The arts humanise communities and provide us with inspiration and opportunities to connect as people. Art tells the tales of that society’s development – the trials and tribulations. Culturally speaking, the arts allow for the expression of creative exercise and teach tolerance for diversity. The arts also hold great financial and economic benefit for Guildford, as it attracts visitors and gives Guildford a strong identity.

For many years, Guildford Arts has been committed to opening the world of the arts for everyone, connecting people to the arts and to each other. The social aspect of membership is intrinsic in everything they do. Giving an access point to people who struggle to take that leap into the art world and follow their passions, Guildford Arts is not only a charity but a mental catalyst that allows people to follow their dreams.

We caught up with a couple of the characters that exemplify the benefits of the fantastic work Guildford Arts does.

Jan Ramscar was looking for something different. Photography had always fascinated her but it’s such a hard world to break into. Besides the overcrowded nature of the photography industry, Jan was averse to using a computer and so digital photography was out of the question. Ours being such a digital-centric world may have deterred Jan completely but a member of the Guildford Arts directed her to cameraless photography and the wonders of the photogram. This style of photography is one of the earliest methods for capturing imagery and was pioneered by one Henry Fox Talbot. Jan is now an emerging figure on the Guildford Arts scene and regularly exhibits her work.

Next, we spoke with fledgling glass smith Caroline Rutter. Caroline grew up surrounded by centuries’ old stained glass her entire life and, having been initially overawed by the craftsmanship, she decided to throw herself (not literally, thank god) into her glasswork. A sense of grounding and inner tranquillity inevitably followed and her ability to cut, form and tint glass improved with each venture. Caroline realised the creating of stained glass is not just reserved for master craftsman from the annals of history. It’s a learnable skill like everything else and this was made apparent thanks to the community of Guildford Arts.