Arts Ebor Newsletter April 2023

Dear Friends,

The daffodils around York are still in full flower, the days are warming, the clocks have gone forward and we too have moved on – welcome to a new year of lectures and events as our 2023-24 season begins.

April Lecture:

This evening we learn about the work and lives of the Master Masons who knew how to create heaven on earth – in the remarkable cathedral buildings that fill us with awe today, centuries after their completion. Things were not always straightforward however! Have tradesmen changed so much since then? Imogen Corrigan graduated in Anglo-Saxon & Mediaeval History and Art. She lectures in Britain and Europe and wrote ‘Stone on Stone’, published in 2019, so she has a wealth of knowledge about these craftsmen and we look forward to her lecture.

We meet in the Shepherd Hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday 12th April. As usual you can enjoy a chat over a glass of wine or soft drink from 6pm before the lecture. Please give us your feedback on the lecture (see Website Updates)

Visits and events:

March was an action-packed month to round off our 2022/23 season. We began with a most interesting lecture by Caroline Holmes on the artist Jacques Majorelle, his time in Marrakesh and some of his associations. The post-lecture meal at Côte was enjoyed by all who had booked and we will arrange another later in the year.

The Art Deco study day on 18 March was a great success. The Belfry Hall in Stonegate was an excellent venue. Anne Anderson gave us a beautifully illustrated series of talks in her usual lively way, with plenty of lighthearted touches – a real taste of what is in store for our visit to Lille and Antwerp next month.

Those who joined our trip to Hull on 21 March had a most interesting day, guided by John Edmonds and Keith Knight. We discovered some gems in the city, partook of a very good lunch at The Minerva Inn on the riverfront and ended with a tour of The Hull Truck Theatre – above and below ground! See our website for photographs of the day.

Future Visits:

There are still places available for our planned visit to Cardiff (4-7 October). We will travel by coach and stay at the Grade II* listed Coal Exchange Hotel, from where we can explore some of the real treasures in and around Cardiff. On our way back to York we call at Calke Abbey (NT) in Derbyshire. Brochures for the trip will be available at this month’s lecture and are on our website. The booking deadline, when deposits must be paid, is 13 April, so don’t miss out! Please send your completed form and deposit to Joanna Heywood (details on the form).

We have some future trips at the planning stage, so watch out for further announcements. I have also sent a separate mailing about two other visits that may be of interest but that are not organised by The Arts Society Ebor.

Social Events:

Our Summer Party this year is on Friday 23 June from 4-6pm when we re-visit the York Cemetery. With its Grade II* listed chapel – modelled on a Grecian temple – and 24 acres of garden, this site is a gem. Details of the event are on the attached flyer. Please contact Sheila Bartlett to reserve a place.

Details of our Christmas social in December will follow once we have finalised the venue and arrangements.

Committee Support:

We are always pleased to receive offers of support. Please contact any of the committee members if you might consider joining or would like to know more. Planning for the lecture programme begins many months in advance and Linda Ward would especially welcome help as she looks to find good speakers for 2024/25 – and beyond! It is an interesting role – so do chat to Linda if you think that you could help.

Website updates:

Chris Morley has been working hard on improvements to our website. In the Lectures section you can now submit feedback on the lectures. This is important as it helps us to report back to The Arts Society each month about the quality of lectures. See Our Society>Documents for copies of the monthly Newsletters, a printable copy of our programme, flyers for trips, photographic accounts of previous visits, membership forms - and more. There are photos too on the Gallery page. A glitch on the Contact Us page is now fixed. Do visit www.theartssocietyebor.org.uk

Membership:

Once again, thanks to the many who have renewed membership or joined us for the first time for 2023/24. We are sorry to say farewell to a small number who, for various reasons, are unable to continue with us.

The viability of The Arts Society Ebor depends on robust membership figures – and the greater our numbers the easier it is for us to keep membership fees to a minimum.

Those who have not yet renewed will be required to pay the guest fee for the April and subsequent lectures and will no longer receive the Arts Society magazine – but we hope that renewal has just slipped your mind and that we can look forward to seeing you again! I promise that this will be the final reminder from your Membership Secretary!

Finally, an advance notice that next month’s lecture will be on Wednesday 17 May – a week later than usual – to avoid a clash with the Lille trip.

With best wishes from your Arts Society Ebor Committee.