22 November 2008 to 3 January 2009
Arena first exhibited at Guildford House Gallery in 2003 to wide acclaim by the public. In the 2008 Exhibition, there will be five new members exhibiting at Guildford House for the first time: Leon Taylor, Colin Summers, Carol Hicks, Dave Mason and Kirsten Cooke.
In addition, new work will be shown by many of the original group, including Tim Rudman's Icelandic Landscapes.
Arena has also brought out a book, called 'Arena Portfolios' which contains biographic details and a folio of images from each member, plus a detailed history of the Arena Photographic Group. This book will be available for sale during the exhibition from the Guildford House Gallery Gift Shop.
Arena was founded in 1986 and consists of a group of both amateur and professional photographers with a wide variety of interests and styles. Its aims are to promote the highest standards of photography, to encourage print-making, to show and discuss new work, to invite speakers who excel in their fields and to promote constructive debate. Partly to these ends it is also committed to organise an annual weekend seminar for members and guests and to regularly exhibit the work of its members.
To achieve these objectives, membership of Arena is by invitation only. Members meet five times a year and are from a wide variety of backgrounds, their photographic interests being at professional or experienced amateur level. Many of them are members of The London Salon of Photography and/or hold distinctions of the Royal Photographic Society. Several are known for the technical courses they run, for leading photographic excursions or for authoring photographic books.
Arena's annual not-for-profit weekend seminars are always fully subscribed by a mix of keen regular supporters and new-comers to the Arena Experience. For the first time the seminar in 2008 is being held in Bournemouth.
Previous exhibition venues have included the South Bank, The Barbican, Whiteley’s Gallery, Cotton’s Atrium and Hayes Galleria, in London, The National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, and galleries in Basingstoke, Poole, Reading and Salisbury.
For information on some of the members of the group, click on the links on the right.
Please note, the exhibition will be closed from 25 December 2008 to 1 January 2009 inclusive. This exhibition will be open on all Mondays before Christmas.
Members of Arena will be giving a series of lunchtime talks, gallery tours and be available to talk to visitors on selected days. Follow the link for more details.
Arena talks and tours
Guildford House Gallery
155 High Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3AJ
Tel: 01483 444740
Fax: 01483 444742
Email: guildfordhouse@guildford.gov.uk
Open Monday (December only) to Saturday. 10am to 4.45pm. Admission Free