Celebrating 250 Years Since Jane Austen's Birth

We are delighted to have secured  this date for 40 members to visit this historic house. Numbers are limited so early booking is advisable.

Member £31.00 + £2.60 booking fee click here to book

Coffee on arrival at 10:30 followed by tour of house. Sandwich box lunch at 1pm. Wander around the gardens after lunch.
Please car share where at all possible.

To read more about Chawton House click here

Booking is now open Sold Out - join the waiting list here

Time 2.30 pm 

£10.00 + £0.84 booking fee 

Getting there, self drive in groups where possible, parking is restricted. Use Sat Nav RG25 2RD

Gertrude Jekyll designed this important historic garden in 1908. John and Rosamund Wallinger bought this almost derelict property in 1984, what they did not realise was that underneath the jungle were the foundations of a very special garden, designed for a house belonging to Charles Holme, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement. The work on this garden's restoration has been an exciting and rewarding adventure of discovery. To read more about this stunning garden click here

This trip is fully booked.

Rolling hills, stunning views and a remarkable collection of largely unspoilt medieval and Renaissance towns and villages make Umbria one of the most compelling sites for the art lover to visit. In addition to the area’s natural beauty and architectural charm, Umbria boasts an impressive collection of frescos dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries and we aim to give an impression of how art and architecture developed over this period.

Our tour will be based in Perugia, a city dating back to the 4th century BC and a centre for artistic development throughout modern history. We will also visit numerous small towns and villages nearby, with highlights to include Orvieto, Assisi, Gubbio, Spoleto and Spello.

The Cost

£1550 per person sharing a twin or double room £150 single supplement.

Insurance is not included but bed and breakfast in a 4 Star hotel is, plus some meals and flights and transfers.

Photo: by Luca Vanzella. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

The trip is SOLD OUT but don't despair there is a waiting list. One person's disappointment may be another's good fortune:  already one person has had to drop out.

Although it is on our doorstep, many of us have never visited this important house.

We have secured a group visit to the House, grounds and Exhibition on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 from 10.15 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. There is space for only 40 of us and there will be no other visitors at that time. This is a self drive trip and it is important that we arrive by 10 a.m. so that the gates may be closed behind us. Please car share where possible.

Groups of 10 at a time will  be shown around the house. Each tour will last approximately one hour.  In addition to the House tour, there are timed talks on the Great Duke's funeral and his magnificent Funeral Car, housed in the Wellington Exhibition, which also charts his military and political life.

There are 2 options.

Option 1 costs £17.50 plus £ 1.47 booking fee. There will be light refreshments on arrival but lunch is not provided although you may wish to bring a picnic, which can only be eaten in the car park.

Option 2 costs £29.50 plus £ 2.48 booking fee.  It includes light refreshments on arrival and lunch from the Wellington Country Farm Shop. Please advise of allergies on booking.

Bookings can be made via TicketSource from the Home Page or by clicking here.

Photograph by Andrew Smith under CC BY-SA 2.0

The trip is SOLD OUT but don't despair there is a waiting list. One person's disappointment may be another's good fortune.

We have booked a trip to Their Majesties' gardens at Highgrove for May 1st. Whilst this date is confirmed, we do perhaps need to be aware that should the circumstances of His Majesty change, there may need to be a change to this date.

Highgrove is the private residence of Their Majesties The King Charles III and The Queen Camilla, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. Since 1980, when His Majesty The King first arrived at Highgrove, he has devoted much energy to transforming the gardens around the house, which are renowned as some of the most inspiring and innovative in the United Kingdom.

Visit their website by clicking here.

Photo credit: Englepip

ChapterHouse Theatre Company present

A CHRISTMAS CAROL based on the book by Charles Dickens

Chapterhouse Theatre Company return with their sell-out production of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens' beloved tale of hope and redemption.

With dazzling musical sequences and authentic period costuming, this adaptation promises to be the perfect accompaniment to the festive season guaranteed to melt the hearts of even the sternest of Scrooges.

Members can book tickets with our group can be booked here.

Currently in progress.

Are you looking for a UK based Arts Society Basingstoke holiday? This could be right up your street - Scotland in September!! See here for the Heritage Brochure.

Monday 25 - Friday 29 September 2023

Tour Price

£1,020 per person sharing a twin/double room £260 single room supplement

Please note that flights are not included in the tour price, nor is any amount included in respect of gratuities.

The trip includes 4 nights' bed and breakfast accommodation and  Dinner on the evening of arrival at:

Hotel Indigo (4*)
75 Waterloo Street Glasgow
G2 7DA

There will be 7 twin/double rooms and 12 rooms for sole occupancy made available for us.

Includes:

- Return UK airport transfers
- 4 nights' 4 star bed and breakfast accommodation
- Dinner in the hotel or a local restaurant on the evening of arrival - Lunch in the Mackintosh at the Willow Tea Rooms
- Light lunch at Dumfries House
- Light lunch in Ardgowan House
- Lunch at the Lodge on the Loch Hotel
- Services of a local guide for one half day in Glasgow
- Guided tour of House for an Art Lover (subject to availability)
- Introductory talk at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Grand tour of Dumfries House
- Private guided tour of Ardgowan House with the Laird
- All local coaching as per the itinerary
- All booking and entrance fees as per the itinerary
- VOX audio headsets

An exciting opportunity for members! If you are a member and are interested, please contact Heritage on 01225 466620 or heritage@grouptravel.co.uk for details.

We're delighted to announce that a visit by coach, to The RSC Stratford-upon -Avon for a matinee performance of 'As You Like It' is now open for booking.

Cost - includes travel by coach and theatre ticket - £65.00 + £5.46 booking fee

Coach - 9.30am Meet outside 'The Four Horseshoes Pub', Sherfield-on-Loddon

Lunch - Organise your own lunch in Stratford-upon-Avon

Theatre - Matinee perfomance begins at 1.15pm

Coach return - 4.00pm, arrival back in Sherfield-on-Loddon approx 6.00pm 

A flyer with additional details can be found by clicking here.

All tickets are now SOLD

There is an opportunity to join the coach for a day trip to Stratford -upon- Avon for £15 plus £1.26 booking fee, to reserve your seat  via Ticket source here

Performance begins at 7:45pm

Tickets £31.00 + £2.60 booking fee click here to book  Additional information here

Please note members must make their own way to the Anvil.

CPE Bach Symphony in F

Mozart Symphony no 34
JC Bach Sinfonia concertante for violin and cello
CPE Bach Symphony in B minor
Mozart Music from Don Giovanni
Gluck Dance of the Furies

Performers and Cast
Mary Bevan soprano
Dominic Sedgwick baritone
Luise Buchberger cello
Kati Debretzeni violin/director
The composers featured in this programme left home to find their own voices.

CPE Bach was a restless innovator in the merging symphony form and solo concertos. 
JC Bach ran fashionable subscription concerts in London from the mid-1760s, which often featured his charming sinfonia concertantes. As well as one of Mozart's most successful symphonies, take the opportunity to hear music from the OAE in Don Giovanni ahead of its performance at Glyndebourne.

Please note that the price includes tickets only.  Members will be required to find their own way to the venue.

Booking here

Terence & Jane Lyons have very kindly invited us to a private visit of their beautiful garden at Weirs Barn. Their garden was designed by the Scottish Arts and Crafts architect and keen gardener, Robert Weir Schultz, it has been thoughtfully renovated and maintained by Terence & Jane over the last 30 years.
Upon arrival Terence will give our group an introduction to this beautiful garden. The whole garden can be seen without having to access steps.
Cost: Donation to The Friends of St Michael's Hospice, minimum £10
Travel: Own transport, good parking available but please car share where possible.
Refreshments: Tea & cake provided by the hosts.

 £37.94 (including booking fee of £2.94) Payment can be made by clicking here

In response to the the recent lecture by Alexandra Epps, a trip has been arranged to view the treasures of Coventry Cathedral. 

Further details and itinerary of the day can be found by clicking here

Photo of Coventry Catheddral taken by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

Together with Heritage Group Travel, we are pleased to offer a five day tour of Vienna to our membership.

Vienna, the former capital of the immense Hapsburg Empire straddling east and west, is blessed with an astonishingly diverse cultural heritage. The buildings of the city centre showcase Baroque architecture at its finest; its musical heritage is unparalleled in the West; the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Upper Belvedere, house some of the world's finest paintings, whilst the Secession has given Austria's capital a fascinating twist.

