It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to the Society of Women Artists’ 164th Annual Open Exhibition. We at the SWA feel it is one of our most exciting exhibitions yet. It was another excellent year in terms of the number and quality of works submitted which was both a joy and a challenge for the selection panel and ensured that the exhibition couldn’t be anything less than stunning. Our only disappointment is that we couldn’t show But we are proud to invite you to browse 450 works of dazzling diversity from many of the finest women artists working today, members and non-members, from all over the UK and beyond. We are also pleased to showcase the work of selected students from: Heathfield School, Berkshire; London’s Heatherley School of Fine Art; Orleans Park School, Twickenham; alongside and the Barclay Academy, part of the Future Academies Multi-Academy Trust. Our new members ensures that the society remains vital and relevant and I congratulate the following new full members: Harriet Merry, Barbara Robjant, Christine Roychowdhury, Anastasia Shimshilashvili. This year, the selection panel deliberated over an extraordinary number of applicants for membership and we welcome the following new Associate Members: Nicki Heenan, Caroline Mackintosh, Asya Dudko, Sally Ward. We extend grateful thanks to all our sponsors whose generosity enables us to offer an impressive list of awards to selected artists in recognition of their talent. And of course, all of us at the SWA express our sincere thanks to our loyal long-standing Patron, HRH Princess Michael of Kent who will present our awards again this year. We feel profoundly privileged to be blessed with her friendship and her uplifting presence at our annual exhibition. I would like to express my personal gratitude to the SWA’s remarkable council whose harmonious and tireless commitment ensures our beloved and important society still flourishes 170 years after its inception and continues to support and celebrate women’s art of today. On behalf of the members and the council of the SWA, I thank our amazing executive secretary Rebecca Cotton for her endless patience, dedication and good humour throughout the year. And we all wish to thank the exceptional team of technicians and administrators at the Mall Galleries for their hard work and expertise in bringing our exhibition to fruition.  

Helen Sinclair - President Society of Women Artists