Artists self help organisations
These organisations have developed in response to the need for artists to access information and resources to build their careers. They tend to take up where art schools leave off so they offer career and marketing advice and almost always have to charge one-off or annual membership fees or both for their services.
A-N The artists Information Company
London /National
“a-n stimulates and supports contemporary visual arts practice and affirms artists’ value in society. With over 20,000 members, we focus on conversations around the critical and professional environment for the visual arts, bringing together artists, art students, producers, arts professionals, researchers, arts organisations and universities.”
www.a-n.co.uk
Artquest
London / National
“Artquest enables visual artists to practice by providing information, advice, opportunities and services at any stage in their careers. With a focus on London for our live programme, our online services are also available to individual professional visual artists and craftspeople living and working anywhere in England.
Artquest launched in 2001, and is a programme of University of the Arts London (UAL), an educational charity and Europe’s largest higher education institution for creative arts subjects. You do not have to be an alumni of UAL to use our services.”
www.artquest.org.uk
Axisweb
Wakefield/National
“Axis Web believes in the ability of artists to enrich how we see and act in the world. Axis Web: Hosts the Axis Directory, an online showcase of over 3,000 selected artists Designs digital tools for artists like the Opportunity Finder and Profile Builder Provides artists with access to affordable and comprehensive Public and Product Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance through Network Associate Connects people with artists through digital services such as Find an Artist, Follow an Artist, Post an Opportunity, and Manage a Call Runs Vacant Space, a programme connecting artists with empty properties Make films about artists and their projects And develops ways to increase access to, and engagement with, artists through projects and action research.We are based at The Art House in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.”
Q-art
London / National
“We are Q-Art, an art education research, publishing, and events organisation. We aim to break down the barriers to further and higher level art education and contemporary art.
Q-Art was founded by Director Sarah Rowles in 2008 whilst an art student at Goldsmiths and she is currently supported by a team who’ve all experienced, understand, and are advocates of the value of art education. Informed by experience and on-going research, we use the interview format to ask UK-wide art educators and industry professionals questions about their field, focussing on 4 key areas: access to art education, fine art pedagogy, the value systems in art education and art the world, and professional practice.”
Zeitgeist Art Projects
London
This organisation is now formally closed but persists in some aspects:
“Rosalind is dedicated to continuing the legacy of ZAP independently and to the development of a new arts organisation and is in discussion with various partners about future educational and exhibition opportunities. Rosalind will also continue to organise Justin Hibbs Tutorials. Annabel and Rosalind are available as individuals to give 1-2-1’s, or to commission for professional practice talks, tours and workshops etc., and are contactable through their websites: www.rosalinddavis.co.uk www.annabeltilley.com [sorry you will have to copy and paste these two links]
The pair produced a very useful and reasonably priced guidebook to navigating life as an artist after art school.
Mark Devereux Projects
Manchester
“Mark Devereux Projects represents a new model of working with artists, with each individual’s objectives at the core of our ambitions. Central to this ethos is bespoke artist development. This is reactive and responsive to each artist’s requirements and can include strategic planning, mentoring programmes, critical engagement and production.”
Blue Monkey Network
Eastbourne
“Blue Monkey Network is an artists’ organisation run by artists for artists. Organiser Judith Alder, runs the Network in partnership with Eastbourne’s Towner gallery, who invited Blue Monkey to establish the Network in 2011. Since then the group has held monthly talks and networking events at Towner.”