Gloucester Contemporary Artists

There have been some exciting developments in Gloucester, over the past six months. What began as a brief conversation between myself and another Gloucester artist, moved on to a few of us meeting in our local community centre and has now become a fully fledged art organisation. I give you Gloucester Contemporary Artists. We now have a website, a WhatsApp group, an exhibition running currently in Gloucester Brewery, in the Docks and big plans for the summer, including an Art Trail and Open Studios.

I mentioned in a previous blog regarding Cheltenham Group of Artists, that I’m not a very clubbable person. I dread meetings and committees and some of the false camaraderie that go with being part of a group, or club. And whilst the Cheltenham Group has a long and proud history, including rigorous selection for membership and just a couple of meetings and exhibitions per year, the Gloucester Group is shinny new, has no selection criteria and far too many meetings, for my liking. Nevertheless, Gloucester is crying out for a real visual arts culture and the enthusiasm which drives the new group is refreshing. Maybe I will ditch my old Groucho Marx ways – “I’d never join a club that would have someone like me as a member” – and embrace my new club? Watch this space …