About Us
2026 marked the 40th anniversary of The Arts Society Sarum, founded in 1986 and now firmly established in Salisbury. Our membership is drawn from the city and from many surrounding towns and villages, bringing together people who share an interest in the arts and a pleasure in learning.
Lectures
Lectures take place monthly on the second Wednesday of the month, except August and September, at the Methodist Church, Salisbury, starting at 10.50am.
Coffee is served from 10.00 to 10.40am, offering a relaxed opportunity to meet fellow members, chat informally, and build friendships before the lecture begins.
Our lectures are given by experienced and engaging speakers and are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for all, whatever your level of prior knowledge.
Visits
Each year we organise three or four visits to historic houses, museums, and places of cultural interest in Britain, often linked to lecture topics.
Recent visits have included Dorchester, Sculpture by the Lakes, and Longford Castle. During 2025, visits took place to the Stanley Spencer Gallery, Basildon Park, Jane Austen’s House at Chawton, and the Watts Gallery.
In October 2025, members enjoyed a visit to Brighton, with a guided walk through the city followed by a tour of the Royal Pavilion. In June 2026, a visit to Bath toured the Holburne Musem followed by a visit to the American Museum at Claverton.
Journeys of Discovery
Journeys of Discovery offer the chance to explore a subject in greater depth and are presented in two formats:
Day of Discovery: three one-hour lectures by the same expert, with coffee on arrival and lunch between the second and third lectures
Morning of Discovery: two lectures with coffee and cakes during the interval
Recent highlights have included Girls Behaving Badly: Jane Austen, presented by Annalie Talent, and Mohammed to Marx, a thought-provoking Day of Discovery led by Chris Aslan exploring Soviet and Central Asian arts.
A Journey of Discovery in November 2025 examined Hindu temple traditions and the history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Tours
Short three- to four-day tours have proved popular with members. After a pause during the pandemic, these have resumed with a four-day tour to Stratford and the surrounding area in October 2023, followed by a West Country tour in November 2024.
We very much enjoye a four-night cultural exploration of Vienna in March 2026. In April 2027 we are organising a five day visit to Chatsworth and the Peak District.
Wider Opportunities
Members also have the opportunity to attend lectures organised at regional and national level, take part in overseas study tours accompanied by expert lecturers, and receive The Arts Society quarterly magazine.
Sponsorship of the Arts in the Local Community
As a registered charity, The Arts Society Sarum actively supports arts education in the local community. Working closely with Wiltshire Creative, we are proud to support their production of Romeo and Juliet in 2026.
In addition we are supporting schemes which provide art experiences in schools.