.

Unfortunately we have had to introduce a number of covid secure measures, so things will not be the same as they used to be. We are asking everyone to wear a mask, unless they are exempt. We will also have the windows and doors open to create ventilation, so please wear appropriate clothing for the weather.

We have decided not to provide coffee at this meeting because we are trying to avoid queues but you are welcome to bring a drink from home, perhaps you would like book a table at the excellent coffee bar in the village, Sherfield Coffee Shop & Post Office. (For the website click here.)

Or you may like to book lunch at one of the village pubs: The Four Horseshoes -Sherfield-on-Loddon (for the website click here) or at the White Hart, Pub and Restaurant with garden in Sherfield, Hampshire (for the website click here).

For those of you joining us via Zoom, the link will be sent out late Sunday. If you have a guest who wishes to join the Zoom, then please ask them to book here. The cost for guests is £5 and payment must be received by the evening of Monday 13th September. Bookings close earlier than usual, as there is more work for the committee to put the hybrid lecture in place.

Programme Cards

At the meeting we will be giving out your programme cards. However, if you are planning to watch on Zoom, you can download your programme card from the website, here.

We are also taking bookings for the……

Virtual Visit from Bangladesh to Banksy - 13th October at 7.30 p.m.

This new and vibrant virtual tour tells the story of the East End and the incredible transformation it has gone through in recent times. Just a generation ago, it was considered one of the worst slums in Britain, today it is one of the most important areas in Europe for the dot come industries.

This virtual tour will take you from the mass Bengali immigration of the 1970s and give you some of the key moments in this incredible story. It will also introduce you to some key figures in its transformation including Banksy and Tracey Emin, before finishing in the centre of Britain’s Silicon Valley.

Lecturer: Pepe Martinez is an award-winning London Blue Badge Tourist Guide. He was born in the East End and has lived there all his life. He is an accredited Institute of Tourist Guiding Trainer and is currently tutoring on the London Blue Badge training course.

Cost £8 per member or member couple: £9.99 for guests.

Members or guests should click here to book through TicketSource but please note that the payment amount is different for each.

Holiday to Vienna Monday 28th March to Friday 1st April 2022

If you are interested in this five day tour of Vienna, you must book before 30th September. Click here for further details.

Now that many of our members find themselves spending further unplanned time away from their usual friendship groups, hobbies and interests, the committee thought it might be an idea to set up quick links to interesting articles, videos and podcasts featuring 'The Arts'.

Check back regularly for new features, if any member has any suggestions please contact the committee via the feedback button.

NEW - LECTURES FORTNIGHTLY FROM THE ARTS SOCIETY

Enjoy the arts at home with a series of films by Arts Society Accredited Lecturers including, published every fortnight.  Click Here to watch the latest lectures and catch up with any you may have missed.

Lecturers featured are:
Mark Hill, Nicola Moorby, Marc Allum, Rebecca Hossack, Irving Finkel, Sarah Dunant, Sandy Burnett and Viv Lawes. 

Become an Instant Expert

Click Here to access these fascinating insights, updated monthly.

HOMES

Take a peek inside these Artist's homes from the comfort of your own home!

George and Mary Watts - The Watts Gallery Click Here

John Soane - John Soane's Museum Click Here

Claude Monet - Giverny Click Here

Emery Walker - 7 Hammersmith Terrace Click Here

MUSIC
Metropolitan Opera to Berlin Philharmonic: free live streamed 2021 classical music concerts coming up during the lockdown Click Here.

Classic FM Click Here

The Metropolitan Opera Free live Streaming Click Here

The Metropolitan Opera has a range of Podcasts across a range of interesting subjects Click Here

Virtual Chorus: Of its time, a group of singers singing from their homes whilst being isolated, to listen, Click Here

GALLERIES AND ART

Video links to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Huge range of videos covering fascinating subjects. Click here

A virtual tour by Philip Mould Click Here

MUSEUMS

The British Museum a virtual tour from your armchair Click Here

The Uffizi Gallery Florence virtual tour Click Here

BOOKS

From Penguin Books 35 of the best literary and book podcasts for book lovers' Click Here 

PEOPLE

Historical figures Click Here

Talks

The Arts Society and Heni Talks Present: An event to showcase three outstanding Arts Society, speakers, Dr Marie-Anne Mancio The Bed in Art from Titian to Emin. Alexandra Epps Colourful Language: Red, White and Blue. Adam Busiakiewicz Go Crystal Tears -The Art of Melancholy. Click here

