Over 90 of our members responded to our survey which was designed to help us gain a better understanding of your needs and priorities. Your views have already helped to shape the development of our Society and will continue to do so in the coming months. You can see the highlights below or read the full analysis by clicking on the link.

Research highlights

  • A loyal membership base

    Close to 50% of you have been members for five years or more. 24% joined in the last year so with 300 members we have a strong and vibrant Society.

  • Word of mouth is critical

    More than 70% of our members found out about the Society via a friend. Word of mouth is critical to our ability to recruit new members so do please continue to encourage your family and friends to join us. Remember, your guests can attend their first lecture for free

  • Great lectures

    A strong and varied lecture programme is what makes a great Society. You rated over 80% of our lectures as excellent or exceptional. You also told us about the range of topics of most interest to you and your feedback will help guide our future programme planning.

  • You want more

    Whilst our members joined because of their interest in the arts it’s also clear that the social side is of great importance to you. More than 70% of you would like to have more local opportunities to meet with fellow members in a social setting.

  • We need your help

    You want us to do more and we want to do more but we cannot do it without your help and support. Over 20 of you volunteered to help and the more volunteer we can recruit the healthier and stronger we will be.

  • The way forward

    Based on your feedback here are just a few of things we will try to deliver in the coming year:

    • Member led workshops

    • Local visits to exhibitions and country houses

    • A Christmas party

    • Special interest lectures on Zoom