About the Society
The Colchester Art Society was formed in 1946 for the promotion of the visual arts by a group of artists based in the Colchester School of Art. Amongst the earliest members were John Nash, Cedric Morris, Arthur Lett-Haines, Henry Collins and Roderic Barrett. The Society has maintained a lively programme of exhibitions and other activities for over 70 years.
Membership is open to all who practice or have an enthusiasm for the visual arts, and we currently have almost 300 members.
The Society organises two major exhibitions each year in Colchester, one in the summer and one in the winter. These exhibitions are open to submissions from members and non-members but are subject to selection by a panel elected by the members. Additional exhibitions are organised from time to time.
Other activities include Spring and Autumn lectures delivered by prominent professional artists, organised visits to a variety of venues of art interest, and informal social gatherings.
A newsletter is published every four months. Members are kept informed of our activities via the newsletter, email circulars and our social media accounts.
Become a Member
Membership is open to anyone who practices, or has an enthusiasm for, the visual arts. We currently have almost 300 members, mainly from North East Essex and Suffolk. Members include practicing artists, gallery owners, private collectors and those with a general interest in the visual arts.
Benefits of membership include:
An opportunity to submit works for exhibitions with reduced submission fees
An invitation to the private view of each exhibition
Advanced notice of 1-2 coach trips each year to art fairs, galleries, museums, stately homes
Advanced notice of 2 lectures per year by professional artists covering many and varied subjects
An opportunity to borrow original works from our nationally acclaimed Permanent Collection
A newsletter published approximately every four months
An opportunity to exhibit your artwork in the Members Gallery on the society's website
An annual garden party, usually held in August
An annual Christmas event
The annual subscription of £20 (£10 for students) is payable in April.
To become a Member please complete the form below. The Membership Secretary will then get in touch with details of how to make payment.