Printed brochures will be available at the September lecture but copies can be downloaded by clicking here.

Copies can also be obtained directly from Heritage Group Travel – Emily@grouptravel.co.uk – 01225 466 620

The tour price is:

£1,495 per person sharing a twin/double room

£ 275 supplement for a double room for sole occupancy

£ 165 supplement for a single room

Deposits of £500 are due no later than Thursday, 30th September

The tour price includes return UK coach transfers; return British Airways flights; Airport tax; 4 nights bed and breakfast accommodation in Vienna; a welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant; lunch in a local restaurant on the final day; coach transfer in Vienna as per itinerary; 72-hour public transport ticket; services of a local specialist guide for all visits; entrance fees as per itinerary and VOX audio guides.

COVID

Please be assured that should Covid restrictions prevent the tour from materialising, all monies will be refunded in full. The tour will not operate should restrictions require travellers to quarantine. Travel insurance, however, will be required to cover any cancellations should individuals catch Covid themselves or not be able to join due to other medical or personal circumstances.

Whilst the main purpose of the tour is enjoyment, members should be aware that they are by no means relaxing! A packed timetable is arranged for every day, which can be quite demanding. We are concerned that all who go, are safe and have a happy time. Although we will be using coaches for any travel out of the city centre, travel within the city, will be on foot or by Tram. Any problems with mobility will impair enjoyment and inevitably affect the whole group.

The Visits Secretary would be very happy to discuss, advise, and help with any concerns regarding this forthcoming visit. Email: jjchcoulson@googlemail.com or tasb.visits@gmail.com

Ticket Prices: Membership Household £8 (£7.38 plus £0.62 booking fee) click here to book

Guest Household £9.99 (£9.22 plus £0.77 booking fee) click here to book

Due to popular demand, we invite you to another virtual visit given by Stuart Harvey.  This time he will be following British visitors to Rome down the centuries, starting with the captured King Caractacus of the Catuvellauni, but mostly focusing on the aristocrats, artists and writers of the Grand Tour in the 18th/19th centuries.

Stuart Harvey is a private freelance Tourist Guide of Rome and the Vatican, fully qualified by the Provincia di Roma.  He was a London Blue Badge Guide before moving to Rome 20 years ago.

Ticket Prices: Membership Household £8 (£7.38 plus £0.62 booking fee) click here to book

Guest Household £9.99 (£9.22 plus £0.77 booking fee) click here to book

Once again, you are invited to join Stuart Harvey for another virtual visit, on this occasion to the Borghese Gallery, Rome.

The Borghese Gallery houses one of the greatest collections of art in the world. In the early 1600's Cardinal Scipio Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V, amassed an incredible number of ancient sculptures and renaissance art, including works by Titian, Botticelli, and Raphael. He added to these works by commissioning statues from Bernini, buying up works by Caravaggio and other contemporary artists of the day. The collection also boasts later artworks acquired by the Borghese family, all gathered together in a magnificent building designed for Cardinal Scipio to house his collection.

Stuart Harvey is a private freelance Tourist Guide of Rome and the Vatican, fully qualified by the Provincia di Roma.  He was a London Blue Badge Guide before moving to Rome 20 years ago.

Booking via TicketSource Click Here 

Member price per *household £8 (£7.38 + 0.62 booking fee) *up to 4 people

Guest price per *household £9.99 (£9.22 + 0.77 booking fee) *up to 4 people

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 com 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.

Guest Booking Click Here

The Chairman and Committee would like to thank all the members for their patience and support during this difficult year. As a token of our appreciation, you are invited to join us on a private virtual tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. This will take place on Thursday 6th May in the EVENING  starting at 7.30pm until 9.00pm.  Nearer the time, you will receive an email with the invitation link. Guests may join us at a cost of £7.50.

