The committee is elected by the members each year at our Annual General Meeting.

Current Trustees are:

Ann McIlhinney (Chair)
Ray Wright (Vice-chair and Membership Secretary)
Ruth Burdett (Secretary)
David Barron (Treasurer)
Carol Brownson (Communications)
David Stern (Lectures)
Sue Hine (Study days)
Steve Rogers (Visits)
Liz West (Community Arts Projects)

A little more about us:

Ann McIlhinney (Chair)
With a background in biochemistry, I worked for more than 20 years in medical communications, writing educational and promotional materials for major international pharmaceutical companies, eventually running my own company. My retirement provided a perfect opportunity to divert away from science and learn more about the Arts, and in 2015 I became a member of The Arts Society. Since then, I have enjoyed the diversity of topics covered in the lectures and study days. In 2018, I volunteered to get more involved in TASO, became joint Programme Secretary and enjoyed putting together what we hoped was an interesting and varied lecture programme. In my current role as Chair, I look forward to working with the team to ensure that we continue to provide members with a wide range of lectures, study days and visits and that we maintain our support for local Community Arts Projects.

 

Ray Wright (Vice-chair and Membership Secretary)
I moved to Oxford from London in 1995 with my young family after an international business career as an economist and financier working in the computer industry, including time based in Boston and Geneva as well, of course, in ‘The City’. I already knew Oxford quite well as I was brought up in Newbury and visited Oxford often for the music and the museums. On my business travels I regularly took the option of visiting museums, art galleries and concert halls rather than just the bars and restaurants. Or, if mountains were anywhere near I’d head there, as hill walking and bird watching, are my other main leisure pursuits.  I’m delighted to join the Trustees of TASO to look after the Membership admin and records, and to support Members’ interests in general. The Society offers members a comprehensive range of events, lectures visits and Study days and is open to all in and around Oxford who would like to know more about the history and background of the vast world-class collection of art, artefacts, houses, and gardens to be found locally and in the UK generally.

 

Ruth Burdett (Secretary)
Born and brought up in Edinburgh, I have lived in Wheatley for more than 35 years. With a background in physics, I worked for a number of years as an editor on science research journals before moving into a career in educational publishing mainly with Heinemann where I worked for more than 15 years, latterly as Publishing Director for Secondary Schools. Away from work, I was for many years a school governor and, on the arts side, have been involved in and produced many plays and musicals in the village. Most recently I was Chair of Trustees of Oxfordshire Contemporary Opera – a small charity, based in the community and aiming to provide opportunities for new music and young singers working alongside community volunteers. I am delighted to have now joined the Trustees of the Arts Society Oxford.

 

David Barron (Treasurer)
I have lived in Oxford for over 25 years, teaching at the Saïd Business School and Jesus College, where I also did a five-year term as Estates Bursar. I began working part time a few years ago, which gave me the time to attend TASO events. I have always loved visiting museums and galleries, and in recent years have also started to get involved in making art as well as looking at it. I’m pleased to have the opportunity to serve as Treasurer to the Society.

 

Carol Brownson (Communications)
I worked in London for many years, initially as a lecturer in biochemistry then as a freelance medical writer for pharmaceutical companies. I moved to Oxford in 2016 and was fortunate to be able to join Oxford DFAS immediately. London was an excellent base for exposure to a broad range of arts including theatre, music, art galleries and museums all of which I enjoyed. The informative lectures and study days provided by TASO have assisted in a happy transfer to Oxford. In 2017 I undertook the role of recruiting the coffee/tea and front desk volunteers for the morning TASO lectures and more recently I have been a member of the Visits committee.

 

David Stern (Lectures)
I was born and brought up in London and studied at The Royal London Hospital taking a B.Sc. in Physiology in 1966 before qualifying in Medicine in 1969. I then worked at ‘The London” until 1975 before leaving to become a partner at The Manor Surgery in Headington. In 1979 I became one of the founder Tutors in the new Oxford University Department of Primary Care and continued in practice and both as an undergraduate Tutor and a post-graduate Trainer of medical registrars for 25 years before retiring in 2014.  My interest in Art and History was triggered when, as a medical student, with a friend we travelled by car from London to Malta in 1968 to join a medical summer school there. On the way we visited many of the great Art History cities of Italy and while in Malta we explored the remarkable pre-historic sites on the island, as well as its art, architecture and complex history. Ever since I’ve been fascinated by Art and Architectural History and enjoyed exploring them in France, Germany, Spain and above all, of course in Italy.  On retiring I joined the Certificate in Art History course at the Oxford University Department of Continuing Education and also joined TOIA (The Oxford Italian Art Society) and TASO.

 

Sue Hine (Study days)
I spent most of my working life as a secondary English teacher, becoming head of sixth form in two Oxfordshire schools and an assistant head teacher. I have also worked in community education and FE. Since retiring I have completed an MA in the History of Art at Brookes, and studied various ten-week art history courses with OUDCE. More recently I spent seven years volunteering for the Ashmolean Museum, organising lectures, study days and visits for the Friends. I have been a member of The Arts Society Oxford for about 10 years, and joined the Study Day team in 2021, becoming a trustee in 2022. I very much enjoy the variety of topics offered by the Arts Society lectures, study days and visits, and the challenge of organising events.

 

Steve Rogers (Visits)

My interest in the arts began when I was about 12, when I wanted to be a film director! My favourite film then and now is ‘Bicycle Thieves’. Due to ill health, I didn’t start my career until I was in my thirties, in social services, which was more by accident than design. This was via a degree in sociology/psychology and several post graduate diplomas. At university, I directed a stage production of ‘A Taste of Honey’, which was later followed by directing several amateur theatre productions.  My taste in the Arts is eclectic and I have studied various formal and informal Open University courses in aesthetics and art history, as well as undertaking numerous courses on classical music, architecture, literature and film.  Recently I finally realised my ambition – I attended a summer school at Oxford School of Drama, followed by enrolling in the MA course in Shakespeare and Theatre at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford.

I passionately believe that the Arts should be accessible to everybody because they are rooted in our very being and I espouse the fact that nobody should ever be restricted from pursuing them because of their background. I am an advocate for the performing arts and believe that my role as a Trustee should be to encourage innovation and creativity within the society
 

Liz West (Community Arts Projects)

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