A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

On behalf of the Arts Society Board of Trustees, thank you for taking the time come to Bristol and participate in what I’m sure is going to be an exciting, stimulating and informative day for all of us who love The Arts Society and want it to thrive in the future.

The documents in this pack represent a formidable amount of work by the Arts Society professional staff, and not a small amount of commitment from members who have filled in questionnaires, attended meetings, and read the bulletins that have been sent out over the last few months.

We have listened, digested and really thought about what you have told us. We know that you are all volunteers and that you spend considerable amounts of your time running your societies, going to Area meetings and planning for the future. It is truly appreciated. All of us who volunteer know the benefits of feeling valued, and the frustrations when things don’t go to plan. I hope we can all go away from the Bristol conference feeling energised, recommitted and reconnected and I hope we can have a little fun too!

There are multiple challenges ahead. We have to be visionary, we have to plan and we have to be realistic and practical. It’s a big ask but I’m sure that together we really can go on bringing more art to more people and find new and exciting ways to meet our charitable objects.

Please enjoy yourselves. Most of trustee board will be present. Please talk to us over the course of the day - we’ve all run societies and we really want to hear your voice as we make decisions for the future of The Arts Society.

Liz Woods Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Arts Society

This Conference resource pack compiles many of the findings and recommendations of our research since the Covid pandemic. Once our world got turned upside down in 2020, it soon became clear that there would be no turning back to the world as we knew it. Whilst some “normalcy” has been restored, the “new normal” is still being shaped.

The resources in this booklet reflect this.

Readers can expect

• Quantitative insights from questionnaires & surveys with Societies and individual Members

• Our conference insight papers (published in the Bulletin as the Bristol Series)

• Recommendations & Reports

The conference itself is part of our process to make decisions for the future, and discussions in Bristol will help us develop our offer and support for Societies.

This means that your familiarity with this resource will aid informed and insight-driven thinking.

Thank you for joining us in Bristol!

Florian Schweizer Chief Executive