Sid Beynon will chair a group discussion on “what sort of Forum “ do we, the members, want. This is a continuation of the discussion we had at the Forum’s AGM and was warmly received by those attending as a constructive discussion.

There are many options open to us ranging from being a Sunday afternoon painting club through to a hub of excellence in the South East. Everyone is eligible to exhibit in the Forum’s two galleries through the medium of Members’ shows and similar. Also the Forum gives a platform to group shows, such as the current Zoom show in AF2, which is a group of nine painters from Sussex Coast College. Some are exhibiting for the first time and this gives a certain amount of confidence to new exhibitors.

In AF2, there is a solo show from an artist who has exhibited many times before. Next week there will be a solo exhibition from a Spanish artist and also a photographic exploration of a theme (urban redevelopment). These solo shows are the result of the Arts Committee believing there is merit in the solo shows – but this leads us on to the concept of “selection”, which is not welcomed by all members. This is something which should be thrashed out by members, as it will affect the future profile of the Forum. It follows that if there is an element of selection, we should get a consensus of what factors should be included. It is to be hoped that  the four shows over the next few weeks will be somewhat inspirational and give food for thought, ie, educational, Maybe you find this attitude patronising or even better,  you may have other ideas that ought to be considered.  Lets hear from you !!