The purpose of this presentation is to re-create the feeling of actually taking a tour through the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, moving from area to area as we would if we were there with Stuart Harvey as our guide rather than it being a more standard lecture format.  The tour will last for 90 minutes (with a short intermission) and is live-guided over a presentation of Stuart's own video clips, photographs together with many historial maps, photos and other images to add depth to the tour.  Stuart was able to film earlier this year when Rome was not in full lockdown but bereft of tourists.  A huge advantage for us viewers when access to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel normally involves huge, noisy crowds and long queues!  There will be a chance to ask Stuart questions after the tour.

Stuart Harvey is a private freelance Tourist Guide of Rome and the Vatican, fully qualified by the Provincia di Roma.  He was a London Blue Badge Guide before moving to Rome 20 years ago.

Photograph: The Sistine Hall of the Vatican Library - credit Michal Osmenda

Unfortunately, all holidays and visits can no longer go ahead due to restrictions related to COVID-19. Just as soon as new arrangements can be made we will let everyone know our plans.  

The Golden Age in Holland witnessed a period of enormous prosperity, during a time when the Dutch Empire spanned the globe. Dutch Art also flourished during this time, with painters such as Frans Hals, van Ruisdael, Jan Steen, Vermeer and Rembrandt at the peak of their prowess. The works produced by these masters are best appreciated in the cities where they worked, in the galleries which boast the finest examples of the genre, against backdrops which have changed little in the intervening years. Our tour encompasses the great cultural achievements of the age, as well as highlighting major works from the more recent past. 

We will be staying in The Hague, the home of the court and a centre of diplomatic and political life, rather than a commercial centre. It retains an 18th and 19th-century air of dignity and elegance with broad streets and avenues along which many royal and other fine residences are located. From our comfortable base in The Park Hotel in the heart of The Hague, we will enjoy not only a series of visits within the city itself, to include the Mauritshuis and its supreme collection of Dutch Masters, but also we will visit the historic cities of Haarlem, Delft and Leiden.

Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665

Image courtesy of Mauritshuis

For further information about this holiday click here

Unfortunately, this visit has now been cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, it is proposed that all being well a new date will be arranged for 2021.

Unfortunately, this visit has now been cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, it is proposed that all being well a new date will be arranged for 2021.

Image by David Stowell

This visit has been CANCELLED. It is hoped that a new date will be arranged for 2021

A wonderful opportunity to visit this magnificent garden.

Tickets will be on sale at the March Lecture

The cost will be £55 to include lunch, coach and a two hour guided tour.

Availability

Please note that just 52 tickets have been reserved by Highgrove for our Society. As this trip is likely to be a sellout please arrive early to purchase your ticket. You will also be asked to select your choice of lunch at the time of booking. Tickets will be sold on a strictly first-come-first-served basis with full members having priority, however, any non-member wishing to go may be placed on a waiting list. If any tickets are unsold these will then be allocated to non-members, which will reflect their position on the waiting list.

What documentation do I need to bring with me on the day? 

Security

All visitors must have a pre-booked ticket for entry onto the estate as well as photographic identification, ideally a passport, driving licence or bus pass. Alternatively, two utility bills under your name will be accepted.

Forbidden Items

No photography is permitted at Highgrove Royal Gardens. The use of mobile phones, cameras, binoculars and all forms of recording equipment is prohibited on the Highgrove Estate. These items must be left on the coach.

Umbrellas

Visitors are asked not to bring umbrellas but to wear hats or hooded jackets/ coats should it rain.

This exhibition was rated 1 out of the 5 things to do this Autumn in the Arts Society Magazine.  

William Blake was an unlikely kind of genius; the son of a Soho hosier, born in 1757, he had visions of angels in Peckham, lived in poverty for much of his life and fell out with almost everyone who tried to help him. His written works include Jerusalem and The Tyger but, as this exhibition over six rooms proves, he was a visual artist of hallucinatory power whose work could look like the apocalypse as scripted by Mary Shelley.

Important Information

MEMBERS WILL NEED TO TRAVEL TO TATE BRITAIN INDEPENDENTLY  

NO COACH for this Visit

Ticket includes 

Lecture and Entrance to the Exhibition Only

TICKET PRICE

Arts Society member   £28.00          Art Fund member   £20.50          Tate Member   £12.00  

Tour highlights to include:

KEDLESTON HALL 

This classical mansion was built in 1759-65 for the Curzon family. Robert Adam designed the interior and his hand is evident in virtually every detail of decoration in the breathtaking staterooms. 

