On the cover – 2011 February
Savage, I’m a Fraud, 2010.
Savage, I’m a Fraud, 2010.
In June 2010, Darlington-based photography collective Wideyed was granted a NAN Go and See bursary to travel to Belgrade for research and development. Emilia Telese talks to Lucy Carolan of Wideyed about the bursary and its impact on the group.
Given the voracious and swift nature of the cuts brought in by the current government, it is unsurprising that artists are already feeling the effects.
Engage/Enquire’s ‘The Art of Influencing Change, Economies and Ecologies’ at Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne and NALGAO’s annual conference in Brighton.
A-n and Axis are launching a new programme of dynamic, practice-led discussions on hospitality, space and contemporary art making, researched and directed by artist, curator and writer Sonya Dyer. Here, she sets out her thinking for the programme.
In the twenty-five years since its foundation, Castlefield Gallery has evolved, adapted and outlived many of the buzz words first used about it, but one thing has remained absolutely constant – its aim to support artists.
In the lead up to the Government Comprehensive Spending Review, the proposed closure of the UK Film Council and The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council was communicated to most through an announcement in The Guardian in July¹.
Thoughts from artists and arts professionals about how cuts in public spending will affect their future working pattern. Plus April Britski gives an account of how recent governmental decisions to cut arts funding have affected Canadian artists.
Kate Raggett and Mandy Fowler give their recollections of an ambitious one-day land art workshop in rural Herefordshire that involved nearly 200 participants, several bales of straw, and a Cessna aircraft.
Richard Taylor finds out how three artist groups are re-vamping their structures as established organisations, to support new talent and promote a variety graduate activity.
LiangWest is a “new prototype of gallery for a new generation of artists whose artistic agendas are relevant to contemporary ideals”. For this month’s Collaborative relationships a-n Magazine Coordinator Chris Brown talks to proprietors Theresa Liang and William West and artist Prem Sahib. They discuss the importance of peer support, and describe how they negotiate their ongoing relationship and their forthcoming exhibition project ‘Boyfriend Material’
In last month’s issue we reported on the online commentaries ensuing from the DCMS’s announcement of the extent to which public subsidy for the arts will be cut. In a bid to grant a voice for practitioners and arts professionals, platforms have been initiated on social sites including Marcus Romer’s (Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre) Artsfunding ning network artsfunding.ning.com. Here we republish excerpts of postings on Artsfunding, plus other timely commentaries related to this line of discussion.
“It’s hard for all working mums (and dads) to find a work/life balance isn’t it – what’s so different for artists?” This was a question posed recently by a friend over dinner. I’d been banging on about APT – Artist Parents Talking – specifically about APT’s current search for funding, without stopping to think that she might not understand the basic premise of the network.
The forth and final Creative Scotland dialogue event was held at the impressively refurbished Briggait building on the banks of the River Clyde, Glasgow.
Striving and surviving in the do it yourself art world; curating, managing members, self-publishing. Richard Taylor talks to three recently founded artists’ groups about doing it ‘DIY’, progress so far and what the future holds.
In March 2008, Claremont Studios was granted a NAN Go and See bursary to travel to visit a number of like-minded artist-led initiatives in the UK for research and development. Emilia Telese talks to the group about the bursary and its impact.
In spring 2010 Spacex invited three UK-based artists to develop new work in response to Exeter’s West Quarter, where the gallery is located. The artists facilitated collaborative encounters and conversations with local residents. Amy Feneck interviewed people about the notion of ‘independent spirit’ in order to develop a script for a new film, Epilogue. Operating from her mobile portraiture studio, Lady Lucy documented encounters in her paintings ‘The Court Portraits’. Volkhardt Müller worked with people to create a series of performed actions on video. Majorette Rehearsing centered around the idea of the majorette as a West Quarter archetype; a paradoxical figure of individual aspiration, community celebration and carnival. For this feature, Volkhardt Müller reflects on his project with Spacex Project Coordinator, Martha Crean.
At the beginning of March this year, the Arts Council of Wales hosted ‘Arts in Health and Well-being’, a conference about prevention, intervention and creative action in healthcare.
During 2009, the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), based at the Scottish Marine Institute in Oban, western Scotland hosted an artist in residence.
The core of the Stiwdio Safle programme is the ongoing professional development and practise of the artist and the public realm context they inhabit and respond to.
In a new Research paper commissioned for www.a-n.co.uk, Emily Speed looks at the complex nature of making a living as an artist.
New research from innovative think-tank Mission Models Money (MMM), developed through a partnership with the Cultural Leadership Programme, is exploring and developing a body of theory and practice about the competencies, qualities and attributes that will equip people working in the cultural sector to thrive in the fast changing, complex, uncertain and unpredictable operating environment.
Artist Kirsten Lavers and Andy O’Hanlon (Arts Development Officer for South Cambridgeshire District Council) talk about Kirsten’s appointment as community artist for Orchard Park, which led to the ambitious multi-layered collaborative project, Crop Marks.
Following on from recent discussion in a-n Magazine surrounding the state of Higher Education, in this month’s Debate lecturer Chris Milton asks whether the future of Foundation courses is threatened.
“The challenge is to reconcile the prosperous economy with the good society”, David Lammy, September 2009.