In the beginning.....
The Society was originally formed in the 1960’s but was disbanded after a comparatively short time. However, at the request of ‘interested people’ Canon K M Bishop inserted two notices in the Keswick Reminder calling a meeting in the Crosthwaite Parish Room, with the object of reforming Keswick Society of Art. The meeting was held on Friday February 28th 1975 with Canon Bishop in the chair and an attendance of twenty three people.
It was unanimously agreed to proceed and the members of the first committee were:
Chairman- Canon Bishop, Secretary- Mrs Hinkley, Treasurer- Mr Beadle. In addition there were five other committee members.
The initial annual subscription was £1.50. Meetings were held in the winter months and from the start a varied programme of talks, demonstrations and critique sessions were arranged. Refreshments were served at a cost of 5 pence.
The Society’s first exhibition was held in August 1975 by which time the membership had risen to around 40 and there were 110 exhibits. A report in the Keswick Reminder was largely complimentary; stating the overall standard of the exhibition was good ‘although the landscapes tend to overshadow the still life flower portraits’. The report went on to say that ‘with a little more vivacity and adventure added to the care and sensitivity which went in to the work on display, the Society has the foundations of a splendid future’.