About
The Friends of Putney School of Art and Design exists to promote the School and to safeguard the interests of all enrolled students. The Friends arrange a number of activities promoting the Art School throughout the year, including master classes, exhibitions, lectures and social gatherings. We fund the library and help The Art School financially on special projects. We make certain that members’ views are heard by the administration and by Wandsworth Council.
Membership is open to all students, both past and present, as well as anyone who is interested in The Art School being a focus for art in Putney. The membership fee is £7 (£14 for couples) per academic year. As a friend you will receive regular newsletters, invitations to lectures and social events and be involved in art exhibitions. You will also help fund the school library and contribute to the cost of key building work and equipment. An example of this is the new studio and lift (see under the History of the school). Your views will be represented through the Friends’ meetings with the Council.
To find out about art courses at PSAD use the Links section.
To join the Friends click here
To read the Constitution click here
To read the Conflict of Interest Policy click here
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How The ‘Friends’ Came Together
by Margaret Knott (Vice Chairman & Publicity)
“One Friday in Novenber 1998 a rumour, which turned out to be true, swept through the corridors of Putney School of Art. The School was to be closed.
On the following Monday, Rob Dark the student representative, Eric Larmont, teacher, and Margaret Knott met and realised they had to do something very quickly indeed if the Art School was to be saved.
It was an incredible stroke of luck that Rob Dark was the student representative at the time. His experience as an architect with Islington Borough Council made him invaluable, and his calm and ordered manner were fantastic assets.
The first of many meetings were held and supporters signed a book and wrote letters to the council. A group was then formed to decide what to do next. Various people offered their skills, including designing a Friends’ letter heading and carrying out a major survey of students’ opinions. Undemocratically, a committee was appointed. They were:
Ray Barker, because he had a distinctive signature and a lot of experience with Blackheath School of Art; Jenny Alexander because she was remembered as the short person in black at the meeting not letting go of any argument – she also happened to be an accountant!; Morrie Tabak had been in advertising and had good computer skills; Michael Hatfield was a journalist and writer, and Michael Holmes – because he was always there!
Michael Homes wrote and produced a history of the School, and Morrie Tabak produced lots of leaflets. They have both since stepped down and been replaced by Alison Brooke, an excellent secretary, Jenny Kershaw, very experienced in education, Vicki Garthwaite, for her excellent experience in organising events and producing the newsletter, and Janet Mays for her long experience in the arts.
After many meetings, petitions, discussions and heartaches, Councillor Edward Lister, then leader of the Council, declared at a full public meeting that there would always be an art school on the Oxford Road site.
The committee’s job since the reopening of PSAD is to support and promote the school as a centre for education in art and design and to protect the school as a resource for the community.”
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