The Faculty of Arts

The 'Faculty' was a short-lived independent body not attached in any way to other organisations. Its aim was to consolidate the 'arts' in every way possible. It had a variety of 'sections' devoted variously to painting and drawing in all media, commercial art, photography, architecture, etching and other printmaking forms, sculpture, design, drama, literature, music, crafts and even dancing. Exhibition facilities were provided at premises located at 10, Upper John Street, Golden Square, London W1. It began life c. 1922 and appears to have lasted for a decade although the originally published journal under the eponymous title was superseded by The Orbit circa 1928. The 'Faculty' exhibitions included paintings and sculpture by Australian artists in Europe in 1924 and an exhibition of works taken from the British Section of the XIVth International Art Exhibition of the city of Venice, better known as the Venice Biennale, also in 1924.

The Council and its advisors boasted many influential arts-related persons. These included Viscount Leverhulme, Sir Henry Wood, G.K. Chesterton, Nigel Playfair, Israel Zangwill, art critic and writer Herbert Furst and artists Edward Borough Johnson, Leonard Richmond and Alfred Wolmark. We are currently still researching this interesting but obscure body and hopefully, further details will come to light.