For additional Heni Talks covering a huge range of subjects Click Here 

Dear Member
Well, it does not look as if we will be getting together any time soon.  I think we can all agree, that it has been something of a challenging year!  For the Committee, the main challenge has been how to keep the society going and offer you, the member's something to replace what was lost, as we cannot meet in the village hall.
We have no particular expertise in modern technology but we have had to get our heads around Zoom, although I think it fair to say we are still learning.  Head Office has provided help with this.  I realise that Zoom lectures are not to everybody’s taste but I’m afraid for now, it’s Zoom or nothing!  We had to have an online AGM, which seemed to work and got the job done. 
Normally, I would report on the visits and holidays we have had but 2020 has seen everything cancelled, so there are no stories to tell about the lovely things we have seen and done.  Volunteering activities have also largely ceased.  John Craze and the team did manage to complete a Church Trail for the Hartley Wespall church before lockdown, but it has not been formally presented due to COVID-19.  A draft of another church has been prepared but will not be completed for some time.  So, in the absence of normal activities, it seems reasonable to say a bit about the running of the Society over this strange year.
We had to cancel the March lecture at short notice, which meant we did have to pay in full for it but I think it was the right thing to do to keep our members safe as the virus was taking hold.  Shortly after that, lockdown ensued and April, May and June were cancelled.  To be fair to lecturers and on the advice of the Head Office, we paid each of these £100.  We all want them to survive to better times and lecture to us again.
In July, we were able to get going on Zoom and Stella Lyons gave us a great lecture on the amazing Giotto  Scrovegni Chapel and in August, we enjoyed an extra from Monica Bohm-Duchen about Marc Chagall.  We have also had some Zoom Coffee Mornings, which I think those who joined, found enjoyable.  We have had some very encouraging feedback about the lectures and more people are now voting on them as well.
Our main concern is that the Society should survive and continue to thrive once normal life resumes.  It has been necessary to keep a very careful eye on the finances.  We expected to lose members because of COVID-19 and indeed this has happened.  Some members felt that as it was impossible to attend lectures for many months, it was not worth joining this year.  I fully expect there may be some who may still feel unsafe attending lectures, even next September.  We have lost income through this and through lack of guests, who usually provide us with a healthy sum.  The Zoom lectures cost the same as ‘in hall’ lectures, so you can see why we need to be cautious.
Perhaps we should have just mothballed the society, some have done so, but I think it has been better for our Society and our mental health, to try to keep something going!
I would like to give my thanks to Teresa Hook and Jane Farrow who have resigned from their posts; to Jane for helping organise fascinating Study Days for many years, which we have all enjoyed and to Teresa, for working to foster interest and enjoyment of art among children in the borough, through workshops and other activities.  Unfortunately, Margaret Fisher, a new committee member had to resign due to family issues.   We were sorry to lose her as she would have been an excellent Visits Secretary.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my Committee and the Tech Team for their hard work over the last months.  It seems that running a society during lockdown is much harder to work than in normal times.  They have spent hours on Zoom, training and thinking of how and what to offer members during COVID-19.  Support from the Tech Team has been invaluable in all this.  I am very thankful to everyone for their sustained and continuing efforts.
We do now have a Facebook page and a Twitter account so do have a look for news etc.  
Who knows what is in store for 2021!  I have no crystal ball, but I don’t think we will be back to lectures in the hall until April or May at the earliest.  For now, I would just like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
I do hope to see you all soon!
Best Wishes
Julia Townsend-Rose
Chairman
The Arts Society Basingstoke

The Four Walls That Changed Everything: Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel by Stella Grace Lyons
We hope you have enjoyed our ventures in using technology as a supportive tool during the last few weeks. It has taken us, your committee, along new paths of exploration in terms of how to deliver a programme which most of you can access. We were very pleased to welcome Stella Grace Lyons for our inaugural online lecture and she received several compliments. The attendance was good, almost as much as in the hall, and 34 of you reviewed the lecture and gave it a high score. Thank you.

The AGM
We originally anticipated being back in the hall by September and planned to postpone the AGM until then but that was not to be. We, therefore, had to research a viable method of delivery. In particular, Alison Granger, our Website Secretary, worked very hard with Kevin McCarthy, our website provider, to set up online voting. Thank you to them both. Many of you have expressed a view that the online voting was easy and also that you valued the opportunity to speak with a Committee Member on the telephone or in the Zoom Coffee Morning  but of course none of that is the same as an actual meeting. We thank you for your patience with the current situation and sincerely hope we shall be back to normal next year.

Voting was as follows:

Resolutions:
1. Approval of the AGM Minutes 10 July 2019  
    78 votes in favour and 2 abstentions
2. Approval of the accounts and appointment of the examiner
   77 votes in favour and 3 abstentions
3. Approval of the re-election of the Chairman
   79 votes in favour and 1 abstention
4. Approval of the re-election of the Secretary and Treasurer
   80 votes in favour  and 0 abstentions
5. Approval of the re-election of Committee Members with service of more than three years
    80 votes in favour and 0 abstentions
6. Approval of the election of new Committee Members and re-election of Committee Members with service of less than three years
  77 votes in favour and 3 abstentions.

This means that all the resolutions being carried, the Committee can continue to move forward and work with you to engage in next year's programme and charitable interests, either online or hopefully at some point soon in the Village Hall.

If you would like to become a Committee Member, please contact the Chairman either by email or by telephone. Contact details are on the website.

Next lecture:

We would like to remind you that we have added a  lecture to the programme and that this will take place on Wednesday 19th August at 10.45 via Zoom. The subject is Marc Chagall: Wandering Jew or Citizen of the World? by Monica Bohm-Duchen. A link will be sent out a couple of days before.


In the meantime enjoy the summer as best you can and please visit our website here for ideas, particularly in the Useful Links section, of things to do and see online. Also, Head Office has recorded some excellent  free lectures at this location https://www.connected.theartssociety.org/talks-lectures
Please do not hesitate to contact us via the website or by telephone - our numbers are on the reverse of the Membership Card.

