About us - Somerset Art Works

Somerset Art Works is a registered charity and membership organisation.

Somerset’s only countywide agency dedicated to developing the visual arts.

Part of the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of funded organisations for 2023-2026.

We want Somerset to be a place where people expect to engage with excellent visual art that is surprising and distinctive. To create an atmosphere of adventure and experimentation that inspires artists to produce and present new work and for all audiences to experience it firsthand.

We are committed to developing partnerships within environment, heritage and health sectors to reach wider communities and areas with low arts engagement. We work to increase public engagement, weaving together communities and raising the profile of the vibrant contemporary visual, digital and applied arts scene in Somerset.

Somerset Art Weeks

Find out more about Somerset Art Weeks. The event alternates between the bi-ennial Open Studios and the Exhibitions + Events year, which includes major SAW commissions and projects.

Education and Learning

Somerset Art Works aim to embed learning throughout a wide range of activities as well developing learning programmes, providing opportunities for professional artists to work with schools, colleges and communities.

Community and Commissions

Since 2002 SAW has worked with a wide range of partners providing opportunities for artists via research, residencies and commissions, developing new visual arts new audiences and engaging with local communities who may have little contact with the arts.

Artist Support and Development

SAW’s vision is for Somerset to be a place where people expect to engage with excellent visual art that is surprising and distinctive. We encourage artists to experiment, produce and present new work, and for audiences to experience it first hand.

Meet our Patrons

Find out more about our patrons

Board of Directors

Find out more about our board of directors

The Team

Find out more about our team

Funders & Sponsors

Thank you for the support from our current funders and sponsors.

SAW Background

In 1994 a group of Somerset artists initiated an open studio festival as a way of making contact with other artists in the county and promoting their work directly to the public. It was such a success that there has been a regular Somerset Art Weeks festival ever since. In 2000 SAW Ltd was set up to provide a permanent organisational structure and in 2007 the decision was made by SAW members to turn the festival into an annual two-weekly event with an alternating focus of Open Studios and Exhibitions and Events Festival year.

In 2016 Somerset Art Works became a registered charity which aims

‘To advance education for the public benefit in Somerset in the fields of visual arts including collaborations with other art forms’

Please see articles-of-association-somerset-art-works-may-2016.