artists’ studios: creating public benefit
two London case studies
ACAVA Blechynden Street studios APT studios at Harold Works artists’ studios: creating public benefit the community, cultural and socio-economic benefit created by affordable studio organisations
two London case studies
Blechynden Street studios, North Kensington Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art (ACAVA)
APT studios at Harold Works, Deptford The Art in Perpetuity Trust (APT) Researched and written by Susie O’Reilly Edited by Jonathan Harvey, Co-Director, Acme Studios and Val Millington, Programme Coordinator, Capital Studios Designed by Area, [email protected] Printed by Martin Edwards Printers, [email protected]
Commissioned and published by Capital Studios – the London Artists’ Studios Development Programme
Capital Studios is an advocacy programme led by Acme Studios on behalf of the afford- able artists’ studio sector in London
Acme Studios 44 Copperfield Road, Bow, London E3 4RR T 020 8981 6811 F 020 8983 0567 E [email protected] This report can be downloaded after 1 March 2007 from www.acme.org.uk
Inside front cover Heather Burrell at APT Contents
Forewords 4 Acknowledgements 6 Introduction 9
1 Impact and benefit of affordable studio organisations 17
2 The added impact of security of tenure 29
3 Artists, partners and beneficiaries 37
4 Studio portraits 57
5 5.1 ACAVA artists 85 5.2 ACAVA projects 88
6 6.1 APT artists 97 6.2 APT projects and exhibitions 103
7 7.1 Glossary 107 7.2 People, publications and websites consulted 111 4 Forewords Artists play a central role in helping to build the thriving, vibrant, sustainable communities
F artists’ studios: creating public benefit O which improve everyone’s quality of life. R E
W Imagination, innovation and flair are abun- O
R dant in our creative industries, but places to D
S work are sometimes in short supply.
So providing affordable artists’ studios is really important and an acknowledgement of the valuable contribution artists make to society.
I am therefore pleased that Arts Council England is making studio provision a high priority, and is supporting Acme Studios to establish a National Federation of Artists’ Studio Providers, which will represent the needs and concerns of the artists’ studios sector.
Studio provision is a necessary building block for the future of visual arts in this country. I would urge all local authorities and partners David Lammy to make ‘spaces to create’ a priority.
This is why I am happy to support this publication.
David Lammy MP Minister for Culture Artists need studios. Most artists do not earn 5 sufficient income from sales of work to rent a F
studio at open market prices in London. O R
Affordable studio providers charge rents that E W
are, on average, one third of the open market. O R D
In this way, they subsidise the contemporary S visual arts economy by roughly £11 million a year.
Studios and their artists are actively involved in regeneration. Most artists live in the same borough as their studios and have close per- sonal and business ties in their studio neigh- bourhoods: partners, parents, children and dependents. Highly skilled, innovative and Sarah Weir motivated, their impact as artists in regenera- tion has been tremendous. Yet most funding Time and again we have seen how the arts for community work is project based and proj- can help us see ourselves, our environment ects come and go. The continuity provided by and each other differently. permanent affordable studios ensures that the unique contribution of artists can be cen- Arts Council England is committed to improv- tral to their communities in the long term. ing the professional, social and economic sta- tus of individual artists by increasing opportu- We hope that this publication will help to nities for them to occupy long-term, profes- make the case for, and inform the future sional, affordable, accessible, safe and sus- development of permanent spaces for artists tainable working spaces. With our partners, to learn, create and flourish within and for we need to demonstrate their value and role their communities. in their communities, their partnerships and achievements. Sarah Weir Chief Executive This publication offers hard evidence of Arts Council England, London the impact and benefit of affordable studio organisations through education and commu- nity outreach programmes, on housing estates, in community colleges, schools, hospitals and prisons. Such organisations ensure that artists are directly engaged with their communities. 6 Acknowledgements ACAVA Association for Cultural Advancement A
C through Visual Art
K We would like to thank the artists, trustees N
O and partners of ACAVA and APT and the 54 Blechynden Street, London W10 6RJ W
