The aims of the Association of Australian Decorative
and Fine Arts Societies (ADFAS) are the promotion and advancement of
aesthetic education, the cultivation and study of the decorative and
fine arts and the preservation of our cultural and artistic heritage.
The Association of Australian Decorative
and Fine Arts Societies is the umbrella organisation
for the 31 Decorative and Fine Arts Societies located in
major cities and regional areas throughout Australia.
The first Australian Decorative and Fine Arts
Society was formed in Sydney in 1985 by Mrs Patricia Robertson
OAM and an enthusiastic group of founding members. It
was based on the National Association of Decorative and Fine
Arts Societies (NADFAS), founded in England in 1968. The
Association of ADFAS was formed in 1989 to co-ordinate the
activities of the individual societies within Australia. It
is a Group Associate Member of NADFAS and is administered by
a National Executive Committee, policy being determined by
a Council of Society Chairmen which meets twice a year.
Societies are encouraged to make contributions
to their communities by supporting individual and group artistic
endeavours, assisting members to form a Volunteer group (for
guiding and conservation work) and, particularly in rural areas,
by becoming a focus for cultural activities in the region.
