Farsley and District Art Club
A friendly art club based in Farsley, Leeds
We are a friendly, social group of artists who meet throughout the week in Farsley, Leeds. New members are always welcome, especially beginners who are given encouragement and assistance.
We have a varied syllabus with workshops and demonstrations from visiting artists. We hold portrait and life drawing sessions every month and our own members take the lead on some workshops giving us a varied and mixed programme throughout the year.
We hold exhibitions every year and all our members are given the opportunity to show and sell their work.
Farsley Art Club was founded in 1960 when six local artists held meetings in the Fleece Hotel in Farsley and later in Ben Thrippletons’ barbers shop. In 1962 they moved their meetings to Farsley Liberal Club but two years later they were given notice to quit after leaving the room in an untidy state. The artists, now numbering approximately 30, were on the move again. Thanks to Frank Bower, a club member and a master at Wesley Street School, the club was given permission to use the art room at the school where he taught.
In 1965 the club committee made representation to Pudsey Urban District Council and we were offered Westroyd House, a large Victorian House, and moved in on September 25th of that year. Westroyd House was in a very poor state of repair and the members worked hard to make the building habitable. Memories of those days remain with our older members, the cleaning, the painting and the repairing of the building. The jumble sales to raise money and the advertising in the local papers for furniture and the open fires that needed lighting on club nights.
Despite the efforts of the members, time took its toll on Westroyd House and in 2002 a visit from the council resulted in the realisation that
a quarter of a million pounds would be needed to bring the building up to modern standards. Leeds City Council told us that the money was just not available. In 2004 Westroyd House was sold and converted into apartments and Farsley Art Club, thanks to the generosity of Leeds City Council, moved to the renovated ambulance station next door.
We now have a modern easily accessible building with disabled access and facilities.