L beneficiaries of their projects and programmes T 020 8960 5015 E
G who generously shared information about E
M their practice, convictions and experience to W www.acava.org E
N inform this study. Registered Charity No 287894 T
S Registered Company No 1749730 We are grateful to Naomi Dines, artist and studio manager of Occupation Studios, for APT sharing the research and methodology the The Art in Perpetuity Trust studio organisation developed to demonstrate Harold Works, 6 Creekside, Deptford, London their social and economic impact and commu- SE8 4SA nity benefit as part of their campaign to save T 020 8694 8344 their studio building. Their work helped shape E [email protected] our approach and informed our methodology. W www.aptstudios.org Thanks are also due to Naomi for her helpful Registered Charity No 1045363 comments on the text. Registered Company No 3012557
Our especial thanks are due to Duncan Smith, Acme Studios is a London-based charity that Artistic Director, ACAVA and to Liz May, supports fine art practice by providing artists Studio Manager and Charity Administrator, with affordable studio and living space. Since APT. Their commitment, energy and unstint- Acme was formed in 1972 it has helped more ing support were essential. than 5,000 artists with this fundamental means of support and is recognised as the Susie O’Reilly, Jonathan Harvey, leading development agency for artists’ Val Millington working and living accommodation. In 2005 November 2006 it undertook and published the first-ever detailed and comprehensive survey of studio provision in England, A survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in England and published an accompanying register of affordable studio providers. Recently it has facilitated the work of the Steering Group formed to establish the new National Federation of Artists’ Studio Providers.
Acme’s current work is driven by the huge demand for space, with over 3,500 artists on waiting lists for affordable studios in London. tourism programmes and focuses especially Acme’s commitment to develop more perma- on multi-agency collaborations which support nent space has been given a significant boost individual artists, creative industry enterpris- through two Arts Council capital awards from es, cultural entrepreneurship and learning in, lottery funds of £1.2 million in 1997 and £2 through and about the arts. Her specialisms million in 2005. These have enabled the include strategic planning, feasibility studies continuation of a successful long-term capital and organisational reviews. She works with a programme which aims to create 400 new diverse range of public and private sector studios in London within 10 years, doubling clients in the UK and abroad, including Arts the number of permanent buildings in the Council England, British Council, British capital. Currently, new, low-cost studios are Consultancy Trust, Creative Partnerships, planned on the roof of Acme’s Copperfield the Making, MLA East Midlands, Southend Road studios in Mile End. The first building to Borough Council, Renaissance, Quipus be secured through the most recent lottery Foundation and most recently Acme Studios funding is The Galleria Studios, Peckham, and the Capital Studios programme. SE15 where 50 new studios have been created as part of a mixed-use planning gain Val Millington is an independent consultant 7 development in partnership with Barratt and researcher working in the arts and A
Homes. Formally opened by David Lammy MP, cultural sector. Her work includes research, C K N
Minister for Culture, in June 2006, the project feasibility studies, project management and O W
is an important model since affordable stu- evaluation, organisational reviews and L E dios have been created in much the same way strategic planning. Current and recent clients D G E
as affordable housing. The hope is that this include Arts Council England, Brighton Photo M E project, where the private sector has con- Biennial, Contemporary Art Society, Culture N T tributed to the creation of permanent, high South West, International Photography S quality and accessible affordable studios for Research Network (IPRN), Phoenix Arts artists, will encourage other such schemes Association, Brighton and Acme Studios and not just in London, but nationally. the Capital Studios programme. In a voluntary capacity, she is Chair of Trustees for Spike Susie O’Reilly is an independent consultant, Island in Bristol, a major centre providing curator and writer. Her work includes commis- artists’ workspace, international residencies, sioning for the public realm, festivals and a public programme of exhibitions, projects, museums. She initiates, manages and evalu- talks and events and tenancies to a number ates arts-led regeneration and cultural of cultural industries.
