Knowledge bank

What is a Code of Practice

A Code of Practice takes commonly-agreed principles of good practice and demonstrates why and how they should be applied.

The Code of Practice for the Visual Arts, published by a-n The Artists Information Company, draws from the experiences of practising artists along with those of commissioners, curators and others with whom artists work. It looks at the principles that underpin good practice, and makes connections with examples to show how they work in practice.

There are two elements within the Code of Practice for the Visual Arts. This element has been written for use by artists. There is a second element written for use by organisations.

Best practice

Artists' training and experience gives them a range of skills that can be applied to any number of professional situations. Creative thinking is increasingly prized.

Artists who have confidence in, and assert, the creative problem-solving and lateral thinking that underpins their artistic practice are more likely to get to where they want to be.

Principles

Good practice prevails where artists

•contribute confidently
•prepare thoroughly
•collaborate creatively
•aim high

First principle

Good practice prevails where artists

contribute confidently...
...by engaging with the development of ideas, and solution of problems; by refusing to pigeonhole and to be pigeonholed; by challenging stereotypes and assumptions about who knows what; by being generous with their knowledge and their skills; by knowing their worth.

Contributing confidently is demonstrated by recognising that each individual has a combination of skills and knowledge that come from training and experience. It depends on not assuming that someone with a specialist role or area of responsibility has a monopoly on knowledge, skills or experience in that area. It requires considering the value of all the resources that are brought to the project, independent of their genesis.

For Graham Fagen: "The starting point is knowing how you function as an artist, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, knowing how you can do the job - how what you do can make sense of a particular context."

Talking about artists and self-employment, Linda Ball calls it "the intangible portfolio", the hidden skills that come from practising as an artist: creative thinking, developing new ideas, solving problems, wondering 'what if...?' and trying it out. These are the attributes that are "continually growing and refining, are highly transferable and have lifetime value".

Being aware of these highly transferable attributes, and using them effectively, opens the artist up to wider earning and creative opportunities. Ben Coode Adams divides his practice between metal sculptures and collaborative new media projects.

The move into new media was a step into the unknown, but he relied on his existing skills: "I have a good eye, and looking into the camera is just like using a paintbrush."

Tessa Fitzjohn has been described as "Sculptor, painter, teacher, workshop leader, fundraiser, project manager, curator, event manager, consultant, ceramics development officer, photographer, documentary maker".

"The versatility of the contemporary artist" is evidenced by Johanne Mills who, from college days, seized opportunities to work with other disciplines and build her confidence in experimentation and investigation. As a result she can now employ her skills in trend prediction, curating and consultancy, as well as art direction, styling and design, making her highly attractive to fashion houses, press and media.

Artists like Scott Myles know it is essential to be proactive, not only meeting people but taking opportunities that have arisen from a genuine interest in the work of other artists, galleries and curators.

Junko Mori attributes her abilities in concentrating, quiet contemplation, and listening to her studies in Buddhism. It has taught her to be "open to things", to be "flexible and adaptable", and to see "compromise... as a form of sharing".

Richard Layzell is a "visionaire" at Software company AIT:

"My involvement has contributed to the company's success through staff morale, retention and brand... They see me as adding another dimension to the working life of the organisation... It broadens the dimensions of what being a software developer means."

Second principle

Good practice prevails where artists

prepare thoroughly...
...by finding out about where, with whom and how they will be working; by researching context, legislative implications, location, environmental concerns, potential impact, and interests of partners and colleagues.

Research underpins the effectiveness of a project's every aspect. It strengthens relationships, clarifies ideas, and informs planning, providing a platform for winning respect and earning trust. It protects against ignorance and bullying. Above all, it demonstrates professionalism and instils confidence among partners.

The value of research to artists' practice is well acknowledged as the increasingly progressive thinking of the Arts and Humanities Research Board illustrates.

But taking time to learn about other worlds and practices can be every bit as valuable.

Ceramic artist Kate Schuricht says: "I spend time building relationships with galleries and I have a lot of sympathy for their financial situation. But I do draw up clear agreements that come from my experience of what can go wrong. When this happens I want to make sure the same mistake is not repeated."

Any artist who applies to Grizedale Arts submits a researched profile, so needs to "find out as much as possible about the location and context, demonstrating how the idea or practice will be developed and how it relates to the site and programme".

Carey Young who works across art and business worlds confirms that: "The more research you do into your host and their sector, the more you will reassure them that you are asking them for their help for a specific, well-considered reason."

Equally, in the complex environments of special schools and hospitals, understanding how to negotiate relationships and responsibilities can be key to the quality of the experience – for artist, institution and participants.

As an artist, research is the crucial ingredient to understanding your place in the market, how best to promote yourself and how to place a financial value on your products or services.

Finding out in advance of making contact whether a gallery shows your kind of work can save you time and resources. It might also save your reputation: gallery owners and curators have long memories for people who they feel have wasted their time.

'Cold calling' isn't a good move:

"Although the Contemporary Art Society is sensitive to artists' needs and more approachable than most organisations it has a small staff and is busy. So first research what may be possible and then make [the approach] with care. Be clear about what response is hoped for and the CAS's ability, if only in logistical terms, to answer it."

Cross-disciplinary group Blast Theory's advice is: "Invest time in understanding all aspects of establishing and running a company (or project), from legal issues to health and safety and meeting funding criteria.

Third principle

Good practice prevails where artists

collaborate creatively...
...by establishing mutual respect and recognition: through identifying shared goals, encouraging the views of others, welcoming open and informed discussion, valuing complementary skills, cooperating and collaborating in achieving a vision without losing sight of their own identity and integrity.

