CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17114, 8 April 1921, Page 7

CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF ARTS.

10 THE EDITOR OP ' THK PRESS." Sir, —I wish to endorse "Fair Play's'' statements in regard to the unfairness of the above Society's tactics. AMiy should we hnvo a Society of Arts at all, if not to encourage and help local talent? Anyone can see that each year our local Art Society is being made 'more and more into an "agency for selling professionals' pictures. No doubt many of these are lessons of value to amateurs, but why should they be allowed to so overcrowd the walls that amateurs never get a chance to benefit by seeing their work there to compare with others P The founders of tho Art Society wished to encourage art in . rising generations of the province, but what encouragement do they get now ? _ They must get much Jtiore consideration if we ever hope to develop future New Zealand artists. I approve "Fair Play's" suggestion that the Society's selectors in tho future should be unbiased judges from a distance, who will give space to works of merit regardless whether of professional or amateur ■production. Able judges have preferred many of the mere amateurs work in the recent exhibition to some of the professionals' exhibits there. Hoping the Council of tho Art Society will devise some way to help our amateurs in future,—Yours, etc.. OLD ARTIST.