by Trudy Muller
The Fine Arts Society of Peoria was founded by people with a lively curiosity about the world around them. They were eager to explore the arts, expand their knowledge, and share their quest with others.
Lectures take place at the Peoria Riverfront Museum on the second Thursday of the month. Social time begins at 9:30am and the one-hour lecture begins at 10:00am. Admission is free to Fine Arts Society members. Guests are welcome, and tickets are available at the door.
Read on for five things you may not have known about the Fine Arts Society of Peoria!
- Unique. The Fine Arts Society is the only local organization that provides a regular and ongoing series of presentations devoted exclusively to topics in the arts.
- Deep roots. FAS began in 1962. One of its founders, Mrs. J. Russel Coulter, had helped found the Peoria Symphony Guild, then known as the Women’s Symphony Guild, in 1951. FAS was also an early supporter of Lakeview Center. At Lakeview’s opening festival in 1965, Society documents were among the materials placed in a time capsule below the lobby.
- Fine arts plus. From its early years, FAS has taken a broad view of the arts that encompasses applied arts, such as ceramics, as well as the traditional fine arts, such as painting and sculpture. Architecture, photography, literature and music have all been topics for Fine Arts speakers.
- More than talk. The lecture format is not the only one. Recent examples include a concert by composer John Orfe and a Japanese tea ceremony by Jennifer Gunji-Ballsrud.
- Fair play. The Fine Arts Society is not the organizer of the annual Fine Art Fair. Credit for that amazing event goes to the Peoria Art Guild!
Check out "Exploring, Expanding, Enlivening the Fine Arts" in the Sep/Oct 2018 issue of Art & Society to learn more about the FAS and their 2018-19 season of programming. PS
