In a surprise move, the Bermuda Society of Arts (BSOA) and Masterworks have announced that they are forming an alliance of `collaboration'.

While each group says it will maintain its own identity they will, in future, be working closely together on specific projects.

Both have recognised "for some time now'' that a collaborative effort will signal a combined, and therefore stronger commitment to the arts.

As Masterworks' Elise Outerbridge puts it, "I suppose you could say that Masterworks is a Collection without artists while BSOA is a group of artists without a Collection. Both groups, in their own way, have a mandate to promote art in Bermuda, and whether we are collecting work that was inspired by Bermuda in the past, or encouraging contemporary artists to continue this tradition, we feel we are helping to provide a fertile field in which creativity can flourish.'' BSOA, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the oldest art society in Bermuda, dedicated to promoting the work of its own members and to provide a showcase for visiting working artists. Masterworks, formed in the 1980s to form a collection of Bermuda-themed works of art, has since acquired artwork by such renowned artists as Winslow Homer and Georgia O'Keeffe.

"We are a small island, and I think it makes sense for us to work together and to support one another in our efforts. I believe it's true to say that in the past 25 years, the Society, and then the Arts Centre at Dockyard, has been responsible for a huge explosion of people making art on a regular basis, to the point where it has become an accepted part of Bermudian life,'' says BSOA vice president, Sheilagh Head.

And, points out Mrs. Outerbridge, "that explosion also reflects the fact that Bermuda, educationally and culturally, is quite a melting pot, so we feel that it certainly makes sense for us to take this wider, more inclusive route.'' The first of three joint projects will take place as early as next month when the two organisations will mount a special exhibition in the Society of Arts' City Hall gallery featuring artists who have participated in Masterworks' popular `Artists Up Front Workshops' series over the past two years. The show, entitled `With Love From Us To You' will display works donated to Masterworks by those artists as well as presenting a selection of their work for sale.

Then, following on the success of Masterworks' `Ladies in Painting' exhibition, staged two years ago and curated by Mrs. Head and fellow artist Diana Amos, the two organisations will stage a show called `From the Man's Perspective'.

"This will take place in September, also in the Society's gallery,'' explains Mrs. Outerbridge, "and will be curated by a number of selected male artists who will choose works from the Masterworks Collection and also pieces by male artists who are currently producing work here.'' It has also been decided that the successful Artists Encounters Programme, currently being run as a summer project by Masterworks for children and early teens at Admiralty House, will continue through the winter in the City Hall gallery. "These will be opened up to include a wide age range and we will be able to utilise the skills of Society of Arts members. There has been a lot of interest in such a programme from many sectors of the community, so we are quite excited by this project,'' says Mrs. Outerbridge.

"Part of our interest in forming this alliance is in expanding Masterworks' -- and Bermuda's -- first national collection, which focuses on Bermudian artists or Bermuda as seen through the eyes of visitors to the Island,'' says Mrs. Head.

For her part, Mrs. Outerbridge believes that the work of people producing art in Bermuda today, is pivotal to the growth of that collection.

Admitting that their decision, two years ago, to mount shows by young artists in their Front Street gallery caused controversy in some quarters of the art community, Mrs. Outerbridge says that Masterworks found that reaction "distressing''. She explains they were originally planned as workshops, "which sort of mushroomed into fairly informal art shows. I think people rather liked that informal approach. The last thing we wanted was for people to feel we were treading on others' toes, or doing anything that could be construed as detrimental in any way to the pursuit of art here.'' Both organisations agree that this perceived conflict of interest has placed some artists in an awkward position. "We would never want artists to feel that they had to `take sides','' stresses Mrs. Head, "as this places them in an intolerable position. As it is, our younger artists are very supportive of both groups and we hope that our alliance will enhance that sense of highlighting our mutual interests. For our part, we have both realised that, between us, and with the various talents at our disposal, we have an opportunity to create something that is really worthwhile and possibly, unique in art circles.'' Both BSOA and Masterworks express the hope that other art groups or galleries will participate in their projected collaborations. "We certainly wouldn't want the Arts Centre at Dockyard, or indeed, any other organisation to feel excluded from what we believe can be a very exciting future for Bermuda's art and artists,'' continues Mrs. Head.

"Yes,'' agrees Mrs. Outerbridge. "We both want to embrace and encourage younger artists -- in so many ways, many of our aims are the same. The whole idea is to open the door to collaboration, to work together and strengthen an already strong art community.''