The Arts Society Thames is a member society of The Arts Society (TAS) a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local Societies and national events.

We aim to be a friendly society, offering our members an opportunity to enjoy our programme amongst other like-minded people in a welcoming environment. We also support local Young Arts projects and heritage conservation.

Past recent lectures have included Edouard Manet and Music, Album Cover Art, The Essential Guide to Greek Sculpture. Click here to view the 2025 lecture programme.

Several visits a year are arranged to galleries, museums and stately homes within a 2-3 hour coach drive of Bourne End. Days of Special Interest are held twice a year and offer members the chance to meet and explore subjects in greater detail than is possible within a lecture.

If you’d like to join us, or would like to know more about TAS Thames, please contact us by clicking here.

What is The Arts Society?

The Arts Society (formerly known as the National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) was launched in 1968 by Patricia Fay with 11 societies and has expanded to over 330 societies in the UK, 10 in Europe, 28 in Australia and 2 in New Zealand. With 90,000 members worldwide, TAS works towards promoting and preserving the arts.

The Societies' concerns include voluntary work to maintain historic buildings, recording churches and their contents, working towards developing the arts for the young and maintaining lecture programmes for members.