Letter: Sadness over exhibition snub

The Halifax Art Society was formed in 1875 by a group of like-minded artists to promote and educate the people of Halifax in the culture and enjoyment of art. Part of the enjoyment and fulfilment for its members was the opportunity to exhibit their work annually at Bankfield Museum.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Dec 2016, 10:00 BST
Updated 6th Dec 2016, 15:42 BST
A previous Halifax Art Society ExhibitionA previous Halifax Art Society Exhibition
A previous Halifax Art Society Exhibition

Records show that sometime in the late 1920s the society held successful exhibitions at the museum, evidence found in our archived catalogues record Bankfield hosted an annual exhibition for the society since the end of the second world war.

I myself have been the secretary of the Halifax Art Society for the past nine years, and have been involved as the exhibition secretary for a good many of those. I have always found the staff and management to be helpful and friendly, with a place in the events diary a certainty, and a good degree of promoting and advertising circulated on our behalf, we were assured good footfall and good sales. It seemed a win win situation.

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Unfortunately, this year there will be no art exhibition for the public to visit as our proposal requesting an exhibition has been turned down for this year and next. Reason given: “We do not match the required criteria they are now tasked to work under”. Knowing that over the years we have successfully fulfilled all the requirements mentioned as reasons for being rejected, I wonder how this decision was made.

This is disappointing news to a society whose aim is “Educate and inform the people of Halifax in the culture of the arts and to afford opportunities for the holding of fine art exhibition in the town of Halifax.

Is this not what Bankfield is also about?

If anyone agrees with these sentiments, please write in.

Janet Gledhill, Leicester Terrace, Halifax

Related topics:Halifax