As the academic year comes to a close, we, the Art Society committee, want to take a moment to reflect on what has been an incredibly meaningful and creative year for our community.

One of the highlights of this year was being recognised in the Top 30 Most Influential at the YourSU Awards Ceremony. This recognition was not just about the committee or individual achievements, but about the collective energy that has shaped the society throughout the year. It reflects the creativity, consistency, and sense of belonging that so many members have contributed to week after week.

Across the year, our weekly sessions became much more than just structured meetings. They evolved into a shared space where ideas were exchanged freely, where experimentation was encouraged, and where people could simply take a break from academic pressure and reconnect with their creativity. From sketching and plen air painting to open creative sessions and collaborative activities with other societies, each week added something different to the identity of the society.

What has stood out most, however, is not only the artwork produced, but the connections formed alongside it. Friendships developed naturally through shared tables, shared materials, and shared conversations. Many members joined us for the first time this year and quickly became familiar faces, contributing to the welcoming and open atmosphere we value so highly. We are also glad to have participated in the CU Design Society showcase, delivered themed sessions and events that brought together members with different experiences and backgrounds. These moments reminded us that the society is not only a creative outlet, but also a space for community-building, confidence, and personal growth.

As committee members, it has been a privilege to witness this environment grow and to see how members have shaped it just as much as we have helped organise it. Every session, every conversation, and every piece of work displayed has contributed to what this society has become this year.

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) was both a formal moment to reflect on the year and a chance to celebrate together one final time. We are now at the end of this academic year and have a new committee elected for the next academic year, who will continue to build on what has been created.

During the AGM, we have reviewed the year’s activities we did, we shared ideas and plans for the future, and what we have achieved together as a community. More than anything, we hope it was a moment for all of us to come together once more as a community and celebrate everything we have shared.♥

Our Committees Sign-off Notes:

✨From Nada, our Events Coordinator:"I still feel so new to the Art Society - having only been part of it for 9 months, I am always so so thankful for the warmth and love that the committee and members have given me in such a short time. My experience within the society has been filled with fun, laughs and rich memories.

As a committee member, I have truly enjoyed being able to create an environment where people can be both creative and also make lifelong friendships.

Before joining, it had been a while since I did any art: it has been so refreshing and fulfilling being able to use my creative skills again. My spark and love for art is stronger than ever, because of you all. And beyond just creating art, I have truly valued the connections and relationships I have developed within the society. You are all my cherished friends. ❤️ Thank you all!"

✨From Maristella, our President:"After three years serving as President of the Art Society, the time has come for me to step away from this role as I graduate. Writing this feels less like a farewell, and more like pausing to recognise what this community has been, and what it will continue to become.

Over the years, we have done so much! Not everything worked perfectly, but we all know growth came as much from what we had to rethink as from what we achieved. Creative communities do not depend on fixed structures or individuals. They evolve through participation. This Society will continue to change, as it should, shaped by new leadership, new members, and new perspectives.

To those who are continuing this journey: take ownership of it. Question what exists, build on it, and do not feel constrained by what has been done before. The value of this Society lies in its ability to adapt.

To those I have worked with: thank you. Not in a symbolic sense, but in a practical one: for your time, your ideas, your patience, and your willingness to contribute.

As for me, I step away from the role, but not from what it represents. The experience of leading this Society will continue to inform how I approach creative work, collaboration, and community beyond university. This is not really a goodbye. It is a transition… from leading the space to becoming one of the many people shaped by it."

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.

Art Society Committee
2025/2026