A visit has been arranged, for members, to visit the 15thC Balcarres House and Gardens, with coffee and lunch, led by the Earl and Countess of Crawford and Balcarres.

Application forms are now available for members.  Please contact a committee member.

This privately owned castle offers a fascinating tour of the interior and gardens, with many original features and significant historical visitors.  

The tour includes coffee on arrival and lunch, with wine.

Cost is £50 per person.  Further details and booking form to follow.

Hospitalfield House is a stunning early Arts and Crafts Scottish Baronial Country House.  A hospital was built on the site in 1260 to support the new Benedictine Abbey in Arbroath.  In 1664 after the reformation the Reverend James Fraser bought the estate.

The cost of this visit is £50 per person.  The price includes coach hire, coffee and tea on arrival, lunch and a conducted tour.  The coach will pick up from Cupar Railway Station (bus stop opposite the station) at 9:15 prompt and Petheram Bridge Car Park, St Andrews at 9:30 prompt. Please book early to avoid disappointment.   Booking forms can be found in our documents section.  Any queries please email info@theartssocietyfife.org.uk.

This is an exciting visit to the recently refurbished Burrell Collection.   A1 coaches will pick up from Petheram Bridge, St Andrews at 8:45am and from Cupar Station at 9am.

There will be tea and coffee on arrival, followed by a guided tour and then a light lunch.  There will be opportunity after lunch to wander around the collection at leisure before returning home by coach.

The cost is £46 per person.

Information on visits for this next session will be available later on the website. 

Broomhall House is the private home of the family of Robert the Bruce, and contains important art and artefacts.

The cost per person is £38 which includes coach, coffee, conducted tour and lunch.  Pick up will be from Petherum Bridge at 9:15am,  and Cupar Station at 9:30am.  

The booking form is on this website, under Documents (look under Our Society, then Documents) 

More forms and information will be available at the March lecture.

Please note the trip is limited to 30.

To mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse will display the largest exhibition of Leonardo's work ever shown in Scotland.

The visit includes bus travel to and from Edinburgh, a guided tour of the exhibition, a two course high tea, and entry to the gallery for a private view and talk (from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) 

The bus will leave Petherum bridge car park at 2:15 and Cupar Railway station at 2:30 p.m

Please note that the registration form for this visit can be printed or downloaded from this website.   Look under Our Society then Documents.  

Please note that this visit is now fully booked..... 

Manderston House  -at Duns in the Scottish borders

A house on which no expense was spared with opulent staterooms, the only silver-staircase in the world and extensive "downstairs" domestic quarters. The House stands in 56 acres of formal gardens, with magnificent stables and stunning marble dairy. John Kinross the architect, when enquiring how large his budget was, was told that money was no object.

It was built for Sir James Miller who married the Honourable Eveline Curzon, daughter of Lord Scarsdale, head of one of the oldest families in the country.

The registration form for this outing can be found in Documents.  Look under Our Society, then Documents.

Time: 6 p.m.

Andrew Graham Dixon will give the second lecture in his Caravaggio series “The Later Life and Times of Caravaggio”
The National Gallery have generously allowed us the use of the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre for this event.

Booking form available on this website.  Look under About us, then Documents

War Horse written by Michael Morpurgo is a clever stage version of his book following the life of a horse that was taken out to join the soldiers in the First World War. The horses are large puppets which are quite incredible and it is a very moving story.

We are going to the matinee performance which starts at 2.30pm, at the cost of £59pp. If you wish to come, please complete the form on the webiste (look under About us, then Documents)  and send it with a cheque which includes coach hire.

The coach will drop you at the Theatre at approximately 12.30pm, so that you are able to have lunch before the Show. There is a large choice of restaurants and cafes near the Theatre.

 A Moffat Williamson bus will pick up from :- Pethrum Bridge 10.30am Cupar 10.45am

Area visit: 

One hundred years ago this year legislation was passsed allowing women with property over the age of thirty to vote and women to be elected to parliament. The first female MP was elected that year.
Our vist to the Scottish Parliament celebrates these momentous anniversaries.
Fiona McDougall, Art Curator and Events Manager and the Events Team have created a unique day for The Arts Society.