Introduction Introduction
“Being an artist is a life choice and a state of mind” ACAVA artist y r e l l a G
T P A
t a
n o i t i b i h x e
l
a r i
p
S Introduction notwithstanding the challenging environment 11 of high property and land values – through I N
This report provides in-depth information opportunism in response to the property mar- T R about the public benefit affordable studio ket and a high degree of self-help and volun- O D
tary input. Organisations providing affordable U providers and their tenant-artists achieve. C T
studio space support art and artists at the I It explores how they work to encourage inno- O vation and creativity across the social and most fundamental level and in doing so effec- N regeneration agendas. It provides examples of tively subsidise the contemporary visual arts how artists support their practice by working economy in the UK2. in education, training and community develop- ment and how this helps to address social The sector is both distinctive and diverse. It exclusion, offender, health and learning issues. includes small unincorporated groups provid- ing space for a handful of artists to large Artists need studios. For artists committed charities managing property portfolios with to non-commercial fine art practice1, having a many hundreds of studios. What they have in studio is essential. However, the vast majority common at their core is the provision of of these artists do not earn sufficient income affordable space for artists in need. Not only from sales of their work to be able to afford do these organisations enable artists to make to rent a studio at open market prices as well art but they benefit the public as a natural as providing themselves with a separate place consequence of artists establishing their pro- to live. Affordable studio providers respond to fessional lives in particular buildings. This this need. They charge rents at an affordable study was commissioned because, while the level, which the artists are able to meet with- cultural impact and value of the affordable out having to devote an undue amount of studio sector is becoming more recognised, working time on other income-generating its community and socio-economic value is activities. Alongside the studio space, less well understood. When a studio building providers offer other resources to enable the closes – and many are currently under threat artists to develop and sustain their practice – because of increasing property and land val- including a supportive environment in a ues – not only does each artist face a serious community of like-minded professionals, disruption to their practice, but the public 24-hour access, digital facilities including benefit that the studio organisation creates broadband and on-going professional may cease altogether. development training and support. The community, cultural and socio- Affordable studio providers in London economic impact achieved by the work of charge rents which are on average one third these organisations and their artists is of those for physically comparable space on described in this report. The intention is, by the open market. This has been achieved – focussing on two examples, to offer specific insights into the benefits provided by the Previous page: Roland Lawar with children from Langford affordable studio sector as a whole. This School at Tate Modern David Webb’s APT studio
sector, which is to be represented by the belief of those consulted is that these well- National Federation of Artists’ Studio established networks and clusters enable the Providers (NFASP), comprises at least 134 impact of embedding artists’ expertise and studio organisations and 237 studio buildings experience in a wide range of public provision 12 in England (of which 31 organisations and 88 to be maximised and provides a powerful studio buildings are London-based) providing argument for investing in long-term solutions I N
T affordable studios for over 4,000 artists to affordable studio provision. R
O 3
D (2,000 in London) . U
C All affordable studio organisations and their T I
O The report presents case studies of two tenant-artists create public benefit. Both N studio buildings: Blechynden Street studios in ACAVA and APT are ‘educational charities’ and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as such are obliged, as defined by their chari- the headquarters of the Association for table objectives, to provide resources and pro- Cultural Advancement through Visual Art grammes for the public. This is a common (ACAVA) and The Art in Perpetuity Trust (APT) organisational model for studio providers. studios at Harold Works on Creekside, Deptford However there are other affordable providers in the London Borough of Lewisham. Parallel whose charitable purpose is exclusively to pro- detailed descriptions of the two buildings and vide space for artists in need. In so doing they organisations are set out in Section 4. also create public benefit by providing space which enables their artists to be actively Section 4.3, Measuring Up details how the involved in diverse activities of cultural, com- Blechynden Street and APT studios compare munity and socio-economic value. Educational with the key findings of the London Digest, charities manage programmes which can taken from Acme Studios’ national survey of focus and maximise this impact. artists’ studio groups and organisations.4 Portraits of a cross-section of artists, The reasons for selecting these two studio partners and beneficiaries, along with com- buildings are that they are run by well-estab- plete listings for all the artists in both of the lished, stable organisations, with roots studios, accompany the case studies, in stretching back more than a quarter of a cen- Sections 3, 5.1 and 6.1 respectively. The list- tury, which has allowed time for good practice ing of artists serves to capture the diversity in studio management and community com- of the occupants of the two studios, their mitment to develop. However, unusually for practice and the range of ways they share the sector5, both buildings are owned by their their