The Arts Society Hampshire & Isle of Wight Area

07/10/2026

‘In a late letter he wrote: “I have a bunch of tulips, so gay, of so many colours: orange, pink, different pinks, a strange one – pure brick red – which is my favourite; so sensitive to warmth; the tulip with the strange hot smell which seems to stir deep memories…”’

Arts Society Lecturer Amanda Herries has curated ‘COLOUR: The Palette of S.J. Peploe’ at Kircudbright Galleries. In our summer issue she takes a closer look at a celebrated still life by the Scottish Colourist painter Samuel John Peploe.

Head to our website to become a member, and you’ll never miss an issue of ‘The Arts Society Magazine’ – our gift to our members. https://theartssociety.org/

🎨 ‘Tulips and Fruit’, c.1919, SJ Peploe. Private collection

05/10/2026

With Old Royal Naval College – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

30/09/2026

29/09/2026

‘People realised that the river was like this big history book. I always say the Thames is the best river in the world to mudlark because you need tides and it has 2,000 years of intense habitation.’

So says Lara Maiklem, expert mudlarker and author of ‘A Mudlarking Year: Finding Treasure In Every Season’. In our latest issue, Jessica Johnson digs deep into why a growing number of creatives – from artist and designer Yinka Ilori to ceramic artist Raewyn Harrison – are taking inspiration from the treasures hiding in the mud.

Read on by picking up the summer issue of ‘The Arts Society Magazine’ – our gift to our members. Head to our website now: https://theartssociety.org/

📷 London Mudlark: Lara Maiklem Mudlarking with a few of her finds on the Thames foreshore. Photo: Christian Sinibaldi

28/09/2026

A grant for £300 from The Arts Society Sarisbury Green has been presented to the Warsash Theatre Group.

22/09/2026

‘All works, no matter what or by whom painted, are nothing but bagatelles and childish trifles… unless they are made and painted from life’ – Caravaggio

Go deep into European art of the 16th to 17th centuries – from the High Renaissance to the Baroque – with ‘Decoding History’s Art’, a five-part lecture series led by Dr Geri Parlby this autumn.

Members of The Arts Society can enjoy a diverse array of Study Days in person and online; upcoming events include:
⁃ ‘Modernist Trailblazers: Russia’s Female Artistic Revolutionaries’ (16 Oct)
⁃ ‘Jade: A Stone of Ancient Empires, A Resplendent Art Deco Jewel’ (5 Nov)
⁃ ‘I Know It So Well: Musicals and Their Inescapable Hit Songs’ (13 Nov)

Discover what’s on inside the latest issue of the magazine – and to join, head here now: theartssociety.org

🎨 ‘Boy With A Basket Of Fruit’, c.1593, Caravaggio. Galleria Borghese, Rome

18/09/2026

**NEW EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT**

Art Then! British Painting, Sculpture and Drawing, 1910-1960

📅 Opens Saturday 26 September 2026

We are delighted to announce Art Then!, an extensive new exhibition celebrating fifty years of Modern British Art.

Curated by Dr David Boyd Haycock in collaboration with The Ingram Collection, the exhibition brings together almost 100 paintings, sculptures and drawings from one of the most exciting periods in British art.

Taking its title from Herbert Read's influential 1933 book Art Now, Art Then! looks back at the artists who shaped Modern British Art in the decades before and after this pivotal moment. The exhibition explores how British artists responded to the artistic revolution that transformed Europe, inspiring some of the most innovative and influential works ever produced in Britain.

Beginning with Duncan Grant's Parrot Tulips (1910), and featuring works by Paul Nash, Eric Ravilious, Barbara Hepworth and Lucian Freud, Art Then! offers a fascinating journey through five decades of artistic experimentation, creativity and change.

📍 Southampton City Art Gallery
📅 26 September 2026 - 21 February 2027

14/09/2026

Did you know that the Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a tapestry at all? 🤯

In our latest issue, David Musgrove – co-author, with Michael Lewis, of ‘The Story of the Bayeux Tapestry’ – unpicks what makes the 68-metre-long embroidery so extraordinary.

In case you missed it: the Bayeux Tapestry is returning to England for the first time since its creation nearly 1,000 years ago. It will be at the British Museum from September 2026–July 2027.

🧵 Seen here is a detail from the famous 11th-century work, which is usually housed in the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy. Photo: © Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux

09/09/2026

🎨 Bring "Art on Wheels" to your local school! 🚗✨
The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Area team is thrilled to support a fantastic Young Arts initiative linking up with Southampton City Art Gallery’s "Art on Wheels" programme.
Local societies have a unique, completely hassle-free opportunity to sponsor immersive, artist-led workshops directly in local schools. Southampton City Art Gallery handles 100% of the logistics—requiring zero administration from your volunteers! 🌟
Why sponsor?
📸 Receive high-quality digital photos of the workshop.
📝 Get feedback from participating teachers.
📢 Earn public PR recognition for your society's community impact.
💰 Grants may be available to help cover or contribute toward sponsorship costs!
Want to bring this creative experience to a school in your area? Contact the Area Team directly or drop us a message to find out more! 👇