New Committee & Chair Elected

Posted on Feb 14, 2025

Well what a busy night, a fantastic turnout of members and lots of new members to meet. Not always a popular event the AGM, but adding the “Show & Tell” afterwards instead of the critique was far less intimidating. The enthusiasm to meet fellow artists and connect was electric in the room, and to find out what was going on.

As we got down to the business of the AGM David McGuire our outgoing Chairman talked about the progress we have made as a society who on the brink after covid now with much hard work from the committee is now thriving and looking to drive forward for the next 75 years. None of the committee members ever gave up always believing in the ethos that “Art is for Everyone” who is interested for that reason everyone is welcome to join whatever their stage in their artistic development.

As we the committee officers presented our reports, looking back on last years achievements, we were also focusing on what is happening in the forthcoming year. We have a fantastic monthly meeting programme of demonstrating artists and events we can get our hands dirty in. Drawing Groups and workshops, have been set up from next Tuesday by Delilah, Mark is already planning group trips, to the Melbourne Arts Festival, Broadway Arts Festival and the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy London. Exhibitions have been planned for this year, keeping the costs as low as possible to include all members. Talk to us if you have difficulty getting your work to exhibitions, you can drop it off at a meeting, or get it picked up. Exhibition planning is already taking place for next year and beyond. Training is being set up on curation and selection for the exhibition team.

Let us know what you would like us to do as an activity or an idea for an exhibition etc., this is your Walsall Society of Artists, let us know what it is you want to take part in.

As we say Goodbye to David our Outgoing Chair

Message from Steve Woodhams, Incoming Chair

“Firstly, I wish to say a huge thank you to David for overseeing the society during his tenure as Chair, ensuring that the society survived following the Covid era and seeing that the society recovered from what was undoubtedly the most difficult period in the its illustrious history. During this time our membership dropped to below 40 and there were many, many other art societies and clubs that unfortunately fell by the wayside. So, I think we can all be thankful.

The Walsall Society of Artists has not only recovered during David’s tenure but has began to grow and evolve and has a very bright future.

Secondly, I would like to thank those that have the confidence in me to take up the role of Chair – the magnitude of which is definitely not lost on me.

75 years we have been going! That is a lot of history and there have been some pretty prestigious Chairs that have gone before me – so I sincerely hope that I can do the role justice.

I am taking over the helm at an exciting time. There are many things happening at the Walsall Society of Artists, and we are becoming ever more busy with exciting events and exhibitions.

But, at the core of everything that we do MUST be the membership. Without our membership there is no society. It pleases me that we are becoming a more diverse and inclusive society and our numbers have surpassed 100 once again.

I want each and every member of the society to have a voice and to feel as though they a part of a community of likeminded people.

At the end of the day, we are all here because we love art.

To quote from the Walsall Society of Artists inaugural meeting, back in 1949, the Society is “For everyone Interested in Art,” with the aim to “Cultivate an interest in the Arts”, and long may that continue.

Here’s to the next 75 years!”

Steve Woodhams

WSA Chair

By Jude Hanly