These are the most frequently asked questions

1. What is your website address?  https://theartssocietyrichmond.org.uk
2. Are most questions answered on the website? - Yes, 97% of all questions are answered on the website
3. Is there a joining fee? – No
4. Is there a waiting list? – No
5. How do I join? – Click here 
6. Where is the membership form? – Click here
7. What is the membership fee? – Our full year membership fees are £40 single, £75 double payable by direct debit, but we reduce the membership fees as we approach our 30th June renewal date. The membership form always shows the amount payable if you join now. We give a £5 voucher to the person who introduces you as a member.
8. How do I set up the direct debit? - The direct debit form is at https://tinyurl.com/RichmondDD. We will send you the link after we receive your membership form. Everything is done online so there is no paper direct debit form.
9. When are the lectures? – First Tuesday of the month (not January).
10. What is the next lecture? - Click here
11. Where are the lectures held? – Duke Street Church, Richmond TW9 1DH
12. What time are the lectures? – The one-hour lectures start at 7.30pm
13. Do you serve drinks before the lectures? - Yes, from 6.45pm
14. Do you serve drinks after the lectures? - We only serve drinks after the July and December lectures. These drinks in July and December are free
15. Are the lectures also on Zoom? - Yes, you will be sent an email with the Zoom link a day or so before the lecture
16. Are the lectures recorded or on YouTube? - No
17. How many events do you organise each year? - We organise 11 lectures, 12 visits, 3 study mornings and 2 trips each year. This is more than any neighbouring arts society. Click on the links at the top to find out about future lectures, visits, study mornings and trips.
18. How does your membership fee compare to neighbouring societies? - Our £40 subscription is lower than any neighbouring arts society. We haven't increased it for 10 years.
19. Do members pay to come to a lecture? - No. Lectures are free for members
20. Can I come to a lecture if I’m not a member? – Yes, you are most welcome to come along. No ticket needed. Just turn up and pay £5 at the door. We’ll refund the £5 if you join
21. Can I bring more than one guest? – Yes, bring as many friends as you’d like. No ticket needed, just turn up at the door. Non-members pay £5 per person which is refunded if the guest joins as a member. Note though that the May and September lectures are free, not £5.
22. Do you have Bring-Friends-Free lectures? - Yes, our May and September lectures are totally free for non-members. Please bring as many friends and family as you wish. No ticket needed, just turn up at the door
23. Is there a lecture in August? – Yes
24. Is there a lecture in January? – No
25. Where are the study mornings held? – Duke Street Church, Richmond TW9 1DH
26. Where do I get the coach for visits? - The Old Deer Park Car Park, Richmond TW9 2RL, the large car park on the Richmond Town Centre south side of the A316
27. How do I get my programme card? – Programme cards are available (to members only) at every lecture and are posted to members who supply a stamped addressed envelope. Send your stamped envelope to Mrs Val Williams, 50 Barnfield Avenue, Kingston KT2 5RE
28. How do I get my membership card? - The Arts Society has not produced membership cards for several years
29. How do I apply to go on a visit or study morning? – We send you an email a few weeks before each event and you apply online
30. When will I receive my ticket for a visit or study morning? - You will receive immediate confirmation that you have bought a ticket and you will receive the ticket itself about 15 minutes later.  You will receive a reminder email and another copy of the ticket two days before the visit or study morning. The joining instructions will be on the website so that should be your first port of call if you can't remember.
31. Do I need to take my ticket to an event? - No, you don’t need to bring your ticket along to a study morning or visit as we will have a list of people attending
32. Do I need to keep my ticket? - Yes, you must have a system for keeping your ticket because it gives you the joining instructions
33. Who should I contact if I have a question? - Please contact the event organiser whose name will be on the website. We have over 400 members and we receive far too many unnecessary emails. Please be considerate and only contact the event organiser. Having said that though, if you still don’t know whom to contact, you should send an email to Richmond@theartssociety.uk
34. Queries about a specific visit or study day? – Contact the organiser
35. Are there still places on a trip? – Contact the organiser of the trip.
36. Do I need to be a member to go on the visits, study days and trips? – There’s no hard and fast rule. We do welcome non-members of course but members take precedence if an event is oversubscribed. The best thing to do is to check with the organiser of the event
37. What is the Gift Aid amount for this year and recent years? – Click here
38. What do I make cheques payable to? – The Arts Society Richmond, but we do everything online so we don’t really do cheques
39. What are the bank details? – Sort code: 40-38-18, account 31024191 in the name of The Arts Society Richmond. When you do a bank transfer please don’t put your name in the reference box because your name shows automatically on our bank statement. The reference should say what the transfer is for. You don’t need to do separate transfers for different things. You just need to send an email to Richard@Lebus.net
40. How do I pay my subscription by direct debit? – It takes two minutes to fill in the direct debit form with your name, email address and bank details. Click here for the direct debit form
41. Can I use a paper form to set up a direct debit? – No. We use a company called GoCardless to process our direct debits because they do not charge a monthly fee. It’s an online company so there is no paper form
42. When are subscriptions payable? – Subscriptions are due on 30th June
43. Who do I contact about volunteering? – Please send an email to Richmond@theartssociety.uk
44. What are the contact details of a committee member? – Contact details are on the back of the programme card and in the emails that you receive about every event
45. What is your postal address? – 238 St Margaret’s Road, Twickenham TW1 1NL
46. What is your email address? – Richmond@theartssociety.uk
47. What is your phone number? – Call 020 8979 4635 to speak to our Chairman, Louise Capell.
48. Can I get a refund if I have to cancel? - After an application for a visit or study morning has been received and accepted, refunds will only be given if there is a waiting list and the vacancy is filled and paid for
49. How do I get the Arts Society’s magazine? - The glossy magazine is published three times a year and is posted to your home address. It’s important therefore that you tell us about a change of address
50. What else can I get from The Arts Society? - We recommend that you sign up at https://bit.ly/artssocietynewsletters to receive the excellent Monthly Highlights and the Instant Expert emails
51. Can I watch the lectures of other societies on Zoom? - Yes, it’s called the Zoom Guest Scheme and to access it you need to email membership@theartssociety.org  and say that you want to be added to the mailing list for the Zoom Guest Scheme
52. Terms and conditions – Click here

And finally, here are the answers to various questions that get emailed to us…..

1. Will the lecture be on Zoom? Yes and see the website
2. Will the lecture be recorded? No and see the website
3. Will the lecture be on YouTube? No and see the website
4. Will the lecture be at Duke Street Church? Yes and see the website
5. Will the study morning be at Duke Street Church? Yes and see the website
6. What time are drinks before the lectures? 6.45pm and see the website
7. What time does the lecture start? 7.30pm and see the website
8. What time does the study morning start? 10am and see the website
9. Where does the coach go from? Old Deer Park car park and see the website
10. What time does the coach leave? See your ticket and see the website
11. What time does a visit start? See your ticket and see the website
12. Where do we meet for the visit? See your ticket and see the website