The Arts Society Basingstoke  
Summer Newsletter August 2018

Dear Member
Sadly, it feels as if summer is already drawing to a close but hopefully we shall still have some fine weather to enjoy before winter sets in.
We have been treated to some excellent lectures and study days this season.   Members seem to have particularly praised the lectures on Ice Age Art, Mdina Glass and the final lecture of the year on Punch and Judy was a real treat!
I know that there are some really interesting lectures planned for the coming season, which I hope you will all be able to attend.
The holiday to Northumberland takes place in September; several members had requested a UK holiday and no doubt the visit to this beautiful county will be memorable.
You should by now have received your new programme card.  If you have not, please check that you have renewed. Any problems regarding renewing please contact the Membership Secretary Mrs Gill Jones, gilljones@me.com.

Young Arts
Teresa Hook organised a project in the Chineham library, at which several children created a sculpture of a monster.  They had a good time doing this, giving vent to their creative urges and of course, such events get them into the library, where they might discover books rather than their tablets and video games.

Heritage Volunteers and Discovery Trails
Our volunteers continue their good work. Maureen Ashworth and Therese David are still working through the silver at the Royal Green Jackets Museum and John Craze has been busy with Discovery Trails and hopes to complete one for Greywell Church.

Church Recording
The Church Record for St Leonard’s Church Sherfield-on-Loddon is complete and has been presented to the church.  This is a splendid document and can be seen at our lectures.  We all remain impressed at the amount of work that went into this.
Voting
I have been anxious to encourage the membership to vote after lectures.  This feedback is important for several reasons.  The quality of the lecturers is key.  The Arts Society monitor this all the time by means of the ratings and comments sent in by all societies after every lecture nationally.  In addition, at Area level, feedback forms and comments are exchanged regularly.  If a lecturer is found to be getting poor feedback he/she can be helped to improve the quality of content and delivery or could be dropped from the Directory. Voting is easy on our website; you can do it on your smartphone or computer and the password is loddon, all lower case.
 
Some good news: in future, you will be able to pay for visits and study days by card when you attend lectures. I am sure we shall all find this very useful.
Finally, I would like to thank my committee for all their work and welcome new committee members, Tessa Elphick and Anna Scott.  Also, I would like to say thank you to David Tivey, who served as Treasurer for four years and stood down at the AGM.
 
Meeting Protocol
Please remember:

• Sign in on arrival (This is important for fire regulations.)

• Be seated by 10.40
• Turn mobile phones off
• If you need to leave early, sit near the door at the right-hand side of the hall. Please do not use a Fire Exit.
• Park considerately (There are parking diagrams on the website, or ask a committee member for a copy.)
• May I remind you to keep the Membership Secretary, Mrs Gill Jones, updated with your email address.  It is also a good idea to enter info@theartssocietybasingstoke.org.uk into your email address book.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your continued friendship and support of our society.  I look forward to seeing you in September.
Best Wishes
Julia Townsend-Rose
Chairman, The Arts Society Basingstoke

Visit Northern Italy - May 2019

In May, 24 members visited 6 Italian cities in 6 days. It was a busy but varied tour and despite mixed weather, enjoyed by all. We sampled many local dishes - some not as popular as others - as well as the local wine.  The general feeling was that the local Lambrusco wine was vastly superior to anything available in the UK.  Our day in Verona included the Roman amphitheatre, Juliet's balcony (naturally), the Museo di Castelvecchio as well as the Giardino dei Guisti, a Renaissance garden set on the hillside above the River Adige. We stayed 2 nights in the centre of Vicenza which was charming particularly as most traffic was banned so we could enjoy strolling through the narrow streets and squares at leisure.  The visit to Palladio's Teatro Olimpico was very much a highlight of the holiday.  Mantua was a delight and we were astonished by the frescoes in the Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te. En route to Ferrara, our coach took the same route as all the Italian classic cars in the Mille Miglia car rally.  We gaily waved to all the spectators at the side of the road and they enthusiastically returned our greetings as our coach was overtaken by fabulous classic cars, driving in true Italian fashion - fast!  Meanwhile, the coach driver played CDs of Luciano Pavarotti's greatest hits (loudly) to entertain us on our journey.  Our hotel for the next 3 nights in Ferrara was immediately opposite the imposing medieval Este Castle. Not only did we visit the Castle but also the Palazzo dei Diamanti and its collection of Renaissance works of the Ferrara and Bologna schools.  Our day in Ravenna didn't disappoint - the mosaics have to be seen to be believed - no photograph could ever reflect their beauty. Our final day in Padua was wet but after an uplifting visit to Giotto's magnificent frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel,  our spirits were restored! Unfortunately, our flight home was delayed for about 6 hours which was a bore and meant that we didn't get home until 4 am the following morning.  However, a 3 figure cheque from Easyjet by way of compensation was a welcome surprise.

LECTURER: LUCIA GAHLIN

Lucia covered topics such as the architecture of ancient Egyptian temples, temple ritual, amulets, temple reliefs, painted tomb scenes, papyrus rolls, and their association with magic and religion.  She spoke of the representations of pharaohs, pharaoh as a god, mythology and belief in the afterlife together with its associated rituals.  We saw many wonderful slides covering myriad examples of these topics, and how Ancient Egyptians expressed their beliefs in art on the walls of the tombs.  

Read some of the Study day feedback below.

'Knowledgeable lecturer. Passionate about the subject. Approached complexities with clarity and had no trouble answering broader questions. 3 hours went quickly. Fascinating.'

'A very interesting and informative day's insight into a very complex and fascinating world. A well constructed and logical package enabling an introductory glimpse into what made the Egyptians 'tick'. Some wonderful and beautiful images and a very polished delivery by a very nice lady!'

