Islington Mill in Salford is an evolving creative space, arts hub and community that provides studios, hosts residencies, and includes a peer-led art school and artist-run B&B. This profile includes two videos, recorded at Assembly Salford, of Islington Mill founder Bill Campbell introducing the organisation and discussing future plans.
Based in a former school in Nottingham, Primary supports artistic production through its studio provision, residencies and a public programme. This profile includes two videos, recorded at Assembly Salford, where director Niki Russell introduces the organisation and shares its lengthy journey to securing a space.
S1 Artspace in Sheffield is a member-led studio provider and exhibition space, running since 1995. This profile includes a video, recorded at Assembly Salford, of S1’s Stephen Escritt outlining the organisation’s plans for a major expansion at the Grade II* listed brutalist Park Hill estate.
Initiated in 2010 by two fine art graduates, The NewBridge Project in Newcastle upon Tyne provides studios, a gallery, project spaces and a member-led professional development programme. This profile includes two videos, recorded at Assembly Salford, of former director Charlotte Gregory introducing the organisation and discussing how during a period of expansion the project has stayed loyal to its member-led ethos
Founded in 1972, Acme Studios has grown to provide around 600 studios for London-based artists. This profile includes two videos, recorded at Assembly Salford, featuring Acme’s Head of Projects & Communications Jack Fortescue introducing the organisation and outlining its unwavering commitment to securing long-term, affordable artist studios.
ecologies of care was initiated by artist Ria Hartley in 2018. The project comprises a growing toolkit of resources designed to support artists who have access requirements to express their needs. Hartley speaks to Lydia Ashman about the toolkit and why artists’ health and wellbeing should be a sector-wide priority. This resource is available in text format and also as a video format sound recording.
Bristol-based live artist Liz Clarke has created a performance with her nine-month-old daughter and collaborated with her nine-year-old son to produce a work based on an idea he proposed. She speaks to Julie McCalden about being part of an art making family.
Artists and parents Katy Connor and Stephen Cornford discuss their experiences of raising a child whilst maintaining their art practices, offering advice on how to manage time, travel and childcare.
Stroud-based artist and mother Sharon Bennett discusses her work with the Women’s Art Activation System support network which she developed in collaboration with two other Stroud-based artists, taking part in Lenka Clayton’s Artist Residency in Motherhood, and opening the temporary ‘Mother House’ studio.
Originally from Germany, Glasgow-based painter Cornelius Quabeck first spent time in the city during a two-month artist residency in 2011. He talks to Dan Thompson about living and working in Düsseldorf, London and San Francisco, and the reasons that brought him back to Scotland in 2016.
In 2015, Scottish artist Paul McDevitt set up Farbvision, a project space in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district that presents solo exhibitions and is also home to the INFINITE GREYSCALE record label. He talks to Dan Thompson about his reasons for relocating from the UK, and the artistic freedom and financial reality of life in his adopted home.
Founded by a group of artists in south west London as a studio space in 1994, Studio Voltaire currently operates under a multiplicity of different guises. Art researchers Doggerland reflect on the organisation’s hybrid structure, and speak to its head of development and communications Niamh Conneely about the many different modes Studio Voltaire employs to support artists’ careers.
Based in Birmingham’s growing cultural quarter Digbeth, Recent Activity seeks to contribute to the area’s artist-led scene without replicating the activity of its more established spaces. Art researchers Doggerland speak to one of the organisation’s founders Andrew Gillespie about working within manageable parameters to offer “something a bit different” to the area.
A psychogeographic opening up of the city through an aural tour of artist-led venues and other listening points of historical and cultural interest.
Morgan Quaintance’ documentary explores Cubitt studios, Cubitt gallery and Cubitt education, taking a look at the history and present of the London-based organisation, its previous curators, artists and others who have been involved, as well as glimpsing into its possible future.
Kevin Hunt has created a new Artist-Led Hot 100 to celebrate some of the most exciting artist-led activity that has emerged during the past four years, since his original Hot 100 long-list was produced in Summer 2013. Focusing on projects that are “by artists, for artists”, the list highlights artist-led initiatives around the UK that are visibly active right now.
Oliver Bennett reflects on the challenges of introducing art into the public realm, following his attendance at Oslo Pilot’s symposium, as the city seeks to challenge the existing biennial format and enable new dialogues with its public space.
Leila Alexander, of White Cube and Leila Alexander Consultancy, discusses top tier art market activity and considers London and her experience of the blue-chip gallery system in relation to the infrastructure of Manchester and the wider North West region.
Art fair co-director Liv Vaisberg discusses the ecology of Brussels and how recent press attention has reframed the city anew, in relation to the growth of the art market.
Alys Williams, Director of VITRINE, London, discusses her recent gallery expansion to Basel and how the city is a key player in international market activity.
Paulette Terry Brien chairs a panel discussion with Leila Alexander, Liv Vaisberg, and Alys Williams, exploring the ecology of key art market centres in relation to the context of Manchester and the North West of England.
Artist Paul Evans discusses how his work became aligned to the research undertaken within universities and how his socially engaged practice has enabled academics and the public to better understand the nature of university research. Based on an interview by artist Steve Pool.
Kwong Lee of Manchester-based Castlefield Gallery discusses how the gallery works with universities in the city in to provide professional development support to students and contribute to cultural policy research, and offers his views on practice-based research and PhD programmes. Based on an interview by artist Steve Pool.
Kate Pahl, Professor of Literacies in Education at University of Sheffield, discusses what artists bring to academic research projects, and identifies some of the challenges artists and academics face when working together. Based on an interview by artist Steve Pool.
Having developed a practice based around working with people in a participatory manner, in 2015 Anthony Schrag completed a practice-based PhD exploring the relationship between artists, institutions and the public within participatory public artworks. He discusses his reasons for undertaking a PhD, and gives advice to artists considering this option. Based on an interview by artist Steve Pool.