ALNWICK CASTLE AND GARDENS

This is the main seat of the Duke of Northumberland whose family, the Percys, have lived here since 1309. Surrounded by ‘Capability’ Brown landscape, the medieval castle is furnished in Renaissance style with paintings by Titian, Van Dyck and Canaletto, fine furniture and a collection of china. We will enjoy a guided visit of the State Rooms in the morning, followed by a guided tour of the garden in the afternoon. 

HOLY ISLAND OF LINDISFARNE 

Our first visit on the island will be to Lindisfarne Castle. Built in 1550 to protect Holy Island harbour from attack, it was restored and converted into a private house by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1903. We will also visit the Priory ruins, the site of one of the most important early centres of Christianity in Anglo Saxon England. 

BAMBURGH CASTLE 

Considered to be one of the most important buildings of Britain’s national heritage, Bamburgh Castle has a good collection of armour to include the ‘loan collections’ of armour from HM Tower of London. Other exhibits include porcelain, china, furniture from various periods, oils and watercolours. The castle also affords stunning views over Holy Island and the Farne Islands. 

WARKWORTH CASTLE 

Still roofed and almost complete, the uniquely-planned keep dates mainly from the end of the 14th century. It presides over the extensive remains of a great hall, chapel, fine gatehouse and a virtually intact circuit of towered walls. 

CRAGSIDE HOUSE AND GARDENS 

Set in a 1,000 acre estate, the house was built for the 19th century innovator the first Lord Armstrong and became one of the most modern houses for its time with hot and cold running water, central heating, telephones, a Turkish bath suite and a passenger lift. It was also the first house to be lit by hydro-electricity. 

WALLINGTON 

A magnificent National Trust property dating from 1688. The house contains rococo plasterwork, fine ceramics and a collection of dolls houses. There is a beautiful walled garden and an Edwardian conservatory. 

DURHAM 

Our visit to Durham will include a walking tour of the city, followed by a visit to the Cathedral, which owes its existence to St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. He now lies in his final resting place, under a plain marble slab behind the high altar. 

TOUR PRICE 

£750 per person sharing a twin/double room 

£180 single room supplement

PRICE INCLUDES: 

Executive coach travel throughout, 4 nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at the 4 star Linden Hall Hotel in Morpeth, services of a Blue Badge guide for one full day and one half day, guided tour of Alnwick Castle with a resident guide, guided tour of Alnwick Garden with a resident guide, and all entrance charges as per the itinerary (excluding National Trust properties).

A full brochure and booking form will be available at the January lecture. 

Deposits will be due by Wednesday 27 February 2019. 

One of the top twenty in Simon Jenkins's book 'England's Thousand Best Houses', Parham House is idyllically set in the heart of an ancient deer park below the South Downs.  The Elizabethan house contains an important collection of needlework, paintings and furniture.  The spectacular Long Gallery is the third longest in England. The gardens include a four-acre Walled Garden with stunning herbaceous borders.  Parham has always been a well-loved family home and only 3 families have lived there since its foundation stone was laid in 1577.  

The website is www.parhaminsussex.co.uk

A visit to the Treasures of Northern Italy trip, with Heritage Travel, will take place 13th - 18th May 2019.

We will visit Ravenna, Mantua, Ferrara, Vicenza, Verona and Padua.

The tour price is £1325 but excludes air fares.

Return coach fares from the airport are included and 2 nights' 4* accommodation in Vicenza, 3 nights' 4* accommodation Ferrara, daily breakfast, 2 dinners in hotel restaurants and a final dinner in a local restaurant in Ferrara, local English speaking guides and a tour escort throughout.

All coach transport and entrance fees and portage are also included.

Brochure and booking form will be available at the June meeting.

Deposits due 31st August. There is a £250 single room supplement.

Please see the flyers or speak to Jane Coulson for further information.

Visit: Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest residential Roman building discovered in Britain. Built as early as 75AD, only thirty years after the Roman invasion, it has many wonderful mosaic floors. Much of the palace has been excavated and preserved and there is an on-site museum and outside formal gardens. Click here to see more.