The Arts Society Basingstoke  
Christmas Newsletter December 2018
                                           
Dear Member,
It seems extraordinary that we are already approaching Christmas; the year has flown past!
We have once again, enjoyed many interesting lectures and the society continues to thrive, thanks to the hard work of our committee.  Our membership has increased, and we have been able to reduce the waiting list.
Study Days
There have been two Study Days in 2018: the one on February 28thwas entitled, “Reading Pictures: Colour and Visual Illustrations”; this was entertaining and on an unusual subject: November’s was on “The Anatomy of Antiques, Great Collectors through History,” with Road Show regular Marc Allum, who recounted many stories relating to his experiences on the programme and I think we all enjoyed it. Our next Study Day is with Lucia Gahlin on, “The Art of Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh and the Gods,” which sounds fascinating.
Visits
We visited Tate Britain to see, “Impressionists in London, French Artists in Exile 1870 -1904” - a good exhibition with an excellent lecture beforehand.
A highlight for some of us was the holiday to St Petersburg.  The palaces and museums are truly stunning, and they were looking their glorious best with the brilliant sun, blue skies and a blanket of snow.
In May, a group visited Tate Modern to see, “Picasso 1932: Love Fame and Tragedy,” again a very successful visit.
The summer ended with a trip to Houghton Lodge, on a lovely sunny day; an attractive and unusual house surrounded by gardens, which members enjoyed exploring after the tour of the house.
Several of us were treated to a wonderful exhibition, of artworks by Edward Burne-Jones, at Tate Britain.  Many of the beautiful, romantic paintings are well known, but what most of us did not know was that he had designed some stunning tapestries as well.
Jane is working on a holiday to Northumberland in September, more details will be available in January.
Volunteering

1. Church recording

Pamela Darker is pleased to report that the Church Record of St Leonard’s Church has been approved and will be printed early in 2019. This has been a long and meticulous process and I would like to congratulate Pamela and her team on their hard work.
 

1. Trails of Discovery

The Trail of Discovery for St Nicholas’ Church, Newnham, has been placed in the Church and a presentation to the congregation there about The Arts Society and its Trails is planned. The Trail of Discovery for St Leonard’s Church, Sherfield-on-Loddon, is nearing completion and will be presented to the Church early in 2019.Many thanks to John Craze and his team.
 
 

1. Heritage Volunteers

Our volunteers, Maureen Ashworth and Therese David are still working with the silver at the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum. They are constantly amazed by the magnificence of the tea and coffee services, contrasting with tiny objects such as a small letter opener. They find the messages of friendship, loyalty and bravery that accompany these objects very moving. 
 

1. Young Arts

Teresa Hook, Young Arts, has been busy. Three art and craft days at Hobbycraft gave children a chance to spend a happy morning creating various pieces of work, including painted stones.  In August, workshops were oversubscribed for a chance to make a model of Peter Rabbit at the Discovery Centre.  Over October half term through our sponsorship, a further group spent time with Junk Jodie creating a tree from rubbish, at the Popley Fields Community Centre. The children really enjoyed all three days and there are photos on the website of these activities.
 
Voting
I have been anxious to encourage the membership to vote after lectures.  This feedback is important for several reasons.  The quality of the lecturers is key.  The Arts Society monitor this all the time by means of the ratings and comments sent in by all societies after every lecture nationally.  In addition, at Area level, feedback forms and comments are exchanged regularly.  If a lecturer is found to be getting poor feedback he/she can be helped to improve the quality of content and delivery or could be dropped from the Directory. Voting is easy on our website, you can do it on your smartphone or computer and the password is loddon, all lower case.
 
I wonder if you have seen an interesting article in the Autumn magazine? It is entitled One Precious Ring and is about a fourth-century ring, engraved with a curse, which is in the collection at the Vyne.  There is some curious history surrounding this ring; J.R.R. Tolkien was asked to comment on it as an expert on Anglo Saxon history, including its connection to a mine, fabled to have been dug by dwarves. A few days later he began to write his famous books.  The ring is not currently on display, but it is hoped that it will be soon.
Meeting Protocol
Please remember to:

• Sign in on arrival
• Be seated by 10.40
• Turn mobile phones off
• Sit near the door at the right-hand side of the hall if you need to leave early. Please do not use a Fire exit.
• Park considerately (there are parking diagrams on the website or ask a committee member for a copy).

May I also remind you to keep the Membership Secretary, Mrs Gill Jones, updated with your email address.  It is also a good idea to enter the info@theartssocietybasingstoke.org.uk address into your email address book.
Finally, I would like to thank the committee for their help over the year and thanks to all of you for your continued friendship and support of our society.  A very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas to you all. I look forward to seeing you at our future lectures.
Best Wishes
Julia Townsend-Rose
Chairman, The Arts Society Basingstoke

The Arts Society, Basingstoke

Summer Newsletter

                                    July 2018

Dear Member

Looking back over the last year there seems to have been a lot going on.

In October we celebrated our 25th year of what was Badfas.  Those present at that lecture were treated to Adam Busiakiewicz talking about and playing the lute and accompanying some lovely singing from mezzo-soprano Harriet Kirk.  We had a celebratory cake and sparkling wine.  The Mayor and Mayoress and June Robinson, National Chairman joined us and spoke about the society and its history.

