JULY 2025 – NO LECTURE

AUGUST 2025 – NO LECTURE

Thursday 18th September 2025 - Susie Harries

Stories in Stained Glass

Stained glass tells stories. It has been used to play politics, bribe bishops, recruit soldiers and tell jokes.

Thursday 16th October 2025 – Pepe Martinez

Banksy, Fraud or Genius

The lecture will trace the story of Banksy’s humble beginnings as a tagger on the streets of Bristol in the 1980’s to one of the most recognisable names in the art world.

Thursday 20th November 2025 - AGM & Sue Jackson

The Huguenot Silk Weavers of Spitalfields - from riches to rags

Welcomed at first with open arms and bringing luxury skills, the fortunes of the Huguenots fluctuated wildly.  Sue will discuss the fashionable patterned silk dresses – who designed and made them and how, finally the trade died out, with some weavers literally dying in poverty at their looms.

 

Thursday 11th December 2025 - Barry Venning

Christmas with Giles, Grandma and the family

For a great many members of The Arts Society, the cartoonist Carl Giles was as much a part of the festive season as the Christmas tree, crackers and the Queen's Speech.  So popular were the Giles annuals as Christmas presents that they helped to make him Britain's best loved, most successful and wealthiest cartoonist.

Followed by Christmas Lunch