Legend has it that the British Society of Aesthetics (BSA) was founded in 1960 so that Herbert Read could lead a delegation of British Aestheticians to the International Congress on Aesthetics being held in Athens that year.

Its declared foundational aim is to promote study, research and discussion of the fine arts and related types of experience from a philosophical, psychological, sociological, historical, critical and educational standpoint.

The Society’s activities include publication of The British Journal of Aesthetics, Debates in Aesthetics (formerly The Postgraduate Journal of Aesthetics), a newsletter, an annual conference, regional conferences, lecture series, grants to support research in aesthetics, and an essay prize.

Become a member

Officers:

President
Stacie Friend (Birkbeck)

Vice-President
Catharine Abell (Oxford)

Treasurer
Dan Cavedon-Taylor (Open University)

BJA Editors:

Paloma Atencia Linares (UNAM)
Derek Matravers (Open University)

BJA Reviews Editor:
Hans Maes (Kent)

Ordinary Members:

Emily Caddick Bourne (Manchester)
Adriana Clavel-Vazquez (Oxford)
James Grant (Oxford)
Louise Hanson (Durham)
Andrew Huddleston (Birkbeck)
Rafe McGregor (Edge Hill)
Bence Nanay (Cambridge/Antwerp)
Panos Paris (Birkbeck)
Maarten Steenhagen (Uppsala)

Appointed member of Grants Committee
Lisa Jones (St Andrews)

Appointed member of the Trustees Committee for Equity & Diversity
Nils-Hennes Stear (Southampton)

Post Holders:

Manager
Caroline Auty

Website Manager
Maarten Steenhagen (Uppsala)

Postgraduate Journal Editors
Claire Anscomb (Kent)
Eleen Deprez (Kent)
Sarah Kiernan (Birkbeck)