The Blake Society 2026 AGM

Our  Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Blake Society will take place on Wednesday 4th February at 7.30 PM, UK time. It will last about half an hour and be followed by a presentation from Dr Camila Oliveira about the 100th anniversary of William Blake’s death in 1927.

1927: The Centenary of Blake’s Death and its resonances 

The 100th anniversary of William Blake’s death in 1927 sparked renewed interest in his life and work. Modern writers, including T. S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf, responded to Blake’s ideas and engaged with his centenary in different ways. Scholars, artists, and publishers used the occasion to reintroduce Blake to a wider public and to highlight his lasting impact on art and literature.

One of the most important outcomes of the centenary was the publication of anniversary editions of Blake’s work, most notably The Poetry and Prose of William Blake, edited by Geoffrey Keynes. This volume brought together Blake’s writings in a clear and accessible form, helping many readers encounter his work for the first time. At the same time, there was growing enthusiasm for reproducing Blake’s beautifully illustrated books, with new facsimile editions aiming to capture the look and feel of his original hand-printed pages.

The centenary also inspired new creative projects. In the world of dance and music, it led to the creation of Job: A Masque for Dancing. Geoffrey Keynes believed that Blake’s powerful illustrations for the Book of Job could be brought to life on stage, and he collaborated with composer Ralph Vaughan Williams to realise this vision. Vaughan Williams’s music responded directly to the drama and emotional intensity of Blake’s images, creating a striking new interpretation of his work.

Together, these centenary projects helped shape how modern audiences understand and appreciate Blake. They also invite us to reflect on how the upcoming bicentennial in 2027 might be celebrated creatively, continuing to honour Blake’s enduring and ever-expanding influence.