Victorian Artists Society

The Victorian Artists Society, which can trace its establishment to 1856 in Melbourne, promotes artistic education, art classes and gallery hire exhibition in Australia. It was formed in March 1888 when the Victorian Academy of Arts (previously Victorian Society of Fine Arts) and the Australian Artists' Association amalgamated.

The Victorian Artists' Society building, Albert Street, East Melbourne

History

The Victorian Society of Fine Arts, a forerunner to the Victorian Academy of Arts, was established in 1856.[1] The Victorian Academy of Arts was formed in 1870 with "about twenty artists and amateurs" amongst its first members,[2] including Eliezer Levi Montefiore.[3]

The Australian Artists' Association held its first exhibition in 1886, with works by Tom Roberts, Louis Buvelot, Frederick McCubbin, and Arthur Streeton.[4]

In March 1888 the Academy and the Association amalgmaated, creating the Victorian Artists Society.[5] The founding president of the new Society was Joseph Anderson Panton;[6] later presidents included Frederick McCubbin and Paul Raphael Montford.[7]

The premises at 430 Albert Street in East Melbourne were erected for the society in 1888, enlarged in 1892 and modernised in 1953. Facilities include four galleries, teaching studio, members room, offices and other ancillary facilities.

Today

Membership is restricted to 1000, a figure last reached in 1979, and is open for new members to join. Membership is open to all persons interested in the fine arts, with the emphasis on practising artists.

Regular classes are held in various media which are open to members and non-members including watercolour, oil painting, drawing, mixed media, life model.

Exhibitions are held annually, including the seasonal spring, summer, autumn and winter exhibitions, with awards given at each.

The 2017 Artist of the Year Award was given to Ray Hewitt.

References
  • Germaine Max – Artists and Galleries of Australia (1984) Boolarong Publications
  1. "Historic Melbourne". Australian Town and Country Journal. NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 June 1901. p. 30. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  2. "Our Melbourne Letter". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 22 January 1870. p. 7. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. Bergman, G.F.J. "Eliezer Levi Montefiore". Australian Dictionary of Biography. ANU. Retrieved 11 December 2020. This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (MUP), 1974
  4. "Exhibition of the Australian Artists' Association". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 7 September 1886. p. 7. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. "Victorian Academy Of Arts". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 14 March 1888. p. 5. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  6. "Death of Mr. J. A. Panton". Bendigo Advertiser. Vic.: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1913. p. 3. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  7. "IN A SCULPTOR'S STUDIO". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 5 May 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 20 September 2013.


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