Local scenes painted by a selection of members
Use the arrows to scroll right or left
The River Colne, Bridge House, Aldham by Jill Wilson
Dedham Parish Church by Helen Morgans
St Botolph's Priory, Colchester by Irena Massarella
Willy Lotts Cottage in Autumn Light by Graham Galaway
Field and hillock, Dedham by Francis Ryall
Woodbridge Tide by Sheila Martin
Highwoods Park, Colchester by Irena Massarella
Willy Lotts' by Marian Jones
Artillery Street by Francis Ryall
Wivenhoe by Irena Massarella
Summer, Old Harwich by Jill Raeburn Wilson
Flatford Bridge by Graham Galaway
Welcome to The Dedham Art Society
The Dedham Arts Group was founded in 1967 and is a well-established group that has met regularly for nearly 60 years, initially at the Littlegarth Studio, Dedham.
The change of name to the Dedham Art Society was agreed by members at the 2018 AGM, when the Assembly Rooms in Dedham became the new venue for meetings.
To enjoy our programme and benefits our annual membership subscription is £30. Membership subscription is payable from January to December. Anyone joining after 1st September, a subscription of £30 is payable immediately and the following January subscription will be waived for one year.
When we have optional demonstrations, workshops and life study session led by professional artists tutors or models, there is an extra charge on a Thursday of between £5-£10. Occasionally, we hold optional half- day and full-day workshops; charges for these longer, in-depth sessions vary and take place outside our Thursday programme. Details are published in advance.
Enjoyment of painting continues to motivate the Society, strengthened by the engagement and involvement of members who volunteer their time to help deliver our art programme, exhibitions, and activities.
What we do….
At the Dedham Art Society we embrace all art and mediums and enjoy the company of like-minded members who enjoy painting.
Opportunity to Exhibit
The Society aims to hold an annual exhibition. Exhibitors must be paid-up members, submit only their own work, and assist with stewarding during the exhibition.
Members also have the opportunity to present work for display in the Essex Rose Tea Rooms in Dedham, and can have a dedicated page on this website to promote their artwork, with the option to include a link to their personal website or social media.
Meet regularly
You do not have to be an established artist to join. We are a friendly group with a shared enthusiasm for painting regularly. Our members’ tastes and skills are wide and varied, united by a common interest in sharing and learning. This is reflected in our mixed progamme which offers two sessions per month from 2.00–4.30pm on Thursday afternoons.
Our scheduled professional artist/tutor workshops and demonstrations are interspersed with member painting sessions. While these sessions are often themed, members are always welcome to work on their own projects.
Visiting Professional Artists
Our programme includes demonstrations and workshops hosted by prominent professional artists/tutors. Over the years we have included well known artist such as Hashim Akib, Colin Ayers, Susan Boddy, Roger Dellar, Margaret Glass, Lesley Lord, James Power, Liz Seward, Graham Webber, and Michele Webber.
Demonstrations and workshops
From time to time, we include demonstrations in our programme, but we mostly host workshops as our members prefer to be hands-on and paint. Most demonstrations or workshops run from 2.00–4.30pm on our designated Thursday afternoons.
When appropriate, we may schedule a longer half-day or full-day workshop. These sessions are mainly led by visiting professional artists and tutors, although occasionally our own DAS members host two-hour sessions to share their practice.
Painting Outside and Visits
We regularly offer outdoor painting (plein air) sessions at interesting local venues. During the summer months, usually from May to September, we meet once a month for a full-day plein air session. For the more avid plein air painter, a small group of members also meets on one Saturday morning each month throughout the year. Full details are included in our programme.
Constitution of the Dedham Art Society
1. Background
The Dedham Art Society was established in October 1967, although at that time it was called the Dedham Arts Group - founded as a group for local artists and artisans. It celebrated its 50th Anniversary with an exhibition in the Dedham Parish Church in 2017.
To renew interest and update the Group it was decided at the 2018 AGM to change the name to Dedham Art Society. The Society aims to provide interest for all who enjoy Art in its many forms, both professional and amateur. The Society seeks to encourage and support members in developing their artistic practice through regular practical sessions, tutored workshops, and opportunities for outdoor painting. We aim to help and inspire one another in friendly and convivial surroundings, fostering a supportive and inclusive community of artists and art-lovers.
The Society enjoys the benefit of The Assembly Rooms in Dedham village as its base for its regular fortnightly practical sessions. In addition, during Saturdays and the summer months members arrange outdoor painting sessions at a range of local venues.
We undertake to produce a newsletter or regular emails that are sent to all members in order to facilitate good communication within the Society.
Today, the Society continues to evolve through the engagement and involvement of its members, working together in a spirit of volunteering, shared responsibility, and mutual support.
