Nottingham Society of Artists
Active: 1880 -
Function: Art society
Policy: The Nottingham Society of Artists [NSA] took part in the Castle Museum's annual exhibitions of 'Works by Local Artists' from 1881 to c. 1951. There were no exhibitions from 1904 to 1907; during this period the NSA organised their own exhibitions of members and non-members works.
The 'Local Artists' exhibitions began again in 1908 and ceased in 1939; there are no specific references to NSA involvement in the catalogues of the 'Local Artists' shows when they resumed at the Castle Gallery in 1949, however, it is likely that the society continued to send work to these shows.
The 1881 'Local Artists' exhibition catalogue suggests that the Castle's exhibitions encouraged the formation of the society: 'One result which the Committee had in view in promoting an exhibition of this character has been attained in the formation of the Nottingham Society of Artists, the members of which contribute the principal works to the exhibition.'
Sculpture was included in the Local Artists exhibitions from 1890. The Society also took part in the Federation of Midland Art Societies exhibitions from 1935 to c. 1939.
From the available exhibition catalogues in the Nottingham City and Castle Gallery archives, it appears that only about five of the many sculptors who took part in the exhibitions of 'Local Artists', Federated Art Societies, and the NSA's own shows (all of which included works by members and non-members) were also members of the Nottingham Society of Artists.
The society held regular (normally annual) exhibitions of its members works in temporary venues and at its own gallery. Lectures, social events and art classes were all focused upon painting and drawing; the exception to this was in 1928 when Joseph Else gave a lecture on ‘the beauties of ancient and modern sculpture’ [Wood, p. 28].
Despite the focus upon painting and drawing the NSA had some sculptor members who exhibited works in the 'Local Artists' exhibitions and Federation of Midland Art Society shows. It is possible works by these artists were exhibited more regularly at the Societies shows at its own premises but this cannot be verified because there are no catalogues for these exhibitions.
Meeting schedule: annual
History or description: In 1880 two distinct groups of painters who had been meeting at houses and other Nottingham-based venues amalgamated to form the NSA. [see P. Wood 'A History of the Nottingham Society of Artists (1955), p. 9]
Meetings were held for sketching and exhibiting works and in 1881 the society participated in the Castle Gallery’s 'Local Artists' exhibition for the first time. From 1884 onwards women were able to attend social events and could be nominated for membership. [Wood, p. 10]
In 1885 the society secured a room on Carrington Street Bridge as tenants of Mr. Matthew Doubleday; a small library was started here. [Wood, p. 10] The society was focused around the sketching club and life drawing class.
In 1891 the society moved to 6 Victoria Street and in 1895 to Cobden Chambers, Pelham Street. The Nottingham Atelier (formed in 1897 as a life-drawing club) was amalgamated with the NSA in 1902. Ten years later, in 1912, the NSA moved to Messrs. Sparrow and Sons' rooms, Park Row [Wood, p. 18].
The society moved to its permanent premises at St Lukes House, Friar Lane, Nottingham in 1934. Percy Gill (a member of the society) was the architect of the building. Joseph Else designed and modelled a figure of St. Luke for its façade [Wood, p. 25].
During the war exhibitions were held at the Society and at temporary venues including the temporary City Art Gallery in Clumber Street [Wood, p. 30].
Activities: conversazione, discussions on art, exhibitions (open to non-members), exhibitions (members only), meetings, soirees
Publications: annual reports, exhibition catalogues
Composition: amateur artists, professional artists
Locations
Built premises at St. Luke's House Friar Lane Nottingham | View on map
1934 - 1951 (Presumed)
Located at Cobden Chambers Pelham Street Nottingham | View on map
1895 - 1912 (Presumed)
Used rooms at Carrington Street Bridge Nottingham | View on map
1885 - 1891 (Circa)
Used rooms at 6 Victoria Street Nottingham | View on map
1891 (Presumed) - 24 June 1895
Used rooms at 11 Park Row Nottingham | View on map
1912 - March 1934
The rooms used by the Society were owned of Messrs. Sparrow and Sons.
