Once again the Istanbul Biennial opened at a time of extraordinary difficulty. In 1999 the event only just survived the city’s devastating earthquake, whilst the recent backdrop was an explosive economic crisis and the imminent war in the (uncomfortably) Near East. But, as Kevin Dent reports, from this unpromising background the biennial emerged as a triumph offering the city something to celebrate and enjoy.
A new artist-initiated event took place across Hull during September. Here, David Briers explores how the event fits into the city’s existing arts infrastructure and discusses some of the national and European links it generated.
Clive Gillman, currently the lead artist for FACT explains how the organisation works to support and promote artists using new and emerging media tools.
The UK’s seen a noticeable increase in professional development schemes for artists, encompassing training, mentoring, networking and information services. There is an obvious cross-reference to the government’s endorsement of ‘lifelong learning’ as a principle, encouraged through the offer of individual learning accounts for all. These moves increase opportunities for the kinds of artistic development that incorporates developing and honing skills, accessing facilities and ultimately furthering career strategies. The results are more than just CV embellishment. By providing points of crossover between artists, such schemes contribute to peer support systems and help to address the potential isolation of artists. Here, three individuals involved in artists’ professional development matters describe some of the resources around, and discuss how artists are making the most of them.
The trust’s coordinator Leila Dawney explains the organisation’s artist-led ethos and its work to support the arts in Birmingham.
Graham Parker discusses his approach to his role as Visual Arts Officer at Salford University.
My creative output ranges from figurative sculpture to furniture design, and I enjoy being more than just one kind of artist.
The rise of independent artist-run spaces across the UK, and a seemingly impenetrable gallery circuit in London, appear poles apart. Gordon Dalton in Edinburgh and Tim Birch in Manchester visit two young, ‘commercially-minded’ spaces that have picked up on this, and are encouraging an art market in exciting and challenging contemporary work outside London.
Showing abroad is not necessarily just another chance for an artist to exhibit their work, it can also be the start of future opportunities for collaboration. For myself, this couldn’t be more true than my participation in ‘VANE Export’, an […]
Camden Arts Centre, London 26 January – 18 March
Ian Hunter discusses an arts and agricultural initiative being developed by Lancashire-based arts trust Littoral.
Phoenix Arts Association Ltd (Phoenix) is an artist-led organisation with charitable status which provides public access to the arts and arts education, and supplies affordable artists’ studios and programmes to aid development.
DX Raiden explores the artist-run scenes in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Judith Winter gains an insight into high-rise living through ten artists’ work-in-progress.
The crisis in London studios for artists continues, with Cable Street the latest to announce it may close unless funds are found to buy the building. Housing some 180 artists and with 350 more on the waiting list, loss of […]
