This year marks the 75thanniversary of the Bury Art Society.
To celebrate the occasion, Bury Art Museum will launch a special exhibition, alongside the annual show of artworks from the Art Society, on Saturday 24 August.
Bury Art Society have been a regular fixture in the exhibitions programme at Bury Art Museum since 1954, with annual, judged shows since 1990. The exhibitions are a testament to the enthusiasm and accomplishment of this active group of local artists and prove to be one of the most popular shows which visitors look forward to every year. Prizes and commendations are awarded by a panel of judges and visitors can also take part to select their favourite artwork in the show for the ‘People’s Prize’.
The 75th anniversary feature exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to see artworks in Bury’s Permanent Collection by past members of Bury Art Society. To ensure that local artists were represented within the Collection, a variety of artworks have been acquired over the years.
Paintings by artists including Mary Edyvean, Frank Hammond, Elizabeth Hesp, David Swithenbank and Stanley Warburton (Chairman of the Turner Society) will be on display, including some recognisable Bury scenes. Drawings by Tommy Valentine (Freeman of the City of London), as well as material relating to the history of Bury Art Society, will also be Loaned from Bury Archives.
The earliest work in the special exhibition will be a pencil drawing from 1948 by John Bold, a portrait of Tommy Thompson, a well-known Bury author, broadcaster and scriptwriter. The artist John Bold went on to join Bury Art Society and was also a member of the Society of Modern Painters, he also taught at Bury Arts and Crafts school.
Bury Art Society was founded in 1949 by William Bruce. The founder chairman was Herbert S. Swithenbank and Kathleen Parker became the honorary secretary. Walter Fletcher, the M.P. for Bury who was also a keen amateur water-colourist accepted the honour of President. Meetings were held at various venues until 1952, when at the invitation of Percy
Warburton, the Head of Bury School of Art, a permanent base was acquired in the building on Broad Street, Bury, which became the Arts and Crafts Centre. Through friendship with Percy Warburton, L. S. Lowry from neighbouring Salford became involved with the Society and became its second President.
The same room at the Arts and Crafts Centre was used for meetings until December 2004 when the Society moved to Bury College after the closure of the Arts and Crafts Centre. After the Covid pandemic in 2020, meetings were cancelled until 2021. Bury Art Society now meets every Monday at The Blackburne Hall which is adjacent to Bury Parish Church. Membership has continued to grow and now stands at over 70.