Then visit Pallant House Gallery in Chichester where a number of important collections are held including Dean Walter Hussey' collection of works by Henry Moore, John Piper, Ceri Richards, Graham Sutherland among many other works and collections. Click here to see.

The cost is £45, tickets will be sold at the February and March lectures. Please note that this visit is limited to 35 people.

Photograph by Sally Payne, displayed under creative commons licence.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

PRIVATE VIEW OF THE LOST TREASURES OF STRAWBERRY HILL HOUSE SOLD OUT

WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2019

This is a once in a life time opportunity to see the contents of Strawberry Hill House as they were in Walpole's time.  Curators Dr Silvia Davoli and Michael Snodin have undertaken a major treasure hunt for Walpole's collection which has led to the discovery of over 150 objects found in public museums and in private collections around the world.  These include paintings by Reynolds, Lely, Van Dyck together with miniatures by Hilliard and Holbein as well as unusual items such as a lock of Mary Tudor's hair.  Horace Walpole left a detailed catalogue of his treasures so that the loans can be reinstated in their original settings.

The two curators will be giving the members a private guided tour of the exhibition which will last approximately 90 minutes. This will be followed by lunch and the journey home.

Tickets £45 these will be sold ONLY at the November and December lecturers. 

Please contact Jane Coulson 01256 850 497 for further information/enquiries

Visit to: Tate Britain to see the Edward Burne-Jones exhibition on Thursday 8th November. 

The visit will include transport by coach, a lecture, lunch and tickets to the exhibition.

'One of the last Pre-Raphaelites, Edward Burne-Jones brought imaginary worlds to life in awe-inspiring paintings, stained glass windows and tapestries.This exhibition - his first solo show at Tate since 1933 - charts Burne-Jones's rise from an outsider with little formal art training to one of the most influential British artists of the late 19th century. With over 150 objects, it will bring together major works from across his career for the first time in generations.'

Tickets will be on sale at the September and October meeting and will cost: 
£56.00 Art Society member
£49.10 Art Society member with Art Fund
£40.60 Art Society member with Tate membership

Any enquiries, please contact the visits secretary - Jane Coulson 01256 850 497

Image above: 'Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Bt Sidonia von Bork 1560 1860 Tate Bequeathed by W Graham Robertson 1948'

Houghton Lodge Gardens

"Houghton Lodge Gardens has been described by recent visitors as ‘the jewel of the Test Valley’, and ‘A Stately Pleasure-Dome on the most romantic river in England’. It has been the home of the Busk family for more than a century, and still is. Some people visit Houghton for its architecture, some for its literary connections and some for its gardens; but everyone leaves with a sense of its ageless tranquillity and special magic. It is little wonder that Country Life readers voted it in such numbers for their search for ‘England’s Favourite Country House’." from the official website.

Our visit will take place 6th June and include a tour of the house and a talk from the head gardener as well as lunch. 

"The first ever solo Pablo Picasso exhibition at Tate Modern. It will bring you face to face with more than 100 paintings, sculptures and drawings, mixed with family photographs and rare glimpses into his life.

Three of his extraordinary paintings featuring his lover Marie-Thérèse Walter are shown together for the first time since they were created over a period of just five days in March 1932.

The myths around Picasso will be stripped away to reveal the man and the artist in his full complexity and richness. You will see him as never before.

Curated by Achim Borchardt-Hume, Director of Exhibitions with Nancy Ireson, Curator, International Art, Laura Bruni and Juliette Rizzi, Assistant Curators, Tate Modern.

The exhibition is organised by Tate Modern in collaboration with Musée national Picasso-Paris." ref:

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/ey-exhibition-picasso-1932-love-fame-tragedy

Cost £55 for Arts Society Members £50.40 for members of the OAP Art Fund. The cost inlcudes tea/ coffee on arrival, a lecture by Ben Street, buffet lunch and timed tickets to the exhibition. Please see the visits secretary at the next lecture to book your ticket. ( Dietary requirements must be stated at the time of booking.)

Monday 5th -  Saturday 10th March 2018

Visit St Petersburg - the "Venice of the North" with its majestic architecture, vast boulevards, avenues and squares.

Take in museums including the Hermitage and Fabergé museums and the grand palaces of the city and the great Cathedral. 

