AIR

Turning point national and regional meeting.

Arts Council England convened a meeting between regional Turning point groups and national visual arts organisations in July, with AIR invited to attend. Sitting alongside representatives from a-n, Axis, Contemporary Art Society, Engage, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and National Federation of Artists Studios Providers, AIR Artists Advisory Group member Mitra Memarzia was one of only two artists present. Stephen Turner, member of AIR and the Arts Council England South East's Board, made up the artist contingency.

The meeting was framed by a presentation outlining the background and context for the network, followed by progress to-date within each of the regional groups in the South East, East Midlands, North East, East and London. Whilst some regional networks had well-developed business plans, had secured funding from Grants for the Arts for projects and were establishing forums to widen participation, others were embryonic or nascent.

Issues raised included how Turning point would fare in the context of the recession. Susan Jones (a-n) commented that as money would be tight and in particular that there was likely to be a reduction of 44% in payments to artists for work during 2009 that a structure was needed that is inclusive "so the wider visual arts community can sign up to Turning Point values and not feel excluded".

Jane Sillis (Engage) pointed to the need to map existing activity - national and regional - with regions delivering to strategic agendas, avoiding duplication.

Artists' representation on regional Turning point groups was raised. Do artists want representation? How can an artist represent other artists?

Mitra Memarzia pointed to the AIR membership survey that received over 1,100 responses and indicated that 84% wanted to be involved in making the decisions affecting them. Artists seek engagement in their area and now they need to work together more effectively in the faces of dwindling resources. In effect, AIR can help clarify the world for artists to operate in.

Jane Sillis said that it is important for practitioners to inform strategy, to bring new ideas and ensure that the same people are not always making the decisions. "Representation is needed in both strategy and practice and delivery."

Making the case for freelance artists to be compensated for loss of earnings when taking part in forums like Turning point, Susan Jones said that "paying freelancers is important and provides an equality of opportunity and will reap rewards in the form of better ideas and solutions".

Mitra Memarzia has offered the 12,000+ strong AIR community as a contact and consultation point about artists and their practice to all Turning point groups, urging them to visit the AIR site and see the relevant artists survey results as: "There seemed to be a unanimous agreement that artists should be represented within the groups".

Are you an AIR member contributing to Turning point discussions? Please send your comments and suggestions for how artists can participate in this major visual arts development to AIR@a-n.co.uk with Turning point in the title.

More on Turning point at www.artscouncil.org.uk/aboutus
tpse.org/ - Turning Point South East
www.roomman.co.uk - TP National Coordinator Simon Zimmerman’s blog

First published: a-n.co.uk July 2009