The Arts Club relocated to its present elegant 18th Century town house at 40 Dover Street in 1896, affording its members a comfortable and impressive base in Mayfair. In September 2011 the Club re-launched after under-going a complete renovation, overseen by David D’Almada, transforming it into a truly venerable institution.
In the course of its existence the club has included amongst its members many outstanding figures in the history of art, literature and science. Writers such as Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Thomas Hughes; musicians such as Tosti, Charles Halle and Liszt; artists such as Leighton, Sickert, Millais, Rodin and Whistler as well as an array of pre-eminent surgeons, solicitors and professionals.
The principal areas of interest amongst the current members are: art, architecture, fashion, film, literature, music, performance, photography, science, theatre and TV/media.
It is now very much a place where creative and entrepreneurial patrons come together to meet, exchange ideas, dine and participate in the various events, and the Club has reclaimed its place at the heart of contemporary cultural life in London.
The Club’s art collection is the very heart of the building highlights international trends, as well as maintaining a focus on British-based artists. Amelie von Wedel, the Club’s art advisor and curator, has chosen the pieces to include a combination of site-specific installations and carefully selected acquisitions. The permanent collection includes work by Tomas Saraceno, John Baldessari and John Stezakar, which sit alongside a series of temporary exhibitions which change throughout the year.