A full brochure will be available from May 2017.

Image of: Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood - Церковь Спаса на Крови

This exhibition presents captivating works by Monet, Tissot, Pissaro and their compatriots.

In the 1870's, France was devastated by the Franco-Prussian war and insurrection in Paris, driving artists to seek refuge across the Channel.  Their experiences in London and the friendships that developed not only influenced their own work but also contributed to the British art scene.

This is the first exhibition to map the connections between French and British artists, patrons and art dealers during a traumatic period in French history.  Highlighting their engagement with British culture, traditions, and social life, their art is a fascinating insight into how London was perceived by the visiting French artists and the remarkable works that came from their time here are not be missed.

COST includes tea/coffee on arrival, lecture, buffet lunch and timed tickets to the exhibition

Arts Society member         £55

Art Fund                         £48.80

OAP Art Fund                   £47.90

Friend of Tate                  £40.40

VISIT TO THE AMERICAN MUSEUM BATH - WEDNESDAY 4TH OCTOBER - £30

The Society is organising a trip to the American Museum, Claverton Manor, Bath.  This museum is housed in a Georgian manor house a few miles outside Bath and is the only museum of Americana outside the US.  It was founded to bring American history and culture to Europe taking its visitors on a journey through the history of America from its early settlers to the 20th century, displaying American period furniture, quilts and textiles, folk and decorative arts.  The house has extensive gardens and also a special exhibition on the 1920's Jazz Age.  The cost is £30 and includes a guided tour of the period rooms and free access to all the exhibitions. There is a cafe where visitors can buy lunch, coffee/tea.  The coach will collect members at the White Hart, Sherfield-on-Loddon and leave PROMPTLY at 8.30am.

Click here for a link to the American Museum website.

Members should book their ticket at the next lecture on Wednesday 20th September.  Alternatively they can send a stamped addressed envelope with a cheque for £30 payable to 'The Arts Society, Basingstoke' Jane. Enquires through the website.

PHOTO COURTESY:wherefivevalleysmeet.blogspot.co.uk

The Bombay Sapphire Distillery at historic Laverstoke Mill  opened its doors in 2014. A visit covers the craftsmanship, heritage and beauty infused into every drop of Bombay Sapphire gin, in the heart of Hampshire. 

Unfortunately this visit had to be cancelled due to lack of uptake.

25th Anniversary of the founding of Basingstoke Decorative and Fine Arts Society with a celebratory Tea at Basingstoke Golf Club

Dresden, Pillnitz, Colditz Castle and Meissen and more...

A full brochure available at September 2016 Lecture and deposits payable by 28 October 2016.

See Documents page for Itinerary.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see these unforgettable works together. 

This is the world's most extensive retrospective of the works of David Hockney, one of Britain's greatest living artists.  As David Hockey approaches his 80th birthday, he continues to change his style and ways of working embracing new technologies as he goes. From his portraits and images of  Los Angeles swimming pools, through to his drawings and photography, Yorkshire landscapes and most recent paintings - some of which have never be seen before in public - this exhibition shows how the roots of each new direction lay in the work that came before.  

Following the presentation at the Tate, the exhibition will tour to the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Step inside Bletchley Park, the home of WW2 Codebreaking.

Experience Hut 12, The Mansion, Turing Welchman Bombe Huts, Codebreaking Huts and Engima Machines

There are nearly 1,000 years of history at this great castle, situated in magnificent grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel. The oldest feature is the motte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet high from the dry moat, and constructed in 1068: followed by the gatehouse in 1070. Under his will, King Henry I (1068-1135) settled the Castle and lands in dower on his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain. Three years after his death she married William d'Albini II, who built the stone shell keep on the motte. King Henry II (1133-89), who built much of the oldest part of the stone Castle, in 1155 confirmed William d'Albini II as Earl of Arundel, with the Honour and Castle of Arundel.

A fascinating trip to Madrid which includes The Prado Museum, a walking tour of the Old Town and the Royal Palace, and the Sorolla Museum.

The day in Toledo includes the Cathedral, the Monastery of Juan de los Reyes and the Synagogue El Transito.

