Artist Development Programme

Our Artist Development Programme offers a wide range of opportunities for artists in different stages of their career. Please check below for application deadlines, eligibility and criteria for each of the opportunities.

Most opportunities are only available to Somerset Art Works Artist Members.

Click here to find out more about Membership

Artist Development Programme 2023-26

Somerset Art Works will be continuing as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation for 2023-26. This will enable us to carry on with our Artist Development Programme. A number of opportunities are now open for our artist members, including Creative Pathways Bursary, Pair-up Bursary and one-to-one advisory sessions. More will be announced in the coming months, please see our monthly Newsletter for details.

Our priorities

We are committed to supporting our artist community at the core of our work. However, with limited resources and ongoing challenges, we have decided to make a few adjustments to our Artist Development programme in order to ensure our work is accountable.

Our upcoming programme for 2023 aims to provide a ‘head-start’ for those who are disadvantaged. We will make a stronger case for the potential mid/long-term impact on the career path of beneficiaries through our Bursary Programme (Creative Pathways & PAIR UP). 30% of our members are from low-income backgrounds, ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled and neurodivergent groups and without an art-related degree. Therefore, we will prioritise those who have not been reached in the previous programme, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, including those who identify as D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds or living or working in areas of socio-economic deprivation, sole carer for elderly parents and children, and those who experience discrimination.

Alongside that, we continue to focus on developing a stronger artist community between all members from all backgrounds through a programme focusing on peer support, networking and collaboration, including Somerset Reacquainted.

Within the context of our funding priorities, we are directly responding to our focus on Environmental Responsibility. We would like to work with our artistic community to develop best practice in this area, whether it is about the use of materials, the approach, the message of your work, or issues that artists wish to contribute to the conversation locally, nationally or globally. Somerset Art Works has become one of a growing number of arts organisations and individuals who have declared a climate and ecological emergency via the Culture Declares movement. To find out more: https://somersetartworks.org.uk/2021/10/culture-declares

THE LATEST 

PREVIOUS PROGRAMME

The followings are the events and activities in the past years since 2018.

Supporting artists through the impact of Covid-19 Pandemic between 2019-22, we put together an extensive programme, including Somerset Reacquainted, Get Together, Get Going and Get Ready, providing much-needed networking, showcasing, training and advisory services for more than 150 artists across our membership.

‘This past year, as a newly re-engaged member, I’ve gained a real appreciation for SAW’s efforts as artist advocate. The quality of discourse combined with sincere care for members is a meaningful combination that I think contributes to the strong sense of community. The SAW team goes to great lengths to help impact our practices as members, fostering a supportive environment to take risks and grow. I have felt invited, nudged, challenged, and seen – all in ways that support my growth and development as a practitioner and as part of a broader community. ‘

BACKGROUND

Somerset Art Works is an arts development agency, evolving from the ‘Art Weeks’ event which was established in 1994. This artist-led organisation first set out to provide showcase opportunities for artists, attracting more than 350 artist members in 2007 and it has continued to grow in recent years to include other organisations, groups, schools and businesses. With a growing number of artists in Somerset, we recognise the need to develop and profile high-quality work for audiences, in order to sustain a viable artistic economy in the county.

In 2010, Creative Pathways  a bursary programme for professional development, was launched with support from Friends of Somerset Art Works and Arts Council England Lottery Funding. Each selected artist received benefit of free membership, free entry to the Art Weeks event and a bursary to cover mentoring, materials, travelling and showcasing new works at the Art Weeks events. Over thirty artists have been involved in the Creative Pathways programme so far.

In 2017, we delivered Prospectus, a pilot programme to look at learning for artists. Together with the Artists’ Development Day, which gathered feedback from more than 30 artist members.  We are now able to continue providing a number of different development opportunities for artist members from 2018 onward, since we became part of our commitment as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.

CONTACT

The Artist Development Programme is managed by Zoe Li, Programme Associate of Somerset Art Works, supported by Creative Director Carol Carey and the Somerset Art Works Board. For all enquiries in relation to the programme, please contact Zoe by email [email protected]