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Sectoral guidance and framework, produced by a-n and AIR as an outcome of the Paying Artists Campaign, providing specific advice on payments within the context of exhibitions or other visual arts presentation to the public.

Created specially for the Paying Artists Campaign by artist Dan Thompson, the Artist-Led Manifesto sets out the principles of fair payment for artist-led groups and collectives who may be in receipt of public funds, but who may also operate without funds at the directive of the artists involved.

In recent years many artists have moved from major conurbations to smaller towns or cities in the UK, with access to cheaper work space and accommodation, improved health and wellbeing, and the need for stronger community networks among the factors influencing their decision to relocate. In this guide, Dan Thompson explores the many and varied reasons why artists move to a new place.

For this follow up to her Approaching galleries guide, Jennie Syson asked artists, arts managers, curators and gallery directors to share their top tips, and dos and don’ts advice.

Writing a manifesto was one of Dan Thompson’s first acts as an artist and he has since written several more including one about using empty shops, and The Paying Artists Manifesto for Artist-Led Work that showed how artists working with their own ecology, economy and excitement ‘make the world around them better’. He explores the history of artists’ manifestos and shares advice and tips on how to write your own.

A budget is an essential tool for any artist planning a new project, making a funding application or drawing up a business plan, while a-n’s Exhibition Payment Guide asks artists to provide a clear exhibition proposal and budget in advance of negotiation. This guide by the Cultural Enterprise Office in Glasgow offers straightforward advice on how to construct and manage a simple budget.

a-n’s Exhibition Payment Guide says artists should make sure they provide clear evidence of their work and experience when approaching a gallery with a proposal. This quick guide offers advice on the main areas to consider when developing a proposal, and includes tips on what to include when responding to an approach from a gallery or making a speculative pitch.

In the first part of her Negotiating with confidence guide, Rivca Rubin, a trainer-facilitator-mediator, coach and mentor, discusses how structure, attitude, and the ‘power of words’ can facilitate successful negotiations.

In the second part of her guide to negotiations, Rivca Rubin discusses how through active language choices, we can create more satisfied and invigorated negotiations with galleries, organisations and commissioners.

Juan Bolivar, an artist and curator, explores the history and practice of curating, and provides ten key questions for independent curators and artists to help guide you in developing your first exhibitions. Bolivar’s painting practice runs parallel to his curating practice; first initiating TRAILER (2001-05) – an artist collective utilising temporary locations to stage exhibitions – and since, going on to curate over 40 exhibitions as an independent curator.

Hen Norton explores the use of fundraising platforms online and offers her top ten tips to help you build a sustainable creative business or project, and reach a wider and more engaged network of supporters through crowdfunding. 

a-n/AIR’s Exhibition Payment Guide calls for written confirmation of exhibition and financial details in the form of a contract or letter of agreement. This quick guide offers 12 key points an agreement should cover.

Negotiation is one of the four core principles of a-n/AIR’s Exhibition Payment Guide. This quick guide offers 10 tips for better negotiation.

A best practice reference guide to use when creating an agreement for a solo or group exhibition with a gallery or organisation presenting visual arts. You can also use the a-n Contracts Toolkit to build a contract to the specific exhibition context, and this checklist will support you with this.

Proactively seeking out opportunities to realise exhibitions and projects is an important strategy in the arts. Adam Smythe, Curator at the Bluecoat in Liverpool, gives some advice on the best methods of approaching galleries with exhibition proposals for your own work or for curatorial projects.

Jennie Syson offers some advice on approaching galleries, through setting out the different research routes and methods you might use.

Guidance for organisations on how to shape policy statements on Exhibition Payment. Produced in support of a-n/AIR’s Exhibition Payment Guide, which calls for organisations to be transparent in their working practices with artists by publishing clear and transparent payment information.

Tips on negotiating and agreeing contracts in line with a-n’s Exhibition Payment Guide.