Back in Madrid on the last full day there are more Art Galleries to visit and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

A visit to Oxford to link in with the forthcoming Lecture on Ancient Egyptian Treasures held at the Ashmolean Museum by Lucia Gahlin on 20th April 2016

The visit includes a talk "A Prince, a Duke and an Emperor". The talk takes place in The Winchester Tower with tea and coffee.  

We then follow a trail with many items connected with Waterloo on display.

Loseley House and grounds including a Cream Tea

Visit to Hampton Court Palace which celebrates 500 years in 2015. There are 20 places for an additional tour of The Royal School of Needlework

Visit Dulwich Picture Gallery plus an opportunity to see the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill which specialises in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments.

Art and Architecture in Lisbon and Sintra

The Wallace Collection displays the wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Sir Richard's widow, Lady Wallace, in 1897. Displayed at Hertford House, one of the family's London properties in the nineteenth century, the Wallace Collection presents its outstanding collections in a sumptuous but approachable manner which is an essential part of its charm.

This National Trust house was built in 1790 and was extensively remodelled by different owners then rebuilt and furnished after a fire in 1960 by its last owner Ralph Dutton. The beautiful gardens comprising lawns, sculptured topiary and borders overlooking the South Downs.

This tour will provide the opportunity to visit some of Britain's finest stately homes in Derbyshire and on the routes to and from Hampshire. The tour will include visits to Burghley House, Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall (private guided tour), Hardwick Hall and Boughton House (private guided tour).

APSLEY HOUSE is one of the grandest Georgian buildings in the metropolis and is a stunning family attraction. Situated to the south-east of Hyde Park Corner, Robert Adam's brick Apsley House was constructed between 1771 and 1778 as the seat of the Baron Apsley, Earl of Bathurst. (The image is of the interior) www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/apsley-house WHITE LODGE BALLET SCHOOL White Lodge is a Georgian house situated in Richmond Park, on the south-western outskirts of London. Formerly a royal residence, it now houses the Royal Ballet School, instructing students 11-16. www.royalballetschool.co.uk

BATSFORD ARBORETUM Home to the largest private collection of trees and plants. SEZINCOTE HOUSE Sezincote House is a unique and extraordinary Indian house in the Cotswold hills. The architecture is in the Moghul style of Rajasthan with a central dome, minarets and peacock tail windows, jail work railings and pavilions. A curving Orangery frames the Persian Garden of Paradise with its fountains and canals. The house is set within a romantic water garden. With pools, waterfalls, a grotto and a temple to the Hindu Sun God. Sezincote was built in 1810 by Charles Cockerell who had worked in India, assisted by his architect brother, Samuel Pepys Cockerell, Thomas Daniell, the painter of Indian architectural scenery and landscape designer Repton. Sezincote was the inspiration for the Brighton Pavilion. www.sezincote.co.uk

Starting with a city tour with a guide and a canal boat cruise, this four day visit will include visits to the recently restored Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum and a full day visit to the Royal Palace of Het Loo and the Kroller-Muller museum and sculpture park. www.rijksmuseum.nl/en

HOGARTH HOUSE William Hogarth bought this house in Chiswick as a country refuge for his family away from his other home in Leicester Square. The displays in the house tell the story of his life and works including many of his prints SYON PARK Home to the Dukes of Northumberland for 400 years. Syon House is the last surviving ducal residence complete with its country estate in Greater London. Look round the Duke of Northumberland's London home, view the magnificent State and Private Apartments and enjoy the spectacular Great Conservatory and 40 acres of gardens. (Image is of the Ante room)

Image: Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Hermine Gallia, 1904 ©The National Gallery, London www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/vienna

A fine Victorian country house created by one of England's richest commoners, William Gibbs, who built his fortune on fertiliser. Spiralling turrets and pinnacles adorn the roof, ornate stone carvings and church-like windows complete the Gothic look, giving the feel of a mysterious, fairy tale mansion. Beyond the grandeur that visitors of the Gibbs family would have seen, you will also discover a family home and the evidence of their changing fortunes. Terraced lawns give way to spacious parkland filled with hundreds of trees collected by the family, and a glorious walled kitchen garden beyond. The rolling Somerset hills in the distance create an atmospheric backdrop at any time of the year. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield

Despite a late start, due to a delayed coach, the day was a great success.