Cullercoats Art Club started life as St Oswald’s Art Club, and was formed in 1946. The club closed down in 1958 but was re-formed in October 1964 by Mr J.C.H. Cottam who acted as Chairman until 1969, during which time the membership rose from six to thirty. The club met in the YMCA building at Mast Lane, Cullercoats until 1979, when the venue was taken over by the Ockenden Venture. The building was then used to house refugee Vietnamese Boat People.
The club briefly moved to the North Shields Youth Centre before moving to its present location at Thompson Hall on Marden Estate. The name was changed in 1968 to Cullercoats Art Club. Since then the members have met each Monday evening to paint for pleasure in a friendly and informal atmosphere. The annual programme includes talks, demonstrations, workshops and outdoor sketching evenings during the summer weeks, as well as two selling exhibitions.
One of the present club members, Edwin Arvidson, is now 90 years of age and still painting. He has been an active artist for many decades and will be exhibiting some of his work, with others, at the next exhibition and sale, which takes place on Saturday 29th October from 10am to 4pm at the Broadway Methodist Church Hall in Cullercoats . This will be an opportunity to see recent work by the club members, purchase work at reasonable prices and, if desired, gain membership to the club. Entrance is free and refreshments will be on sale. All are welcome.
by Jim Skipsey