A photograph of Reg Hall playing the fiddle in 1970

The activities were organised by the local drama student Peter Phillips from the Italia Conti School and two of his friends from the London College.

Left to right are Luella Keeble and Candy Westman with Peter. 1973
Two professional theatre workers helped Peter, they were Adam Wright and Nicola Standerwick to help the children with stage make-up and costumes as well as acting, movement and singing.

WOAA got underway with its first exhibitions in the spring of 1973.
Music, drama and dance, film and photography, literature and art were all represented by different panels with its centre in the Gallery of the Town Hall. The panels would meet in various villages and organise exhibitions, lectures, films and live performances involving both amateur and professional talent.

Work by Michael Brockway, a skilled watercolourist were on show along with
Claerwen Holland, using a fusion of drawing with water colour
Ann Hinds, landscapes
John Birkhead, landscapes and chairman of WOAA
Margaret Ralston, (John's wife) exotically decorative panels of Eastern subjects
G.K. Horner, architectural studies
Anthony Bayes, richly coloured work

The WOAA literary pane organised several workshop in June and July 1973. They included:-

A drama workshop June 6th at Weald Manor for adults and older children under the guidance of David Thomas with a performance in the evening.

A Children's newspaper and television workshop week commencing July 26th organised by Brian Winston. Aimed in particular at children from ages 8 to 15.

WEA literature course - 10 lectures by Roy Kennedy on C18th literature. This took place in the autumn.

Susan Phillips was the secretary of the literary panel.

This page gives an outline of when and how the West Oxfordshire Arts Association was formed and how it was to be run initially at least.
Saturday May 26th 1973 was the first day of the first exhibition in the Gallery, the upstairs room in the Town Hall

Two year old Suzannah and five year old Martin Landray trying out some of the glove puppets made by Jan Burrage of Carterton at the Arts Association craft fair. November 1974Clare and Hannah Green with some of the toys made by their father

Clare Dryden was invested as May Queen. Bob Harris, probably best known for presenting The Old Grey Whistle Test but at this point he was a presenter on Radio Oxford, put the sash on Clare. The ceremony took place in the WI Hall, Market Square. It is now the Village Hall.

Young Alexander Keyser reads some of his prize work to his mother. Alexander from Aston came first in the under 10 age group poetry section in the 1973 writing competition.

In December 1975 prizes were awarded in the young writers' competition organised by WOAA.
In the picture, judge John Skinner is giving a prize to Liz Matthews of Eynsham who won 2nd prize in the under 14s poetry section.
On the left is Catherine Hooper of Abingdon who won 1st prize.

WOAA organised and held a Christmas Card competition in November 1975. There were over 150 entrants.
Top picture, Mrs Angela Mulliner is looking at some of the cards with Anderley Moore and Heather Manly.
The lower picture shows 11 year old Tim Manly holding the winner card, which he made. His prize was £5.
The cards were all exhibited in the Gallery.