In April there was a wonderful exhibition of art by our members at the Willis Museum.  There was some really excellent work on display and it all looked very professional, being properly hung and lit.  The opening was attended by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Maria Miller MP and Chris Esplin-Jones, Area Chairman.   Chris gave a very interesting speech about the history and future development of The Arts Society and its desire to widen and diversify the membership of societies.  He also spoke about the positive effects of art on mental health and those with disabilities.

We have some new committee members, I would like to welcome Gill Waller as Programme Secretary and Alison Granger as Website Secretary.  Gill Barlin, previous Website Secretary has taken on the role of Secretary.   Other committee members remain the same.  I am grateful to have an excellent committee who will keep our society running smoothly over the next year.

I know there are lots of interesting lectures planned for the upcoming season.  Details of these are in your programme card and on the website.  You will receive your new cards sometime next month.  There is also a lovely holiday to Northern Italy, again details on the website.  If you are interested deposits must be paid in August.

Volunteering. 

Young Arts

There are activities afoot for young people in the area over the summer, details have been sent out already and are on the website.

Church recording

The Church Record is in the final stages of completion.  Maurice Harvey, the CRAR, is now checking it and when he gives his approval, it will be finished.  There will be a few more stages of preparing it for printing and the different electronic archives but the team expect to present it to St Leonard's before the end of the year.

Meeting Protocol

Please remember:

• Sign in on arrival
• Be seated by 10.40
• Turn mobile phones off
• If you need to leave early sit near the door at the right-hand side of the hall. Please do not use a Fire exit.
• Park considerately (there are parking diagrams on the website or ask a committee member for a copy).

Could I encourage you all to vote on our lectures, it is easy, go to our website and the password is loddon.

I would like to wish you all have a very happy, healthy and peaceful summer, I look forward to seeing you all at our future lectures.

Julia Townsend-Rose

Chairman, The Arts Society Basingstoke

2018 Build Sculpture Event at the Discovery Centre

Volunteers are needed for an Arts Society Sponsored event at the Discovery Centre, Basingstoke on 1st August 2018. Please speak with Teresa Hook.

Help children create a range of favourite book characters including a large Peter Rabbit sculpture.

There are several sessions to choose from: 10.30am - 12noon: 1pm - 2.30pm: 2.45pm - 4.15pm

SUMMER BULLETIN

OVER AND OUT FOR SUMMER

Summer is upon us and with it the arrival of a new Arts Society Magazine. If you've read it from cover to cover and still want more, you can find new articles appearing on our website all the time! You may be interested to read an interview with Lee Miller's granddaughter about a new cookbook based on her grandmother's recipes. There's a Q&A with lecturer Dr Matt Lodder about tatooing's rich history, the curators of the new Frida Kahlo exhibit at the V&A highlight a few of their favourite pieces from the collection, and our Magazine Editor, Sue Herdman, has visited Mark Wallinger’s public artwork at Runnymede, pictured above.

If you've been on the website recently you may have noticed the new-look Members Area, which houses updated resources for Committee Members. We'll be adding to this over the summer months and all your familiar, go-to documents can still be
accessed here.

Please support fellow Societies and Areas by attending some of their wonderful, open to all anniversary events! Highlights include a series of talks and walks as part of the Great Exhibition of the North, a celebration event at Dartington Hall in Devon and a concert at Kings Place in London.

Don't forget to let us know about your Our True Gold events planned for the weekend of 22/23 September! You can fill out a form on our website here. Events range from Greater London Area's jubilee celebration at Bridewell Hall, comprising of three lectures and a music recital, to The Arts Society Painswick's exhibition, children's trail and craft workshop at Stroud's Museum in the Park.

As in previous years, to give everyone a break over the summer, the Bulletin will not be sent out during July or August, and will resume on a monthly basis from September. The staff at The Arts Society House will still be on hand to answer any queries you may have - but if we don't speak to you, have a lovely summer!

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MORE NEWS

The next Treasurers Training Day is on 5 July and will be led by Leslie Daniels (Financial Controller). There is still time for places to be booked on this. If you would like to attend please email finance@theartssociety.org

There have been changes in the Finance and Resources Team! Lee Walker left the organisation at the end of May to seek a new opportunity closer to his family. Lewis Merricks has joined us and is processing expenses and Gift Aid claims. He can be contacted on finance@theartssociety.org

Spot a lecturing star of the future! An invitation to attend the 'graduation ceremony' of this year’s Lecturing Academy - a training course offering opportunities for young people to develop and practise presentation skills - on 16 August in Birmingham when the participants will give presentations on an artwork of their choice. Learn more about the Academy here and book your free tickets below. Book tickets:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-arts-societys-lecturing-academy-presentations- tickets-45651497859

We are saddened to inform you that accredited lecturer Paul Harris has passed away after a short illness. Societies which had bookings with Mr Harris are advised to contact the Membership Department on 020 7430 0730.

We are in the very early stages of forming a new Society in Toronto. If you have any friends, relatives or contacts who would like to form part of a Steering Committee please get in touch! This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our first Society in Canada. Please email sarah@theartssociety.org or call 0203 2069330 for further details.

Membership Secretaries - contact membership@theartssociety.org to order your 2019 membership cards, stating your Society’s name, how many you need and where you’d like them sent. Concessions offered to Members on production of the card can be found on the offers pages of the magazine and in our monthly e-newsletter, which you can sign up tohere.

