The Arts Society Kensington & Chelsea, is a voluntary organisation, founded in 1973 by Pam Boas. Monthly lectures are held in the Kensington Library Lecture Hall, visits are organised within London and nationally, and Heritage Volunteers work on a wide range of projects throughout Greater London, including the Design Museum and Fulham Palace.

Money raised from the Gift Aid scheme is used to support charities within the Borough, normally associated with the young arts. For the last three years, The Arts Society Kensington & Chelsea has annually donated to the all day Saturday Portobello Dance School, £1400 for the purchase of costumes for the Portobello Dance School Christmas Show and the Portobello Dance School Summer Show ‘Confidance’. This year the Society is also giving the All Day Saturday Portobello Dance School a scholarship of £150, for a one year dance course, which will be presented to the student on Saturday 14th July.

Portobello Dance School Mark Elie Dance Foundation is a community initiative on the international stage. Through dance education and events, this established organisation runs and participates in a variety of activities both local and national.

Based in North Kensington’s diverse Notting Hill, Portobello Dance School is a popular weekend destination offering children from three years, to adults training in Classical Ballet, Tap and Street dancing. About 150 budding dancers pass through for classes each week. The school’s high achievers often move onto further training, or auditioning for the commercial dance world. The professional dance trainers and visiting tutors encourage the taking of appropriate exams, such as the British Ballet Organization’s (BBO) curriculum – for which the pass record is exceptional.