The Arts Society

‘Constable made it his life’s mission to share the beauty he saw through his art, and it was summer that formed the seasonal setting for his most famous works.'

In the latest issue of ‘The Arts Society Magazine’, Nicola Moorby explores how Constable captured fleeting moments in nature – and how grief darkened his palette as a painter.

In the mood for more? Visit ‘The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape’ at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich Museums, until 4 October, and ‘Gainsborough, Turner & Constable: Inventing Landscape’ at Gainsborough’s House, Sudbury, until 11 October.

🎨 ‘Seascape Study: Boat and Stormy Sky’, 20 July 1828. Royal Academy of Arts. Photo: Alamy

🎨 ‘Self-portrait’, 1806, Tate. Purchased 1984. © Tate. Photo: Tate

Beach reading needn’t be mind-numbing… Get your holiday packing sorted with our pick of the latest books on art and culture, inside our summer issue.

Among the highlights is ‘Knife-Woman: The Life of Louise Bourgeois’ by Marie-Laure Bernadac (translated by Lauren Elkin), out now with Yale Books. This new title tells the tale of the painter, printmaker and sculptor, who once said – unforgettably – ‘I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful.’

For more inspiration, see the latest issue of ‘The Arts Society Magazine’, our gift to our members. Head to our website to find out how to join.

Seen here is the cover of Bernadac’s book, plus ‘Maman’ (1990) by Louise Bourgeois, at the Guggenheim Bilbao. 📸 © Louise Bourgeois 2001. Photo: © Kamahele, CC-BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons

Not every city can boast of 2,000 years of history within its ancient walls – but York certainly can.

In our newest issue, The Arts Society York and The Arts Society Ebor tell us what not to miss in the storied city – from the ever-popular Jorvik Viking Centre, which promises a step back in time to the 10th century, to the outstanding ceramics collection at York Art Gallery.
They also share delights to be found a little further afield in Yorkshire, such as the Baroque masterpiece Castle Howard and the ultra-contemporary Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Read on in the Summer issue of magazine – our gift to members. To join, head to our website.�

A very warm welcome to our newest Travel Affiliate and National Sponsor of The Arts Society, Success Tours!

This partnership will officially start in September, with further details outlined in upcoming Arts Society email newsletters and in our Magazine.

Read our official press release here:

A New Travel Affiliate & National Sponsor - Success Tours | The Arts Society We are delighted to annouce that Success Tours is now a Travel Affiliate and National Sponsor of The Arts Society

‘Sculpture is an art of the open air. Daylight, sunlight, is necessary to it, and for me its best setting and complement is nature.’ – Henry Moore, 1951 🌿

The sculptor might as well have been talking about two of this summer’s must-see exhibitions…

‘Henry Moore: Monumental Nature’ – the largest-ever outdoor exhibition of his work – is at Kew Gardens in London until 31 January 2027. Catch ‘Henry Moore and more’ at Kew’s wilder site, Kew Wakehurst in Sussex, until 23 May 2027.

Seen here is Family Group (1948–49), beautifully at home in its natural setting.

📷 Ines Stuart-Davidson © RGB Kew

Congratulations to Chance Enane from Northampton School for Boys, who has been
named the National Secondary Winner in the Art Bytes 2026 competition.

Supported by The Arts Society Northamptonshire, Chance received the award at the
Art Bytes National Celebration Event in June, recognising the creativity of talented
young artists from across England.

This year's competition saw 36 Arts Societies support 48 schools to take part in Art
Bytes, helping to champion the visual arts and create opportunities for young people
to showcase their creativity.

Chance's success is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when young
people are encouraged to explore their artistic talents, and reflects the positive
impact of our Arts Volunteers in supporting schools and communities across the UK.

If you'd like to find out more about volunteering with The Arts Society, email
[email protected]

Read the full story here: https://theartssociety.org/arts-news-features/student-supported-arts-society-northamptonshire-wins-national-art-bytes-award

With summer finally here, what better time to explore some of the exciting art happenings taking place around the UK?

🟠 Discover outdoor art across 70 acres of the Goodwood Art Foundation in West Sussex. Seen here is ‘Aspiring To Pumpkin’s Love, The Love In My Heart’ (2023) by Yayoi Kusama.
🟠 Explore the Glasgow 2026 Festival, a programme of cultural, sporting and community events running alongside the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
🟠 Visit the newly opened Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in London – the worlds’ largest space dedicated to the art form.

For more inspiration for your Summer calendar, pick up the latest issue of The Arts Society Magazine, our gift to our members. Head to our website to find out how to join.

Photo: Maria Bell, courtesy Goodwood Art Foundation

‘I think Monteverdi would be astonished that, 400 years on, we are still playing his music. It’s a great and moving privilege to work on something so old but also so of the moment,’ says the arts polymath William Kentridge, speaking of his debut production for Glyndebourne.

For two years, William Kentridge has worked towards his new staging of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo. For our Summer issue, Editor-at-Large Sue Herdman spoke with the South African artist about giving the Baroque opera an inimitable Kentridge twist.

You can experience L’Orfeo for yourself at Glyndebourne, Sussex, at various dates until 25 July.

To read the full interview, discover the new issue of The Arts Society Magazine – our gift to members of The Arts Society. To join, just head to our website.

📸 William Kentridge at rehearsals. Photo by Graham Carlow, © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd.

📸 A dancer in Kentridge’s Johannesburg workshop. Photo by Stella Olivier, courtesy of Kentridge Studio and Goodman Gallery

The new edition of The Arts Society Magazine has arrived with our members.

On the cover is a portrait of the incredible William Kentridge, whose production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo is showing at Glyndebourne this season. Our Editor-at-Large Sue Herdman had the privilege of interviewing Kentridge to find out more about this spectacular production, running from 3 to 25 July.

Here’s a taste of what else you can expect inside our new magazine…
- Tate curator and Arts Society Lecturer Nicola Moorby on the importance of summer in
the painting of John Constable
- Indigo Dunphy-Smith on the LGBTQ+ histories of our country houses.
- Mudlarking and the art inspired by it, with Lara Maiklem and Raewyn Harrison.
You’ll also find our guide to top arts events happening across the UK this summer, as well as
some major anniversaries and exciting new openings.

Each issue of the magazine is a gift to members of The Arts Society. If you’re yet to join us, just head to the link in our bio to find out how to do so. Each issue of the magazine is a gift to members of The Arts Society. If you’re yet to join us, visit our website to find out more. https://theartssociety.org/