WELFARE OF ART

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 137, 14 June 1927, Page 9

WELFARE OF ART

THE EMPIRE ACADEMY

COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME

OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERSEAS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 23rd April. The Dominions Artists' Club has become amalgamated/With the British Empire Academy. This decision was taken- because the latter organisation, while pursuing the same objects as the former, dispoues of far greater financial means; it has acquired a magnificent site and excellent temporary buildings, including spacious exhibition and concert hall; and it intends to erect a still more imposing home for Empire Art in London. The British Empire Academy (United Arts Society) has Lord Howard do Walden £ - its chairman. The founder and vice-chairman is Mr. W. Howard Eobinson. The provisional committee includes Captain Victor Gordon (vice-president), High Commissioner for Newfoundland, the Lord Strathspey, Sir Herbert Matthews, Commander P. Harrington Edwards, D.5.0., Mr. E. C. Hannen, ; Mr. Redmond Howard, Mr. T. Gf. Middleton, Mr. Lucien Pacaud (Permanent Secretary, High Commissioner's Office- for Canada), Mr. H. T. Pooley, and Mr. E. K. Bowe. Among the list of patrons are the following:—The Earl of Lonsdale, Viscount Willingdon, the Bight Hon. J. G. Coates, General Hertzog, the Hon. W. S. Munroe, the Hon. Ernest Lapointe, K.C., Sir Herbert J. Stanley, the Hon. Peter C. Larkin, the Hon. Sir James Parr, Captain Victor Gordon, Sir Francis Newton, the Hon. N. I. Lemieux, tha Hon. Sir Bujay C. M. Burdwan, Maharajadhiraja Bahadur,' Mr. W.-.C. Noxon, Sir Harry E. M. Brittain, Sir Joseph Duveen, Mr. J. J. Morgan. The main objects of the British Empire Academy are:—(l) . To provide adequate exhibition space—the greatest need of all painters, sculptors, etc. Also galleries, theatre, and concert hall, largo enough to enablo modern composers, musicians, and dramatists suitably to display their works. v Thus to help^and encourage appreciation of every branch of the arts throughout the [British Empire, and assist in cementling the bonds of Empire. (2) To create a world market for Empire art of- all kinds in whatever way expressed, and especially to assist unknown art workers of promise by enabling them to display their talents. (3) To provide a central home of the arts in the capital of the Empire, where all known and latent talent of Great Britain and the Dominions cun be displayed and maintained before the whole world; THE SOLE OBJECT. , The committee is convinced that although there are many schools for teaching the various branches of art, there has been till now no means of en- | abling those who have passed through these schools to bring their often beautiful work before an understanding public, thus dooming to obscurity much talent lying dormant throughout the' Empire. At the presont time there is no institution largo enough to be cap-, able of fulfilling this great object. Every year about 14,000 works of art, a large number showing great skill and ability, have to be rejected by the Royal Academy because thoro is not sufficient exhibition space. This great army of artists, and others who at prosent do not submit their work to the academy, will thus be provided with an easy opportunity of exhibiting their talents ,in,such a way that the very best results can bo obtained at a minimum cost. At the present time many, unless they havo influential friends or money to hire and concert lialls, remain in'obscurity. The' British Empire Acadomy will immediately remedy this deplorable state of things by providing in the centre of Londoji an i institution whose sole object will be I to assist every artist in the Empires, whatever his circumstances. The idea is to form a home and social I ceiftro for all tho kindred bodies and associations now scattered ovor England and tho Empire, to enable them to co-operate in their common aim by the encouragoment of tho arts. Already a site has been offered and plans drawn up for large and commodious temporary exhibition galleries, with, stage, club, and reception rooms. The accommodation available in the building includes two largo halls 75ft long, suitable for hanging pictures, a third long gallery 200 ft long, and a fourth 150 ft long, suitable for >black and white sketches, statuary, etc. It is proposed to so arraugo one of the halls that it can bo used and let for concerts, plays, light opera, dances, etc., giving seating capacity for approximately 800 people. Tho leaso of these temporary premises can bo had for eight years, and the rent for the' fust threo years has already been guaranteed. By the thno the lease ends it is Ronfldently hoped that there will be sufficient funds in ''and to build jind endow tho permanent building. The temporary building has a frontage of 200 feet. • '•..'■■ BRITISH PEOPLE ONLY. Membership will be confined to British subjects. Tho entrance fee is to be £1 Is; annual subscription £1 Is; limit of liability £1 Is; composition for life membership £15 15s. Membership will be open to all interested in the promotion of the arts. At the inaugural meeting in February, Mr. W. ,Howard Robinson said: "Ambitious I"know the schemo is, but every comprehensive scheme must be ambitious. So far nothing has been done to give the Dominions, or, for the matter of that, ourselves, a united platform in tho heart of the Empire. Well, this is what we propose to do, and we propose to do it in the following manner. In the average mind, the idea of an. academy seems to be a formal piciure gallery or an informal school like the academies of dancing,'and so on. JMeedless to say, we have used it is a broader sense—of a place like the groves of ancient. Greece where philosophers, artists, muaicians, ami, indeed, all the disciples of all the muses, used to foregather for discussion on tho different forms of beauty and of truth. "It is fully obvious that sueli a platform as we would offer would undoubtedly be welcomed by the beginners who make their debut at the various halls in London every year in the hopes of getting the recognition of their talent, for which some of them spend live years' training, and it will make all tho difference in the world between appearing before an Imperial audience and a haphazard general public. The same, of course, would apply to instrumontalists making their debut, and instead of forcing them to struggle against the stream and then giving them recognition,- they would be encouraged from tho very outset knowing fully they are among friends and well-wishers. "Beaidcs, there would be the natural curiosity of Lour ers to" know what the various Dominions have to show in the way of talent and song. Only' the other day I was at a Dominion concert, and instinctively I looked for Canadian songs, Australian songs, South African songs. Instead, every Dominion artist gavo us French, German, and Italian songs—only one gavo us a native effort, a Maori-- and, strango to say, his item went best of the lot. Under the auspices of tho British Empire Academy, we should try to arrange for 3peeial Dominion concerts, special Canadian nights, Australian nights, and so forth, and I need hardly point out that these would form a source of revenue." . Dramatic, cinema, and other stars will all bo catered for.