The day will start at 11am. Coffee will be served and members and their guests will be divided into groups for one of four tours, with Fiona McDougall and the Scottish Parliament
Guides.
The Art Tour, The Literature Tour (including Queensberry House), The Architecture Tour ,
The Curator’s Tour.
Lunch with a glass of prosecco will be served in the stunning Members Room with views over The Queen’s Park and after there will be another tour for each group.
The day will finish at 4pm.

See web site for booking form 

BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE  and THE JACOBITES

TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2017, 11:30am – 12:45pm
AUDITORIUM, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND

The National Museum of Scotland’s major new exhibition tells the real story of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the rise and fall of the Jacobites. The Jacobite legend has an enduring fascination and now renewed global interest due to the Outlander books and television series. Drawing on a rich wealth of material, the exhibition will tell a compelling story of love, loss, exile, rebellion and retribution and will challenge many of the misconceptions that still surround this turbulent period in European history.

The Arts Society Scotland & N Ireland is delighted that Curator David Forsyth will set the historical context for this intriguing story and Conservators Danielle Connolly and Diana de Bellaigue will discuss the behind the scenes work undertaken on the treasures displayed in a special event for The Arts Society Scotland & N Ireland

11:15 Arrival. Please make your way to the Auditorium on level 1.
11:30 Welcome and introductions
Bonnie Prince Charlie and the rise and fall of the Jacobites
Drawing on exceptional material from Scottish collections as well as treasures from across the UK and France, this talk will reveal who the Jacobites were and explores the cause that drove their
campaigns.
David Forsyth is Principal Curator of Medieval – Early Modern Collections in the Dept of Scottish History and Archaeology at National Museums Scotland and the curator of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites.
12:00 Conserving the Jacobites
National Museums Scotland’s Jacobite collections are of international importance. They are often unique objects covering a range of materials and techniques. This talk will highlight the painstaking conservation work under taken on textiles and artefacts, including large costume pieces and Bonnie Prince Charlie's silver travelling canteen.
Danielle Connolly is Assistant Textile Conservator at National Museums Scotland.
Diana de Bellaigue is Artefact Conservator at National Museums Scotland.
12:30 Q&A
12:45 Visit Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites exhibition.

Tickets are priced at £10 (there is further charge of £8 for entry to the exhibition) More information on this event and the refund policy can be found on the Arts Society Scotland & NI Area website: www.scotland-ni- nadfas.org.uk. Postal applications to: Jacobites Exhibition, 10 Ormidale Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 6EQ. ace@scotland-ni- nadfas.org.uk

The Registration form is on this website.  Look under About Us, then Documents

THE JAPANESE GARDEN AT COWDEN CASTLE

NEAR DOLLAR, CLACKMANNANSHIRE FK14 7PJ 11AM-5.30PM 

The Japanese Garden at Cowden (www.cowdencastle.com) is one of the few surviving sites of its kind in the UK. It was created by Ella Christie (1861–1949) known for her ambitious solo expeditions in the early 1900s (she was the first western woman to visit Samarkand and Khiva in Uzbekistan). Ella was inspired to create a Japanese garden at her home, Cowden Castle, during a visit to Kyoto in 1907.

The seven acre garden was designed by Taki Handa, the only woman to have overseen a project such as this. Centred on a long artificial lake, the garden incorporated elements of three traditional Japanese garden forms: a pond and island garden; a stroll garden; and a tea-house garden.

The garden was famous throughout the world until 1963 when the tea houses, bridges and lanterns were vandalised beyond repair. In 2008 Ella Christie’s great great niece Sara Stewart embarked on a project to restore the historic garden. In 2013 Chelsea Gold Medal winner and acclaimed restorer of Japanese gardens, Professor Masao Fukuhara of Osaka University of Arts visited Cowden. He was entranced and now oversees the project.