Exhibitions, Courses, Meetings and other Events
Organized Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1951
14 July 1951 - 26 August 1951
Took part in The Federation of Midland Art Societies Exhibition, 1939
9 September 1939 - 21 October 1939
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1939
1 July 1939 - 13 August 1939
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1938
21 May 1938 - 3 July 1938
Took part in The Federation of Midland Art Societies Exhibition, 1938
1 April 1938 - 5 June 1938
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1937
25 September 1937 - 7 November 1937
Took part in The Federation of Midland Art Societies Exhibition, 1937
28 June 1937 - 24 July 1937
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1936
May 1936 - June 1936
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1935
September 1935
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1933
May 1933
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1932
June 1932
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1934
June 1931
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1931
May 1931
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1930
May 1930 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1929
May 1929 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1928
1928 (Presumed)
Organized The Beauties of Ancient and Modern Sculpture, 1928
1928
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1927
May 1927 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1926
May 1926 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1925
May 1925
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1924
May 1924
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1923
May 1923
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1921
May 1921
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1915
May 1915 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1913
1913
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1912
May 1912 (Presumed)
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1909
May 1909 (Presumed)
The exhibition included works by local artists and by members of the society.
Took part in Exhibition of Works by Local Artists (Nottingham Society of Artists), 1908
May 1908
The exhibition included works by local artists and by members of the society.
Organized Nottingham Society of Artists. Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Watercolours, 1907
27 May 1907 - 15 June 1907
Organized Nottingham Society of Artists. Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Watercolours, 1906
14 May 1906 - 18 June 1906
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1903
May 1903
Organized Nottingham Society of Artists. Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Watercolours, 1903
19 February 1903 - 7 March 1903
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1902
May 1902
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1901
May 1901
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1900
May 1900
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1899
May 1899
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1898
1898
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1897
1897
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1895
May 1895
Took part in Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colour, by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1890
1890
Took part in Exhibition of Works in Oil and Watercolour by Local Artists (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1881
1881
Organized Nottingham Society of Artists. Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Watercolours, 1905
Institutional and Business Connections
Amalgamated with Nottingham Atelier
1902
The Societies had collaborated with one-another from c. 1897 onwards, and were officially amalgamated in 1902 [see Wood, 'A History of the Nottingham Society of Artists' (1955), pp. 14-16].
Collaborated with Castle Museum (Nottingham)
1881 - 1951 (Circa)
The Society took part in the Castle Museum's annual exhibitions of 'Works by Local Artists' from 1881 onwards. The 1881 'Local Artists' exhibition catalogue suggests that the Castle's exhibitions encouraged the formation of the society. The catalogue states: 'One result which the Committee had in view in promoting an exhibition of this character has been attained in the formation of the Nottingham Society of Artists, the members of which contribute the principal works to the exhibition' [summary]. There were no exhibitions from 1904 to 1907 or from 1939 to 1948. In 1949 the Local Artists exhibitions were revived; there are no specific references regarding NSA involvement in these shows, however, it is likely that artists from the Society participated in these exhibitions.
Member of Federation of Midland Art Societies
1936 (Circa) - 1939 (Circa)
Associated People
Members included W. R. Gleave
1903 (Presumed) - 1905 (Presumed)
Listed as an Associate Member in 1903.
Members included W. R. Gleave
1905 (Presumed) - 1906 (Presumed)
Listed as a full member in 1905. No listings of members in 1907; not listed as a member in 1908.
Members included Joseph Else
1926 (Circa) - 1939 (Circa)
Listed as a member in the 'Local Artists Exhibition'(Castle Gallery)in 1926 (not listed as a member in avaliable catalogues from before this date). There were no exhibitions from 1939 to 1948 and members of the society are not listed in the exhibition catalogue from 1949 onwards.
Members included A.W. Foster
May 1926 - May 1927
Listed as an Associate Member in May 1927.
Members included H.P. Gill
May 1926 - May 1927
Listed as an Associate Member in May 1926.
Members included A.W. Foster
May 1927 - May 1933
Listed as a full member in May 1927. Not listed as a member in 1934.
Members included H.P. Gill
May 1927 - May 1939 (Circa)
Listed as a full member in May 1927. Still listed as a member in the last avaliable catalogue from 1939.
