Arts National (formerly ADFAS) celebrates 30 years

Celebrations with past and present members took place on Sunday, June 16 for ArtsNational Narrabri’s 30th anniversary (formerly ADFAS) at the home of chair, Elizabeth Campbell.

Special guest was Stephen Gow, lecturer coordinator for the Hume Circuit (one of the three circuits of towns that invited ArtsNational arts speakers traverse) who travelled from Armidale for the occasion.

Furthest travelled were former Narrabri residents Pam and Hugh Barrett who came over from Sanctuary Point to celebrate the occasion.

Pam is a much-missed stalwart of the early ADFAS days, serving for many years not only on the Narrabri committee, but also on the National Lecturers committee and the National Executive committee.

Approval for Narrabri to become a fully-fledged ADFAS society was granted by the National Association of ADFAS in November 1993.

The late Rania Manchee was the inspiration behind bringing the arts to the local district when she put the wheels in motion to start a society, gathered up a committee of like-minded enthusiasts, and became ADFAS Narrabri’s inaugural chair in 1994.

The original committee alongside Rania as chair were vice chair Judy Bell (dec), treasurer Patsy Carberry (dec), secretary Prim Winston-Smith, membership secretary Kay McDouall (dec), and committee, Margot Leitch, Annie Lampe, Pam Barrett, Judy Swallow, Helen de Frederick and Winifred Simshauser (dec).

With a second-hand projector, the committee launched their first lecture in March 1994 at the Narrabri West school hall with UK lecturer Edward Saunders. The topic was The Treasures of St Petersburg.

In March 2022 Mrs Manchee was presented with our first lifetime membership award and in March this year the society presented Annie Lampe with the second award.

ArtsNational Narrabri is a non-profit organisation and is one of 36 societies in Australia that offers lectures on a wide range of topics.

The arts speakers are sourced from the UK and Australia and undergo a rigorous selection process by ArtsNational’s parent organisation, The Arts Society in the UK.

Offering arts and culture to regional NSW has been a core aim, with the goal to deliver an entertaining and varied program that will appeal to a wide cross-section of the community.

The society currently has 71 members, and also welcome numerous visitors each month to the illustrated talks held in Cinema 1, The Crossing Theatre.

Three talks have been presented so far this year, with four more scheduled for the season concluding in October.

To these three events 116 visitors have attended with an overall attendance of 245.

Chair Elizabeth Campbell said: “During the past 30 years ArtsNational has grown into a successful organisation with thanks to the dedicated volunteers and the support of the local community.

“We wish to express our appreciation for the support we have received from the Narrabri and Moree districts and thank everyone who celebrated this momentous occasion with us.”