11am: the visit begins in the Captain’s Room, Dollar Academy (by kind invitation of the Rector, David Knapman). Coffee and biscuits will be served and the Rector and archivist Janet Carolan will welcome us.

Lecture: ‘Japanese Gardens in The West; 100 Years of Eastern Influence’. Arts Society Lecturer Amanda Herries, author of ‘Japanese Gardens in Britain’ has lived in Japan. She now lectures on a number of English and Anglo-Japanese subjects, including gardens. Her most recent publications are on Japanese plant and garden influences in the West.

Lunch: Soup and sandwich lunch.

Afternoon: Visit The Japanese Garden at nearby Cowden Castle. Here Sara Stewart and Chief Gardener Kate White will take members and their guests for a tour of the gardens.
Tea will be served in the Japanese Pavilion and the visit will end at 5.30pm

Open to Members (£30) and Guests (£35). Further information on this event, the ballot, and refund policy can be found on the Arts Society Scotland & N. Ireland Area website (www.scotland-ni- nadfas.org.uk). 

The registration form is on this website.  Look under About Us, then Documents

We have received the following message from the Arts Society, Tayside

"I wonder if any of  your Members might be interested in joining the Arts Society (Tayside) on a trip to Copenhagen to the Royal Palaces.  The dates for the visit are from Monday, 2nd October to Friday, 6th October, flying direct from Edinburgh to Copenhagen and then by coach for the remaining four days.  This promises to be an outstanding  opportunity - and follows an excellent lecture given to us by Hanna Sutcliffe on the Royal Palaces.  I can give you full details, should any members be interested"
Kindest regards from Claire Paton, Visits co-ordinator, Arts Society, Tayside,

If you are interested in this visit, please contact Claire Paton directly at

lethangie@hotmail.com

New Lanark 

New Lanark is a village on the River Clyde in Lanarkshire. It was founded in 1786 by David Dale who built cotton mills and housing for the mill workers. It is set in a valley and has lovely walks along the river, there is a great deal of interest to see.

Please note that this visit entails a lot of walking, as the building are spread over a large area.

If you wish to make this visit, please complete the form  on this website (see About us, then Documents) and send it with payment of £35.50 which includes coach hire, short talk, coffee, lunch and gratuities, to the above address or bring it to the meeting.

For more information contact Ann Cumming, Visits Secretary

at  anniecrawfie2@gmail.com

This tour has been arranged With ACE Cultural tours, based in Cambridge.

We will be staying at Queens' Collete, the rooms are all ensuite and less expensive than hotels in Cambridge.

Members should contact Gill Harvey from ACE to register an interest by please contact me if you have any questions.

Jennifer Harding -Edgar, Area C-Ordinator for Education, NADFAS Scotland and NI

Booking form is on this website - go to About us, then Documents.

FRIDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2017 5-6PM, ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, QUEEN STREET, EDINBURGH FOLLOWED BY

A PRIVATE VIEW OF THE BEYOND CARAVAGGIO EXHIBITION WITH ANDREW GRAHAM-DIXON AND AIDAN WESTON-LEWIS, CHIEF CURATOR, NGS 6.30-8PM, SCOTTISH NATIONAL GALLERY, EDINBURGH 

2017-18 are momentous years for NADFAS/the Arts Society; a new brand and a Golden Anniversary! The Arts Society Scotland & NI area is marking these events with a very special evening in Edinburgh. Leading art critic, journalist, broadcaster and author Andrew Graham-Dixon will give his lecture “The Extraordinary Life and Times of Caravaggio.” We will then take the short walk to The Scottish National Gallery. The Gallery has generously agreed to an exclusive opening for the Arts Society for a Private View of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Blockbuster exhibition “Beyond Caravaggio” in the company of Chief Curator Aidan Weston-Lewis and Andrew Graham- Dixon.

