An active and friendly group of artists who meet weekly at the Flavel on the second Monday of the month at 14:30, from October to June inclusive.
Number of members: 134
How the club works….
The Arts Society Dartmouth and Kingswear offers people the opportunity to listen to experts in their field on a monthly basis. They hold various lectures on topics such as paintings, sculpture, architecture and all types of design from furniture to gardens and crafts. They recently had an illustrated talk on the history of the harp, which was very well received. The lecturers themselves undergo a stringent vetting process! Many have connections with universities, galleries and auction houses around the world.
What they get up to outside of the lecture hall…
Members undertake a number of community projects. These include church recording - describing and cataloguing all the internal features and contents of a church including textiles, woodwork, silver and windows to produce a comprehensive final document, which is kept by Historic England and the V&A.
Their church trails in St Saviours and St Petrox guide children and adults around key items in the church and are proving very popular. They have also developed a memory trail for people with memory deterioration.
Young people…
The society supports young arts and, at present, is sponsoring a book by primary school children about families who travelled to the New World on the Mayflower. This will be published for next year’s 400-year celebration.
Not just for art lovers...
While the lectures are focused on art in the broadest sense they are also of historical and biographical interest. A recent lecture on Persia attracted a number of visitors who enjoyed a lecture which delved into history, architecture, art, politics and religion. There is also a social element – they have tea after the lectures with a chance to chat and there are also lunches and social occasions. Some members are good artists, sculptors and jewellery makers, but the society is not there to teach skills, it is there to inform and enthuse people in the arts.
Examples of lectures gone by…
Andrew Davies: Lest We Forget: the moving story of Britain’s War Memorials - Britain has over 60,000 war memorials each with its own sad and emotional story. They represent our largest collection of public art.
David Phillips: Adventures and Misadventures in Museums - What do museum curators actually do all day? We relive some highs and lows from thrilling acquisitions to being a suspect in a major art fraud.
Still to come…
Geri Parlby: This won’t hurt!
Medicine in art throughout the ages - For over 5000 years the mysteries of medicine have inspired artists around the world. This lecture looks at some bizarre and amusing depictions of medicine in art.
Sarah Cove: Fakes and Fortunes - People sometimes think they have found an unknown Constable in the attic. Some have, some have not. Sarah tells of extraordinary successes and crashing disappointments
Want to join?
Members pay an annual subscription which covers the monthly lectures and teas and non-members are always welcome to individual lectures for a fee. Go to:
theartssociety.org/dartmouth-kingswear
First published in By The Dart magazine July 2019