For enquiries please contact the membership team on 0207 430 0730 or email enquiries@theartssociety.org

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This event will take place within the Hobbycraft store in Basingstoke on the following date:

Saturday 4th August 10:30am - 12:30pm
 

Children and young people will have an opportunity to experience crafts, assisted by staff at the store. Event sponsored by ourselves.

APRIL BULLETIN

CURATED HIGHLIGHTS / STAR STUDENTS /
& ANNOUNCING THE WESTMINSTER ABBEY LINE-UP

We hope that you received the new-look monthly e-newsletter entitled Curated highlights from The Arts Society, which was sent out last week? If you haven't yet signed up, you can do so here. If you missed it, read it here!

The newsletter linked to three new articles on our website which expand on features in the spring magazine; watch our very special 50th anniversary cover being created by artist Sam Falconer; read an exclusive Q&A with post-punk artist Linder Sterling about her Chatsworth House residency; and discover treasures from our jazz exhibition Rhythm & Reaction with curator Catherine Tackley.

A number of Young Arts Coordinators recently attended the opening and awards ceremony of the Royal Society of British Artists' Star Students exhibition (pictured above), held at Mall Galleries in London. Societies put forward a total of 272 entries which were whittled down by the RBA to just 20 artworks by fantastic young artists. These were shown alongside works of professional artists at the RBA’s Annual Exhibition. Photos of the opening can be viewedhere.

We are now busy preparing for the upcoming anniversary service at Westminster Abbey and the AGM on 16th May. We are delighted to announce that the service will contain a reading by acclaimed actor and theatre director, Simon Callow and performances of new compositions by London based jazz troupe, Kansas Smitty's feat. Mike Garry,

and composer Matthew Sheeran.
Our AGM will take place just after the Westminster Abbey event, across the road at Central

Hall Westminster. Many of you have booked tickets already and we very much look forward1

to welcoming you. A few places still remain for both events - please click below to book. You may also like to attend some of the marvellous events and walking tours organised by the Greater London Area, taking place on 15th May.

Book Westminster Abbey, AGM & London events: http://theartssociety.org/agm-2018GDPR UPDATE

Assuming that the necessary Bill finishes its path through parliament the GDPR legislation will become law on 25 May 2018. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) which oversee this have been clear that all organisations will need to demonstrate that they are taking steps to be compliant with the legislation. Although fines have always been and will continue to be an act of last resort the ICO do have the power to impose these for deliberate or sustained non-compliance.

There has been a lot in the news recently about the questionable use of personal information which can leave us in no doubt as to where the ICO are seeking to shine a light with this legislation. It should not be seen as a barrier to organisations such as ourselves which are essentially communicating within a closed group of like-minded individuals in a "Membership" environment. It provides a useful opportunity for us to review our data and processes. In fact in many cases it has shown us to be ahead of the curve in how seriously we have always taken data protection.

Please find attached updated guidance around the legislation and its requirements. Also attached is a template (and a completed example) which you may find useful for auditing and documenting what data you hold.

GDPR update: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/59fac15a04a6b5144c6d222ad/files/505efa34- 7f13-4233-b1f3-4e7d244d6b31/GDPR_Update_April_2018.01.pdf

GDPR data audit template:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/59fac15a04a6b5144c6d222ad/files/26a65115-4aed-42bd-affb- eda51e22a2b0/GDPR_Data_Audit_Template.01.docx

GDPR data audit example:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/59fac15a04a6b5144c6d222ad/files/36530601-5f40-4d7d- 85b6-98ad07f19e12/GDPR_Data_Audit_Example.01.pdf

OTHER NEWS

A new Society in London - The Arts Society Victoria - is making progress and the steering committee are planning to hold their inaugural meeting on 6 November 2018. The committee are trying to fill the role of Treasurer and if you or anyone you know may be interested please contact James Wilkins, Membership Director at james@theartssociety.org

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The two steering committees of The Arts Society in Mallorca and Menorca are making good progress and hope to open in the autumn. If you or anyone you know would be interested in joining please email mallorca@theartssociety.org or membership@theartssociety.org

Has your committee had success with an innovative idea? Why not share your knowledge and help other Committees by writing a case study detailing your experience? Click below for details! https://gallery.mailchimp.com/59fac15a04a6b5144c6d222ad/files/9cb80eb7-4f99- 4bfb-92ef-d4fdcfa3149d/Contribute_a_Case_Study.pdf

A reminder to Chairmen that the candidate details and voting instructions for the 2018 Trustee elections can be found by following the link below. http://theartssociety.org/trustee- election-vote-2018

A reminder that our Chichester evening taster event is taking place on 10 May. Accredited Lecturer, Antony Penrose will give his popular lecture, The Boy Who Bit Picasso. If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending please click below or call 020 7430 0730 for more details. https://theartssociety.org/arts-news-features/taster-lecture-chichester

The Arts Society's 50th anniversary has made it onto the front cover of this week's (11th April issue) Country Life! Pick up a copy from your local newsagent, or click below to download a digital copy from their website. http://www.countrylife.co.uk/any-other- business/country-life-magazine-digital-edition-150148

For enquiries please contact the membership team on 0207 430 0730 or email enquiries@theartssociety.org

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The exhibition opened on 7th April 2018. The opening was attended by Rt Hon Maria Miller MP, Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress, Sean and Gwen Keating, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Area Chairman, Mr Christopher Esplin-Jones, and by the steering committee and artists and their friends. Our Chairman, Julia Townsend-Rose introduced the event and a very interesting speech about the society and its history was given by Chris Esplin-Jones. The Deputy Mayor also gave his thanks to the artists for their skill and to the Society fo mounting the exhibition.

