Visual Arts

Across the Guildford Area there are flourishing Art Societies with large memberships and impressive annual exhibitions. In addition to these 'formal' organisations there are a number of artist 'groups' that share common interests and enjoy pursuing their art in a collaborative way that may include sharing studio facilities, regular meetings and tutorial sessions or simply a pleasant social context.

A glance at the catalogue for Surrey Artists Open Studios or a visit to the Surrey Sculpture Society web site is enough to indicate the richness and variety of artistic talent that exists in the West of Surrey.

It is perhaps no suprise to find that the University College of the Creative Arts at Farnham has featured significantly in the development of many of our local artists. Nor is it suprising that there are a significant number of commercial art galleries in the Guildford Area that frequently focus on the works of local practitioners. The Lightbox at Woking provides a regional public gallery of significance and Guildford can boast of Watts Gallery at Compton and the Lewis Elton Gallery at the University of Surrey.

The visual arts are represented to the full with photograophic societies, community arts initiitiatives, print workshops and a massive variety of educational opportunities spread across the area.