Introduction: theCafé Society

…a club and an environment where creative people can gather, talk about and display their work.

We are …a group of people with diverse interests who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives and have a sense of shared trust and belonging for each other. theCafé Society is ‘our community’ – a club of creative people. We work across many creative activities as professionals or as amateurs: in painting, writing, ceramics and sculpture, photography and the performing arts. theCafé Society aims to nurture the individual and collective sense that we can, as part of this community, make decisions about how to do things and share the work that needs to be done. In our terms, a society is a  …. group of people who live together in an organized way,

In some ways, clubs are designed as places where like-minded people can gather to discuss their affairs and interests with trusted fellow members and to a degree “show off” their work and ideas. A place to “come together”, at several levels and take confidence in the supportive nature of their environment.

In terms of theCafé Society the only criteria for membership are an interest in creativity, well-being and the links between the two as they impact upon, both, individuals and broader society.

Reverting to the Montmartre theme for a moment,  there, as is customary for creatives, groups tended to gather around a particular table to talk about themselves and argue in favour of, and show off examples that reflected their particular interests, beliefs (and prejudices?). These groups might include; painters, performing artists, writers, potters and the like (it would be pushing it a tad to include photographers given the technology of the time!). They would discuss and argue and sometimes, amiably,  throw insults at each other and groups with differing interests, prejudices and passions.

But what we also know is that outsiders love to visit and observe, to share in the atmosphere and sometimes be inspired to take up creativity for themselves and or, often, to buy something for themselves or as a gift for others.

Hence theCafé Society begins its life by providing individual  “tables” and menus for: painters, writers,  potters sculptors, and photographers; more such “tables“ will follow; Insha Allah.