2. Aims
The Dedham Art Society is a welcoming and supportive not-for-profit organisation open to local amateur and professional artists. United by a shared passion for artistic practice, we operate on co-operative principles of shared responsibility, mutual support, and active engagement and involvement, with members volunteering their time and skills to help run and strengthen the Society.
3. Membership
Membership of the Society is limited to 65 members. Admission to membership is at the discretion of the committee, acting in the best interests of the society.
Membership requires completion of an annual online application form and payment of the annual subscription. The subscription fee is proposed by the Committee and agreed by members at the AGM for the following year, and is payable annually.
The Committee may review and, if necessary, adjust the subscription during the year in response to significant changes in the Society’s costs, provided that members are notified in writing at least three months before the revised subscription becomes due.
Membership will expire on 31st December.
Membership renewal subscriptions are due on 1st January.
Members who fail to pay by 31 January are deemed to have resigned their membership.
Members need to renew their subscription before booking workshops.
In general Members are expected to attend at least four sessions a year or membership may not be renewed the following year.
Resignations by members must be made in writing and will be acknowledged. Membership will be deemed to have ended on 31st December of that year, unless otherwise specified in the member’s resignation.
A member’s personal contact details are collected and held by the Committee for the purposes of administering the Society. Such details will not be shared with other members or third parties without the member’s express consent. The Society processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
Members are encouraged to support the Society’s activities through their involvement and engagement, volunteering their time and skills where they feel able, as part of our co-operative ethos.
4. Committee
Day-to-day affairs are overseen and coordinated by the Committee, elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee is comprised of Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Social Secretary, Activities Co-ordinator, and Programme Planning Committee Member are elected for three-year terms. Members retire by rotation each year but can be re-elected at the AGM.
The Committee also has the power to co-opt.
The Committee is responsible for:
the general administration of the Society
financial oversight
ensuring the Society operates in accordance with this Constitution
On every occasion that the committee meets, written minutes are produced by the secretary and proof read for accuracy by the Chair prior to circulating a copy to the committee.
The Committee is made up of volunteers, and its role is to coordinate the Society’s activities, with many tasks supported by the involvement and engagement of other member volunteers, in keeping with our co-operative principles.
5. Finances
The Treasurer presents an up-to-date record of income and expenditure at every committee meeting.
Annual accounts are presented to all members at the AGM at which time members are encouraged to raise any queries and are reminded they are welcome to peruse the accounts at any time by contacting the Treasurer.
The Society operates as a not-for-profit mutual members’ society.
The majority of the Society’s income arises from member subscriptions and exhibition-related activities carried out for the benefit of members.
The Society operates on a mutual basis and does not distribute profits to members. Any surplus represents an excess of income over expenditure and is retained solely for the purposes of the Society.
The Society maintains an agreed reserve target, determined from time to time by the Committee, to ensure financial stability. Any monies held in excess of this target are reinvested into the Society for the direct benefit of its members.
The AGM is normally held in March.
An Emergency General Meeting can be called by the Committee in matters that require the vote of the whole Membership and the same rules apply as at an AGM. Notice of at least 1 month will be given out to the whole Membership, prior to this happening. Committee meetings are held approximately every two to three months.
6. Exhibitions
The Society aims to organise a minimum of one exhibition during the year, with more if possible. Exhibitions are planned and delivered with the involvement and engagement of volunteer members, with the Committee retaining overall responsibility for decisions and exhibition policy.
If there is need for a Selection Committee, this can be voted in by the Committee.
Commission on sales, the rate as decided by the Committee, is payable to the Society's funds.
Exhibitions are for members of the Society, unless specific notice has been given that it is based upon different entrance criteria, e.g., an Open Exhibition where different rules apply.
Exhibitions may require a hanging fee, and any works not collected at the end of an exhibition may attract a storage charge. Fees per painting will be decided by the Committee.
Exhibiting members are required to steward at exhibitions or to find a substitute if they are unable to attend. All exhibitors must submit documentation on time and ensure their artwork is delivered or collected promptly. Failure to do so may result in the artwork not being hung.
All exhibits are displayed at the owner’s risk; artists must arrange insurance if required.
All principal artworks must be original and must not have been exhibited in the Society’s exhibitions during the previous two years, except folios and cards, which may be printed and may have been shown previously.
Exhibition rules and guidance are circulated before each exhibition.
7. Data Protection (GDPR)
The Society shall handle personal data in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
8. Rules of Procedure
Rules of procedure accompany this Constitution, and are available on request.
9. Changes to the Constitution
Any changes required to the Constitution will be drafted by the Committee and presented to the full membership before and at the AGM, for consideration and adoption through the process of voting.
10. Dissolution
In the event of dissolution of the Society, and after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any remaining assets shall not be distributed to members but shall be transferred to another organisation with similar aims and objectives, as determined by resolution of the members at a General Meeting.
IM 12.3.26 Agreed unanimously AGM 2026