Can a Zap from Art History Wake Up Your New Year?
The Arts Society Rother Valley explains the appeal of its talks.
As anyone knows who has enjoyed arts education at almost any level, there is something wonderful about being lectured by someone who knows their stuff and knows how to communicate about it with genuine enthusiasm.
At its best it can be an electrifying sort of experience and kick-start new passions in an audience. And being in an audience that is responsive to a great speaker is in itself a life-affirming and memorable sort of thing. But, obviously, Covid brought a halt to such opportunities in this area and left many feeling isolated and lacking in intellectual input.
Now that we can again meet up, how about trying the monthly illustrated and entertaining talks organised by ‘The Arts Society Rother Valley’? The talks are given by great communicators who have made it their business to know what they are talking about. They are held at a spacious, accessible venue, namely The Hastings Centre, on the Ridge, opposite the Conquest Hospital. The lectures are accompanied by high quality sounds and visuals. Whether you go on your own or with a friend, this is a good way to bring people together and connect with others who have a shared interest in the arts.
The next talk, Tantrums and Tiaras, on 16 January at 2pm, looks at the fascinating backstage life at The Royal Opera House. There will be several performance video clips. Nigel Bates, who will give the talk, was seventeen years as principal percussionist with the Opera House’s orchestra and eight years as the Music Administrator of The Royal Ballet. If you have ever wondered about what really goes on behind the glamourous outward veils of the operatic world, do get along.
On 20 February there is Cash for Coronets which will look at how during America’s gilded age (1870-1914) American heiresses exchanged their wealth for old European titles. Their dollars helped restore crumbling ancestral piles of the European landed classes and gave new life to many of our best-loved national architectural treasures.
The transatlantic marriage trade brought a new lease of life to an indebted British aristocracy and shaped much of the way the British upper classes managed to reinvent themselves. American railway heiress, Frances Ellen Work, married the future Baron Fermoy and their great-granddaughter Diana married the Prince of Wales. Jennie Jerome married Lord Randolph Spencer-Churchill; their son was Winston Churchill. So much of British History would have been different without the US infusion.
Talks in the past have included topics as diverse as photographs of leading twentieth-century artists and discussions of how tricksters and magicians were depicted in paintings, prints and cartoons. The Society intends to keep the subject range equally diverse, rarefied and intriguing as they go forward.
The ‘Arts Society Rother Valley,’ is affiliated to the National Arts Society, and is open to all and welcomes new members. You can enjoy their locally held illustrated talks on a variety of topics about the arts, given nine times a year. Members enjoy other events, newsletters and three editions a year of the National Arts Society’s magazine with its exclusive interviews, features and news of what’s on in the art world.
If you have any questions, have a chat with the Society’s chair, Jenny Fairfax, on 01424 421344. She would also love to hear from anyone who may like to join their friendly committee. Why not open your mind to the treasures of the past in the New Year?
You can find out more from the Society’s website: www.theartssocietyrothervalley.org.uk or email: [email protected]
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply