So it’s a bit of a cheat putting this here as it is not directly linked to my MA. However if you are like me and believe that art is life then it is indeed appropriate to post here.
As well as my MA and running an art based soc ent (still in the early stages); I am also a bit of an arts organiser: I launched Fareham Art Trail earlier this year — a spin on the usual art trail; no open studios, more a group of exhibitions of art in unusual places, appealing to the masses and not necessarily art lovers. Plus other arts events during the week. Although a success, next year I have much bigger plans with an entire arts festival taking over the entire borough.
Anyhow I digress……..
It occurred to me that there is very little chance for artists to meet and properly network with other artists. Obviously you have private views, conferences, shared studio spaces etc but what about when you’re not currently in an exhibition, you’re new to an area; you work alone? How then do you meet your contemporaries?
Regular small networking meet ups are common in other industries so why not in art? Also ,why if you are going to do it ,do most people pay money to host it through the large profit making US based site: “meetups”?
I, being who I am, decided against this and so……………..
Saturday saw the first artist meet up/networking evening based in Fareham and it was great success. There were 13 of us in total; including one member of my new MA course and her friend. The conversation was not patchy and everyone found it really beneficial. We even have a couple of collaborations likely from it already!
Art is about communication and reaching people and I feel with every time we get artists talking to each other we are a bit closer to making arts potential powers of healing and societal change, a reality.
