ARTISTS are expected to push themselves to the limit for their 70th annual exhibition in Worcester, making the milestone one to remember.

The Worcester Society of Artists, founded in 1947, has a long and rich history and senior members want members to test the boundaries of what they think possible to surprise themselves and inspire others.

Exhibition secretary Steve Riley, aged 66, of Greenacres Road, St John’s, and 85-year-old Derek Davis, the membership secretary, are not standing on ceremony after the successful 69th exhibition at the Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum in Foregate Street which opened on December 3 last year and closed on January 28.

The art gallery and museum has played host to every one of the exhibitions.

Members want the milestone 70th exhibition between September 16 and October 28 this year to surpass the high standard set at the previous one which had a rich cross-section of work from oils and acrylics to watercolours and pastels and from sculptural work to sketches.

Still more diverse were the genres from haunting, tenderly observed portraits to idyllic rural landscapes.

They exhibition displayed a bewildering range of subjects from religious iconography to visceral moments of sporting triumph and from abstract, impressionist and modernist pieces to more traditional styles.

With a chance to vote for your favourite piece at the exhibition, the emphasis is on involving the public and making the display as interactive as possible.

Mr Davis said: “It’s got a history. We have a lot to live up to – the people who have gone before us. We have to keep up that tradition.

“I would like artists to produce something out of their comfort zone.”

Mr Riley said: “We want a worthy exhibition to celebrate the past 70 years.”

Despite the quality of some of the artwork the society prides itself on being open to people of all abilities and levels of experience.

Mr Riley said: “One of the nicest things about the club is that I’ve never heard anybody look down on anybody else. I’ve never heard that type of superior comment.”

The society, with its workshops and demonstrations, has provided a forum for artists to share their ideas and techniques, allowing them to develop, improve and experiment.

Mr Davis said one of the most exciting aspects was to watch members improve, even those who may have struggled.

Informally, it is also a place where lasting friendships have been forged.

The society has around 80 members ranging from the age of 25 to two in their 90s and is roughly evenly split between men and women.

One artist, Colin Ross Jack, who lost his hearing due to meningitis has not let that stand in his way and remains highly valued for the way he inspires other members.

During the Second World War, around 1942/43, the Government founded a body known as the CEMA (the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts) and out of this grew the well-known Worcester SAMA (Society for the Advancement of Music and the Arts).

The visual arts group, which was part of this, was launched, and had its first meeting on May 8, 1947.

Early meetings were held at the Victoria Institute, and various rooms in the City Art Gallery, Museum and Library. In 1956 the group moved to St Alban’s, the church which became Maggs Day Centre in Deansway.

Despite their difficulties in the early years, the SAMA went from strength to strength during the 1960s.

In 1965 the visual arts group (Worcester Society of Artists) drew up its own constitution under the direct patronage of the mayor and city council.

The WSA played a considerable part in the founding of the Swan Theatre, and were granted a regular meeting place in their rehearsal room.

With the threatened closure of the Swan in 2003 the society had to look for a new home, moving to the Worcester Arts Workshop, before the Mission Hall on Bromwich Road became their new base.

Membership was over 150 during the 70s. Before the move club had about 120 members.

This was a disruptive period and numbers fell to 75 in 2004 but have since grown to a sustainable level.

The society now has its own website and uses electronic communication (communication had been through post). Mr Riley helped modernise the running of the group which is paid for through a £25 annual subscription and fundraising events like raffles.

For more information visit www.worcesterart.co.uk