Members included Eileen Parker
1938 (Presumed)
Parker is listed as a member of the Nottingham Society of Artists in the catalogue for the Federation of Midland Art Societies Exhibition (Lincoln) in 1938; she is not, however, listed as a member of the society in the catalogue for the Local Artists Exhibition (Castle Gallery, Nottingham) of the same year.
Presidents included Samuel Bourne
1880 - May 1912
Presidents included Arnesby Brown
1912 - 1930
Presidents included Terrick Williams
1930 - 1936
Presidents included Harold Knight
1936 - 1946
Presidents included Arthur Spooner
1946 (Presumed) - 1955 (Circa)
Vice-presidents included Joseph Else
1933 - 1935
Listed as Vice-President in the 1933 and the 1935 exhibition catalogues 'Local Artists Exhibition'.
Sources
A History of the Nottingham Society of Artists, 1955
1955
pp. 1-39.
Catalogue of Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1897
1897
pp. 1-87.
Catalogue of Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1898
1898
pp. 1-76.
Catalogue of the Twenty-First Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1899
May 1899
pp. 1-53.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1902 Nottingham Castle Museum Exhibition Catalogues
May 1902
pp. 1-52.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1903 Nottingham Castle Museum Exhibition Catalogues
May 1903
pp. 1-52.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Second Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1900
May 1900
pp. 1-61.
Catalogue of the Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition of Pictures in Oil and Water Colours by Local Artists, 1901
May 1901
pp. 1-62.
Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colour, by Local Artists, 1890
1890
pp. 1-36.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1914
May 1914
pp. 1-52.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1921
May 1921
pp. 1-39.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1923
May 1923
pp. 1-39.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1924
May 1924
pp. 1-43.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1925
May 1925
pp. 1-45.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1937
September 1937
pp. 1-31.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1938 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1938
pp. 1-33.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, 1939 Nottingham Society of Artists
July 1939
pp. 1-32.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, June 1932
June 1932
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May 1915
May 1915
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May 1933
May 1933
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May and June, 1936 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1936
pp. 1-29.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1908 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1908
pp. 1-58.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1909 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1909
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1912 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1912
pp. 1-44.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1913 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1913
pp. 1-54.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1926 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1926
pp. 1-47.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1927 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1927
pp. 1-40.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1928 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1928
pp. 1-39.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1929 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1929
pp. 1-36.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1930 Nottingham Society of Artists
May 1930
pp. 1-23.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1931 Nottingham Society of Artists
1931
Unpaged.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1934 Nottingham Society of Artists
June 1934
pp. 1-27.
Exhibition of Works by Local Artists, May, 1935 Nottingham Society of Artists
June 1935
pp. 1-27.
Exhibition of Works by the Federation of Midland Art Societies, 1936 Exhibitions
September 1936
Unpaged Foreword.
Exhibition of Works in Oil and Water Colour by Local Artists, 1881
1881
pp. 1-71.
Fourteenth Annual Exhibition of Pictures, in Oil and Water Colours, by Local Artists, 1892
1892
pp. 1-36.
Notices of Nottingham School of Art social evenings etc., 1931-1944 Nottingham Society of Artists
Notices dating from 1931 to 1944.
Nottingham Society of Artists. Catalogue, 1903 Nottingham Society of Artists
1903
Unpaged.
Nottingham Society of Artists. Catalogue, 1905 Nottingham Society of Artists
1905
Unpaged.
Nottingham Society of Artists. Catalogue, 1906 Nottingham Society of Artists
1906
Unpaged.
Nottingham Society of Artists. Catalogue, 1907 Nottingham Society of Artists
1907
pp. 1-47.
Nottingham Society of Artists. Programmes of Events, c. 1892-1981 Nottingham Society of Artists
See information dating from 1892 to 1951.
The Federation of Midland Art Societies, 1937
June 1937
pp. 1-23.
The Lives and Works of Nottingham Artists from 1750 to 1914, with Special Consideration of their Association with the Lace Industry and Society at Large, 1981
1981
pp. 37-41 and pp. 53-136.
Works by Local Artists, 1951
July 1951 (Probable)
Citing this record
'Nottingham Society of Artists', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib4_1227191150, accessed 30 Jun 2022]
