Latest

• Cock and Bull
  Critical Encounters in Shoreditch to enliven a Sunday afternoon
  

  William Russell

  Published: 16/05/2013

  general
• Here's to the Next Hundred Years
  The toast with which Dame Janet Suzman concluded our Centenary Awards for Services to the Arts presentation in the Garden Room at the Barbican on 7 May
  

  William Russell

  Published: 07/05/2013

  general
• Early days of the Circle
  As reported in the Journal of the Institute of Journalists
  

  William Russell with thanks to Robin Morgan who edits their 100 Years ago column

  Published: 02/05/2013

  general
• Meet the Critics - Once in a Lifetime?
  A memorable day at the Victoria and Albert Museum
  

  William Russell

  Published: 27/04/2013

  general
• One Hundred Ways to Skin a Cat
  One Hundred artists who made a major contribution to the arts in Britain during our first one hundred years
  

  Our Members

  Published: 17/04/2013

  general
• The Circle's One Hundred Glorious Years
  Meet the Critics at the V&A
  

  William Russell

  Published: 21/02/2013

  general
• The Film That Changed My Life
  A Celebration of 100 Years of the Critics’ Circle
  

  Rich Cline

  Published: 27/02/2013

  film
• NUNEZ DECLARES THIS A SPECIAL MOMENT
  Grishko Best Female Dancer of 2012
  

  Graham Watts

  Published: 29/01/2013

  dance
• 2012 NATIONAL DANCE AWARDS
  winners announced
  

  Graham Watts

  Published: 29/01/2013

  dance
• 33rd Critics' Circle Film Awards winners
  LONDON CRITICS' CIRCLE FILM AWARDS FALL FOR AMOUR
  

  Rich Cline

  Published: 23/01/2013

  film
Next 

Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, otherwise known as Maggie,  by James Lloyd, 2012

©comissioned by the National Portrait Gallery with the support of JP Morgan through the fund for new commissions 2012.

Welcome Critics' Circle website

Who we are, what we are

"I wish I were anything rather than an actor...except a critic: let me be unhappy rather than vile."

W.C.Macready

"By and large critics are at the bottom of the intellectual heap." Brian Sewell

President: Simon Tait
Vice-President: Jeffery Taylor

Hon. General Secretary: William Russell
Hon. Treasurer: Peter Cargin

Trustees:  Ian Herbert, Michael Billington

 And who are we to disagree with either?

Admission to the Circle, which will celebrate its Centenary in 2013, is by invitation of the Council. Currently we have some 430 members, mostly from the United Kingdom, the majority of whom write regularly for national and regional newspapers and magazines and some write on line. The Council is made up of representatives of our five sections. Our sections hold several meetings a year to vet possible new members, discuss current issues and meet artists in their particular fields. Occasional lunches are held to celebrate the work of a distinguished artist. As well as the Critics' Circle Award for Services to the Arts, which is voted for by all members of the Circle,  all our sections, their own award ceremonies which are covered on this site. On 7 May 2013 we are holding our Centenary Awards for services to the arts, one from each section. The Film, Dance and Theatre awards are held in January or February, the dates for the Visual Arts and Music Awards tend to be later in the year.  Our Annual Award is NOT a Lifetime Achievment Award, rather it is a Thanks for Services Rendered award.

Close