Over the past few years, a-n has gained huge practical campaigning experience through the delivery of Paying Artists, raising awareness and changing policy that will positively impact on artists’ livelihoods in the years ahead.
Implementation of Exhibition Payment will obviously remain a big focus of our work over the next five years, but we also need to make sure the new government elected on 8 June understands – and reflects – the needs and contributions of the UK’s visual artists, and of a-n’s 21,000 members in particular, on a range of key issues.
To achieve this, a-n will launch a major new strategy in July. It will be big and bold, and focused on four headline outcomes so that, together, we can influence decisions on the real issues which impact on artists and their practice in the coming years.
We’ll be making the case on a range of key issues, showing government that visual art and artists are absolutely vital to our success as a nation and making it clear that – from Brexit to local council spending cuts – the people responsible for this success are facing increasing challenges in their working lives.
a-n and AIR Council are developing a strategy that will campaign for: recognition for visual artists as vital for the UK economy and society; visual artists being paid fairly for their work and exhibitions; an inclusive and representative visual arts sector; and a Brexit that works for visual artists in the UK.
Planning and work is underway already, but we want to hear from you about specific objectives you feel would help us achieve these outcomes.
We’ll be meeting with and hearing from many of you at our Assembly events in Margate, Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle and Leeds over the next few weeks. But for those that can’t be there, we’re inviting you to contribute by contacting us before the end of June so that your voice is heard and included in our strategy document.
For those who want to be actively engaging with the political process between now and the general election on 8 June, we’ve just published the a-n 2017 General Election Artists’ Toolkit to help you get key messages over to your local candidates.
For more about a-n and AIR’s Paying Artists campaign, including the Exhibition Payment Guide, see www.payingartists.org.uk
More on a-n.co.uk:
Paying Artists: Regional Advocates raise awareness with debate, discussion and a giant cake
Artists respond to Brexit: “It’s important to make a stand, to be direct”
a-n to go on tour with Assembly events in Margate, Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle and Leeds
