Theatre, Cinema and the Arts
The greater number of such events are organised by our Arts Group (details below). Due to the way it works you generally will not see these events in the Diary. In addition, other members organise theatre, opera & cinema events which appear in the Diary. See the separate Theatre and Cinema sub club pages.
Arts Group
The Arts Group meets every month to swap ideas for theatres, cinemas, concerts, etc.
We cover a wide range: from the tiniest fringe theatre to the glitziest West End show, from back-room-of-a-pub gigs to arena-sized events, from art house movies to the latest blockbusters—plus we take in dance, galleries, stand-up comedy ... anything that takes your fancy, really—because you get to choose what we see. Sure, there's a small hardcore of people who regularly arrange events: but the key principle of the Arts Group has always been that anyone can organise a show that they want to attend, and maybe persuade others to join them. The key focus is our monthly meeting, generally held on the first Monday of the month, where a bunch of us get together and informally make plans for events - a process that, from a distance, looks like a lot of people drinking while passing event fliers and cheques between each other. If you can't make that meeting, don't worry: later that evening, an email summary of proceedings goes out via the Broadcast system to all members, so you can still book for the shows we've agreed on.
Don't think of us as just a ticket agency, though: we're not called the Arts Group for nothing. All our arts events generally include a meal beforehand or afterwards, to allow people to socialise and make new friends. It's not just about seeing shows, it's also about getting to know the people you see those shows with. We don't bite (except for during those meals I mentioned earlier). And if you decide to organise an event for us, we'll like you even more.
It's unnerving to think that the Arts Group has now spanned at least four decades. It was formed some time in the 1980s (possibly even earlier, nobody really remembers) as part of the now-defunct London Village club. When LV was acquired by IVC around the turn of the century, the Arts Group came along with it, and we've been here ever since.
Gerard Gleeson - London IVC Arts Group Co-ordinator
