What We Do

• We hold two exhibitions in Cambridge each year in the spring and autumn. Our exhibitions feature a very wide selection of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and mixed media works.
• We enjoy regular art talks and creative workshops, discounted for Friends and Members. Our speakers are drawn both from the membership, and from artists from outside the Society.
• We have two friendly sketching groups, open to Friends and Members that meet up in a variety of interesting locations, from gardens to city streets to theatre rehearsals.
• We hold a summer garden party each year, hosted by one of the Society's members.
• We publish a quarterly newsletter 'The Sketch' with CDS news and feature articles about Members and Friends.
• Our website showcases Members' news, events, portfolio pages and more.
• The Society is open to both amateur and professional artists. We have more than 200 members and 60 friends. Many of us enjoy being volunteers at our exhibitions, getting to know each other better.

History

The Society is believed to be one of the oldest of its kind in the UK, having been founded in 1882 by Lady Sandys, wife of the University’s 'Public Orator'. The first public exhibition took place in 1906.  Past members include Gwen Raverat, Cecil Beaton, Ronald Searle and others for whom the Society provided a stepping-stone to a distinguished artistic career.

The Society motto “Draw a line every day” (Nulla dies sine linea in Latin) is taken from Apelles who is said to have hidden behind his pictures to eavesdrop on criticism.