The exhibition is open until May 12th and there is a visitors book available for signatures and comments.

Our Golden Exhibition celebrating 50 years of The Arts Society (Nadfas) is fast approaching. If you have not yet entered and would like to do so, please pick up an entry form at the next lecture or download one here.

If you are an admirer of art, it is not long until 7th April, when you will be able to admire the works of fellow members and associates from Basingstoke and area.

The Arts Society Basingstoke
Christmas Newsletter
                                                                                                   December 2017
 
Dear Member
Christmas is fast approaching, a busy time of year but I hope you will all get your Christmas shopping done and still be able to enjoy some peace and quiet!
It’s been a busy time for the Arts Society as well.  In October we celebrated 25 years of our Society.  We were treated to a splendid lecture by Adam Busiakiewicz who gave an interesting talk about the lute, which he played beautifully.  Adam was accompanied by a lovely soprano who sang some very pretty songs from the past. The Mayor and Mayoress of Basingstoke and the Arts Society National Chairman, June Robinson were also present.  We had some delicious cake and Prosecco to add to the celebrations.

Study Days
On 29th November, we enjoyed an interesting study day on Art Nouveau with Anthea Streeter.  I think we all learned a great deal about the lovely form of design.  The next Study Day is on February 28th, entitled “Reading Pictures: Colour and Visual Illusions. Are you visually literate?”  This sounds fascinating, rather out of the ordinary and I know will be an absorbing day.

Visits
There was an excellent visit to the American Museum in Bath.  The group who attended found this very informative and enjoyable.
 
Exhibition
In Spring 2018, we are planning an art exhibition in the Willis Museum, Basingstoke, at which we hope to display artworks by our talented members. This is to celebrate 50 years of The Arts Society.  I hope you will be able to visit the Willis to see what I am sure will be an exciting display.  Entry forms and further information will be available at lectures.

Volunteering
Church Recording
The Record for St Leonard’s Church is going very well.  The first drafts have been checked by experienced recorders and their suggestions and comments are being incorporated, together with researching even more details. They recently had a social event at the church for all the recorders and members of the church community to view the whole draft Record.  Pamela Darker thanked everyone for their contributions and support of this worthwhile and enjoyable project.  The Chairman of the PCC, Karen West, thanked the team for their work for the Church and is looking forward to seeing the finished document.
 
Heritage Volunteers 
Our volunteers, Maureen Ashworth and Therese David report that they are privileged to work in The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, and to handle lovely and sometimes very moving pieces of silver dedicated to friends and colleagues or given in memory of a loved family member.
The Museum has a wonderful display of military history - fascinating for all and children particularly enjoy the amazing Waterloo diorama.
Please do visit - some objects may have extra shine as a result of their polishing!
 
Young Arts
Teresa Hook, Young Arts, organised an exciting Young Artists Art competition in the Discovery Centre.  Some entries were of a very high standard.  There was also a ceramics taster day at Queen Mary’s College. Teresa is busy working on further events for next year.

Christmas Drinks
We would like to invite you all for a drink and some festive nibbles after the December lecture, I do hope you will be able to join us.
Finally, as always may I remind you to keep the Membership Secretary, Mrs Gill Jones, updated with your email address.  It is also a good idea to enter the info@badfas.org.uk address into your email address book.

Meeting Protocol
Please remember:

• Sign in on arrival
• Be seated by 10.40
• Turn off mobile phones
• If you need to leave early please sit near the door at the right-hand side of the hall. Please do not use a Fire exit.
• Park considerately (there are parking diagrams on the website or ask a committee member for a copy).

I would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you at our future lectures.

Julia Townsend-Rose
Chairman, The Arts Society Basingstoke
 

What a lovely trip we had to the American Museum in Bath. So nice to let someone else do the driving and arrive feeling rested.

After coffee and delicious cake in the onsite cafeteria, we split into two groups and were guided around the fascinating rooms of the museum, furnished according to the different eras of American history from the time of the settlers to the 1920s. Artefacts and indeed entire rooms have been transported across the ocean to be recreated authentically within this historic mansion set in the beautiful Somerset countryside.

It was fascinating to find out about the Shakers and to learn where phrases like 'behind the bar' and to be 'turned down' in marriage came from - do ask someone who went.

After a lovely lunch we were free to roam some of the grounds - the sun came out just at the right time - and to visit a number of exhibitions; tapestry; quilting and not to be missed, the exquisite fashions of the 1920s Jazz era and the music! Thank you Jane, our visits secretary, for organising this so well.

To see more photographs please visit our  gallery here.

The Arts Society, Basingstoke

Summer Newsletter

                                                                 August 2017

Dear Member

I do hope you will enjoy the forthcoming season,  which will be the 25th year of our society.  The Committee has arranged another interesting and informative year of lectures, Study Days and visits, including what I am sure will be a fascinating trip to St. Petersburg.

Study Days

Two interesting Study Days have been arranged.  On Wednesday 29th November we have Art Nouveau: Architecture and Design, with Anthea Streeter.  Tickets will be available at the September and October lectures.