Genuine partnership working is often difficult, always rewarding. It demands commitment. It involves knowledge, trust and respect. It challenges partners to acknowledge and to value the contribution that each can make. At best, it strengthens creativity and supports risk.

Whether selling, exhibiting, in residence or under commission, an artist is working with others who are specialists in their own area. Understanding what each expects of the other is critical to the success of the project.

Graham Fagen begins all his encounters with sessions that allow for "knocking preconceptions on the head".

"I need professional regard from all the people I'm working with to make the job work. Professionalism is about trust in both directions and trust as part of a team. Building confidence in each other opens up more and more opportunities."

Painter Danny Rolph feels he has a great two-way relationship with Paul Hedge of Hales Gallery: "He has a dynamic personality and I value his opinions. He promotes my work at home and abroad to a diverse and influential group of collectors, dealers, curators and artists".

In his work with Glasgow City Council's Development & Regeneration Services, Maurice O'Connell recognised that even though projects he devised were never realised they focused discussion: "The key element was to find a space where host and artist might find common ground – to reach a position of mutual engagement not simply motivated by a desire for equality but by a shared need for serious critical dialogue."

When the purpose is less clear achieving mutual respect is trickier. Michael Atavar's residency at The Guardian provoked more questions than answers: what was he there for; what was he expected to put into it and get out of it?

Soda, by contrast, for their residency at Pfizer had a clear brief and a purpose: using their experience in change management and their understanding of technical research issues to bring together biologists and chemists working side by side for the first time.

But this is not to imply that artists need to wait to be told what is expected of them. Carey Young approaches residencies with a clear sense of what she has to give:

"The more you are seen as an independent specialist... the more respect you will get. In your approach you should avoid the notion that you may be a 'useful' individual. Do not let anyone think of you as an employee".

Fourth principle

Good practice prevails where artists

aim high...
...by aspiring to bring quality to everything they do, whether presenting ideas, managing professional relationships, negotiating, or producing the work.

Quality relates to everything. It is found in the clarity of the brief, precision of the design, standard of the construction, calibre of the materials, sensitivity to context, attention to detail and overall fitness for purpose.

It is as crucial in the relationships between partners as it is in the handling of concepts and inanimate materials.

"I'm confident and I do what I say I'm going to do. I know my work is strong intellectually and visually."

Ben Coode-Adams' confidence in the quality of his work is one of the reasons he gives for his success in securing commissions and making a living.

Tanya Axford says that in the beginning, "things just seemed to happen really quickly". But through support from a mentoring scheme, she has started to take control, realising the value of being more strategic about what she does.

Chris Yeats, a Director of Vane, looks for quality in an application at the first encounter: "A professional appearance is essential. We always ask that applications are typed, but it's amazing how many semi-legible, hand-written scrawls we receive. Being careless or cavalier about the material you submit does not make you look creative or different. It usually means rejection."

Attention to the organisational detail is "part of the art-making" for Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie. Their cross-media project TV Swansong employed a business planning process to ensure that they had anticipated and addressed all the aspects of realising a complex project.

US-based artists agency Artisan, commits time and effort to ensuring the quality of its brokerage:

"We consider ourselves to be artists' advocates. We communicate with our artists on a daily basis, help them with getting the best price for a project and make sure they get what they are worth in the market place.

We check in with artists on every job, making sure that it was a good fit, the work was satisfactory and that they felt comfortable working in that environment."

Hidden Art has developed its reputation for quality by knowing when and how to adapt to the changing needs of its markets and supporters.

Open studio events recognise that people "enjoy buying work direct from designers rather than through impersonal retail outlets", while international markets are developed through trade fairs in London, New York and Milan and Hidden Art's own website.

Making or buying time to develop the quality of the work is a constant challenge for artists. Awards, fellowships and bursaries at key junctures in an artist's development provide a critical environment or space, as Colin Andrews confirms from his EMARE residency, to "conduct a thorough and timely re-evaluation" of the work.

The writer

Lee Corner has worked in the creative and cultural sectors for more than twenty-five years, specialising in organisational development and human resource management. Over recent years, she has devised training and professional development programmes that she now runs for individual artists and groups across the UK.

She researched and wrote the first Code of Practice for the Visual Arts as a commission from the National Artists' Association in 1992. This new Code is informed by the contemporary cultural and economic climate for visual artists and their practice, reflecting collaborative approaches and interdisiplinarity.

Credits

Researched and written in 2003 by Lee Corner based on the cultural and economic climate for contemporary visual arts practice and informed by a Strategic Advisory Group including Arts Council England Visual Arts Officer Sara Bowler, artist and consultant Jason E Bowman, Artquest Programme Manager Stephen Beddoe, artist and curator Eddie Chambers, Kate Hainsworth and Kay Pallister from Axis, Cornerhouse Visual Arts Programmer Kathy Rae Huffman, Business Design Centre Development Manager Sarah Lee, University of Wolverhampton Associate Dean Antonia Payne and BALTIC Education and Public Programme Manager Emma Thomas.

Lee Corner researched the National Artists’ Association's Code of Practice for the Visual Arts in 1992. She has over twenty-five years experience of working in the creative and cultural sectors and specialises in organisational development, human resource management and training and development programmes for artists and groups. Research for this publication was supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England in 2003.

a-n The Artists Information is committed to maintaining awareness of good practices in the visual arts through promotion of the code and associated publications to artists and arts employers.

Lee Corner

Lee Corner has worked in the creative and cultural sectors for more than twenty-five years, specialising in organisational development and human resource management. Over recent years, she has devised training and professional development programmes that she now runs for individual artists and groups across the UK.

First published: a-n.co.uk October 2003. Updated 2006.