In 2017 the organisation, then known as the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS), changed its operating name to The Arts Society.
After 50 years, we needed to evolve to keep up with changing times in order to reach out to more people in more places.
We wanted something that better communicated who we are, what we do and what we mean to our members. A big part of that is social, hence: ‘Society’. And an even bigger part is the arts, thus: ‘The Arts’.
Even though we now look and sound a little different, we still offer the same services as before: through our excellent lectures we provide welcoming opportunities for our members to discover and connect to the arts and each other. We also ensure that heritage has a future through conservation and preservation, and we continue to support the skills of tomorrow’s artists and makers.
The belief that the arts are essential to enriching people’s lives will always be at the very heart of who we are.