In October, we will be celebrating 25 years of Badfas (now The Arts Society Basingstoke).  After the October lecture, I hope you will join us for a drink and anniversary cake.  The National Chairman and the Mayor of Basingstoke will be present.

In the spring 2018, we are planning an art exhibition in the Willis Museum, Basingstoke, at which we hope to display works by our talented members. This is to celebrate 50 years of The Arts Society.  I hope you will be able to visit the Willis to see what I am sure will be an exciting display.

Volunteering.

Our hard-working volunteers have done excellent work this year.  The Church Recorders have almost completed compilation of the contents and stonework in St Leonards Church, Sherfield on Loddon.    It is hoped that the whole project will be complete in time for a service to honour St Leonard in November.

John Craze and his team have started on a church trail for St Leonards and have completed trails for St Swithun Nately Scures  and St Nicholas Newnham.

Teresa Hook, Young Arts, organised an exciting Young Artists Art competition in the Discovery Centre.  Some entries were of a very high standard. There was also a ceramics taster training day at Queen Mary’s College.

The Heritage Volunteers are progressing well with the cleaning and identifying of the silver at the Royal Green Jackets (The Rifles) Museum.

Newsletters

Nadfas House, now known as Guilford St, sends a news bulletin, via email, every month to the committee.  They would like this news to be disseminated around the membership.  We will put these news letters on our website, www.badfas.org,uk, for you to read.

Finally, may I remind you that we will be mostly using electronic communication in future so please keep the Membership Secretary, Mrs Gill Jones, updated with your email address.  It is also a good idea to enter the info@badfas.org.uk address into your email address book.

Meeting Protocol

Please remember:

·      Sign in on arrival

·      Be seated by 10.40

·      Turn mobile phones off

·      If you need to leave early sit near the door at the right-hand side of the hall. Please do not use a Fire exit.

·      Park considerately (there are parking diagrams on the website or ask a committee member for a copy).

I hope you are having a lovely summer, I look forward to seeing you all in September.

Best wishes

Julia Townsend-Rose

Chairman, The Arts Society Basingstoke

Around 60 of us gathered at Basingstoke Golf Club on Wednesday 7th June 2017 to celebrate 25 years of our organisation, the Basingstoke Decorative and Fine Arts Society (BDFAS). 

As the Mottisfont Quartet played beautifully in the background, we partook of a glass of Prosecco, followed by a delightful afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones and cream and an assortment of delicious cakes. Chairman, Marilyn Wright (pictured left) gave a welcome speech and former chairman, Sue Marcheselli (second from left) described how the Basingstoke society was originally set up by a small group who used their influence with friends and relatives to build the society quickly to a membership of 200.  

Old photographs and folders of past events were available and memories stirred as we perused them.

It was a very enjoyable social occasion and a fitting celebration for this Silver Anniversary. 

Susanna, our guide in Dresden, showed us a cornucopia of artefacts and treasures beginning on the first day with the undamaged skyline which Canaletto had painted (our hotel was opposite).  Over the next four days our group saw a wide range of skilfully crafted objects from golden treasures collected during the Renaissance (Green Vault at Residenzschloss) and the skilled craftspeople of the Meissen factory, to an ingenious sewing machine made from bits of wood and a  bent safety pin at Colditz prison (to sew fake German uniforms and other clothes for potential escapees).  This rich experience of life and culture in and around Dresden and the warmth and friendliness of the other group members all helped me to enjoy my first Arts Society Basingstoke visit.  I couldn’t wait to sign up for St. Petersburg next year.

Gill Jones, Membership Secretary. 

                                                                                                                      December 2016                                                                                                          

Dear BDFAS Member

The 25th Anniversary year of BDFAS has started true to NADFAS’s excellent reputation, with members having enjoyed three high class lectures.

Jane organised her first BDFAS trip in October to Bletchley Park, which was extremely interesting to all. Several members had requested this visit and it was good to see so many of our male members enjoying the day. Thirty three members have booked to go to Dresden for five days in May 2017.   

The Study Day, ‘Signs and Symbols in Art’, was well attended. Unfortunately, Valerie Woodgate was unable to present all the lectures due to illness; however, her husband, Frank, also an experienced lecturer, was able to take over and completed a very successful day.

In January, Lynda and Hilary will be selling tickets for the February study day, ‘Your Country Needs You – Art and Design of the First World War’, by James Taylor. Jane will also be selling tickets for the next Society visit to Tate Britain for the David Hockney Exhibition.

The Young Arts activity, which created a model of the BFG in the summer, was a great success and very enjoyable for the volunteers. We will need several volunteers for the one day YAs Harry Potter activity in the February half term. If you are interested in being involved, please speak to Teresa Hook or one of the Committee members.

BDFAS has just started a Heritage Volunteering project at the Royal Green Jackets museum in Winchester and we will keep you informed on progress.

You will have read in the NADFAS Review that it is intended to rebrand the organisation and this initiative will include a new name. The legal name; however, will still be NADFAS. Extensive research and analysis have highlighted that after nearly 50 years since the inception of NADFAS, the current image does not reflect the organisation as it is today. The first class lectures and lecturers, and the activities will still be the mainstay of the organisation.  I will inform you of any changes as and when they occur.

In 2018, NADFAS celebrates its 50th Anniversary. We are currently gathering ideas to celebrate this occasion and are also liaising with other local Societies.

The Committee and I wish you a Very Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year.

Best wishes,

Marilyn Wright

Chairman BDFAS