This exhibition of works by Caravaggio and his followers – the so-called Caravaggesque painters - is a collaboration between the National Gallery of London, The National Gallery of Ireland, and the National Galleries of Scotland. It is the first ever to be shown in Scotland. Caravaggio’s dramatic lighting and compositions, and his radically new approach to subject matter exerted a huge influence on a host of contemporary artists from all over Europe, many of them painters of the very highest calibre, such as Gentileschi, Ribera, Valentin and Ter Brugghen. www.nationalgalleries.org

Tickets are priced at £22 for Members and £25 for guests. Further information on this event, the ballot, and refund policy can be found on the Arts Society Scotland & N. Ireland Area website: www.scotland-ni-nadfas.org.uk. Postal applications to J. Harding-Edgar, 10 Ormidale Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 6EQ. ace@scotland-ni-nadfas.org.uk 

The registration form is on this website - look under About Us, then Documents

Visit to Scone Palace and the Fergusson gallery in Perth

On arrival at Scone Palace, there will be tea/coffee and shortbread.  Then a guided tour of the palace, followed by lunch of soup, sandwiches, tea and coffee.

The afternoon will be spent at the Fergusson Gallery in Perth where you will have ample  time to view the collection.

Fergusson  was one of the most important and influential artists in Britain. Born in the first half of the  he spent much of his career in France and is now most associated with Scottish Colourist group. The Fergusson Gallery holds his vast collection of artwork and associated archive, along with the archive of his lifelong companion, the pioneer of modern dance, Margaret Morris.

The registration form for this visit is on the website.  Look under About us, then Documents, and will be available at the lecture.

For more information , contact Sandra Russell

J D Fergusson was one of the most important and influential artists in Britain in the first half of the 

This visit will include two venues in Stirling Castle. After coffee we will visit he Unicorn Tapestries with a Blue Badge guide giving the presentation. After lunch at the castle, we will take a very short walk down to Argyll's Lodging for a visit to the building and garden. The coach will pick us up from there. Registration forms will be sent out before the first lecture to allow members to hand in their forms and will be available on this website. For more information please contact Ann Cummings at anniecrawfie2@gmail.com

The Stirling Tapestries Intricate and beautiful this set of seven hand-woven tapestries hangs on the walls of the Queen’s inner hall at the Royal Palace. They are closely based on the Hunt of the Unicorn series which were created in the Low Countries in the early 1500’s and are now in the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Argyll’s Lodging This grand 17th century mansion with conical turrets was built for Sir William Alexander, founder of Nova Scotia and first Earl of Stirling. It is now cared for by Historic Scotland and is sumptuously decorated with furnishings dating from the late 17th century and demonstrates the luxurious world of an aristocratic renaissance family.

More information and registration forms will be available closer to the time of the visit.

Please contact Penny Lycett for any further information pshlycett@outlook.com

More information and registration forms will be available nearer the time.

Winton House, A 550 year old house, designed by the King’s Master Mason, built by the Seton family and owned by them until 1715. The house and estate was bought by the Hamilton Nisbets linking it to many other notable inheritances of the 18th Europe and the Turkish Empire were collected to enhance what is now the home of Sir Francis and Lady Ogilvy.

Floors Castle, on the western outskirts of Kelso, south-east Scotland, is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe. Despite its name it is a country house, rather than a fortress. It was built in the 1720s by the architect William Adam for the 1st Duke, possibly incorporating an earlier tower house.In the 19th century it was embellished with turrets and battlements by William Playfair for the 6th Duke. Floors has the common 18th-century layout of a main block with two symmetrical service wings. Floors Castle lies on the River Tweed and overlooks the Cheviot Hills.

Graeme Cruickshank is our April lecturer and will lead two tours on Pictish art and Scottish pottery.

A welcome drink and a 3-course meal with Margaret Dean, Lord Lieutenant of Fife as our speaker.

Our autumn visit is to the Scottish Ballet School, Glasgow where we will have an illustrated talk followed by a tour of the site, including a peek at the costumes and wardrobe. After lunch we will continue to The Burrell Collection in Pollok Park for a guided tour of their ballet-related items with a special look at the works of Degas.