The Artist

What now for art clubs?

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Even without the effect of Covid, amateur art clubs are struggling to survive. Most members of these sometimes decades-old institutio­ns are well into retirement age and, as their committees lose members due to death, health issues or relocation, club members are not presenting themselves to fill the empty roles. Nor are younger people applying for membership. Why IS that? There is so much talent out there. If the out-of-stock situation of basic art materials during the pandemic is anything to go by, more and more people are taking to art. Perhaps they have jobs and can’t attend events organised by the clubs, let alone join a committee.

Generally, the mission of an art club is to promote and encourage its members to practise and improve their painting and drawing skills, enjoy the social side of meeting like-minded people at lectures, demonstrat­ions and workshops and, probably most important of all, have the opportunit­y to show their work at the clubs’ exhibition­s. Possibly some members find the thought of belonging to a committee rather daunting, but they would be wrong. Committee meetings can be short, interestin­g and social – and do not take place all that often.

Apart from the necessary roles of chairman, club secretary and treasurer, the remaining members take care of other business, such as organising lectures, day trips, painting days and anything else they may think up. When it comes to exhibition time there is a burst of activity. All exhibiting members are involved in helping to set up the venue, hang the work and take their turn as steward during the course of the exhibition. There is also a sense of excitement when a painting gets a red dot or is voted as the favourite painting, not to mention great feedback.

Now that art clubs have a Facebook page and/or a website, members’ paintings can also be seen online in a virtual exhibition. Perhaps they do not result in the hoped-for sales, but at least their art is ‘out there’.

Sadly, for the second year running, clubs have cancelled exhibition­s, workshops, trips out, demonstrat­ions and meetings, despite most, if not all, members being fully vaccinated. There is still the fear of Covid.

Perhaps next year will be better.

But what if it isn’t? Art clubs need to embrace the internet and be prepared to reorganise and adapt to the new normal. But to do any of that, they need committee members, without whom they will fold.

Janet Haken, Tuesday Painters Club of Rye, by email www.facebook.com/TuesdayPai­ntersRye

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