knowledge and professional skills with respective organisations. The report consid- the public. ers how this ownership has a significant impact on the degree of public benefit the In all, some 100 people fed into this report, studios are able to create (Section 2). It many through face-to-face consultations led discusses how confidence in their tenure has by the researcher, others through phone and enabled the studio organisations, their artist email. Extensive and continuous input was members and partners to commit resources – provided by the Artistic Director of ACAVA human, technical and financial – over extend- and the Studio Manager and Charity ed periods of time (a decade and more) to Administrator of APT. To enable the voice of build complex collaborative relationships. The those consulted to be heard and to enliven the report, their own words are extensively range of contexts and settings locally, region- quoted throughout. ally, nationally and internationally. Insight into the variety of the artists’ individual art prac- All of the studio artists are committed to tice, the diverse ways in which they generate non-commercial fine art practice. The phrase income to support their practice and how ‘non-commercial fine art practice’ is used in they combine this with their domestic lives is this report to encompass the activity of also provided. artists who make artwork for its creative, cultural, intellectual or philosophical value, as The environment in which artists and much as, and often in preference to, its com- studio organisations seek to share their modity value. Thus, while all the Blechynden skills and knowledge and support learning in, Street and APT artists place their work in the through and about art6 is an increasingly public domain in some way and many sell to receptive one. For instance, the introduction private and public collections and make to of the National Curriculum paved the way for commission, their major motivation for mak- a raft of government initiatives aimed at rais- ing works of art is not the expectation that ing the educational attainment of children they will be able to earn a living income solely aged 5 to 16. Artists are making increasingly 13 from sales. All APT and ACAVA members are, important contributions to the implementa- I N
however, professionally committed to making tion of these and other educational initiatives T R a life as an artist. such as the Skills for Life strategy and the O D U
push to improve the English language skills of C T I
The artists are mostly university graduates those who have other mother tongues. Over O and many hold postgraduate certificates, the past decade and a half a much clearer N including teaching and other qualifications, understanding of how people learn and the and higher degrees such as MAs. A number conditions they require has evolved. Many either have, or are studying for, PhDs. The action research projects, ranging, for instance report delves into how they employ their in the schools context, from Sir Ken training, knowledge, skills and experience to Robinson’s7 pioneering Arts in Schools project work with partner organisations who are in the late 1980s to the current Creative engaged in a wide variety of creative, cultural, Partnerships8 programme, demonstrate the social and educational activities in a broad powerful contribution to learning that embed- ding the arts in formal and informal education can make. Accordingly, there has been an APT Open Studios weekend exponential increase in opportunities for arts organisations and artists to undertake this The context for this programme is the growing work. This increase has been paralleled by threat to affordable studio provision. The leas- growth in demand for partnerships with es of many existing studio buildings will expire artists from agencies that support young over the next 10 years. Rising land values and people at risk, those with mental health and development schemes challenge the potential substance abuse issues and offenders. for new provision of affordable workspace for artists. However, alongside these threats there Sections 5.2 and 6.2 list ACAVA and APT’s are significant opportunities to provide new public projects undertaken from 2003-06 and and more sustainable artists’ studios as part of 2005-06 respectively, the major developments taking place across the capital and the country as a whole. A glossary is provided in Section 7.1. Arranged alphabetically, it gives details of Led by Acme Studios on behalf of affordable acronyms and provides definitions and expla- studio providers in London and supported by nations of the specialist arts and education Arts Council England, the advocacy pro- terms used throughout the report. gramme is directed at key bodies: local 14 authorities, development agencies, property This is the first study of its kind to look developers and housing associations – all I N
T in detail at the public benefit affordable those with a role in developing sustainable R
O studio providers create. It comes at a time communities. D U
C of increasing awareness of the value and T I
O maturity of the work of the studio sector, In recent years the Arts Council has prioritised N highlighted by two high profile national support for the individual artist at the level of conferences in 20039. A recent complementa- production. It is welcome to see that in its new ry study, commissioned by Creative Yorkshire, ten-year strategy for the contemporary visual Visual artists in shared workspaces – arts in England, Turning Point, Arts Council resources and facilities 10, looked at the England affirms its continuing commitment to economic characteristics of workspace used supporting new work and artists’ develop- by visual artists and craftspeople in Yorkshire ment. One of its five key priorities is support and the Humber. The scope of the survey for artists and a commitment to ‘continue to did not include an examination of public give priority to capital investment for the benefit but concluded that ‘whilst it would development of artists’ workspace.’ 11 be difficult to suggest at present that artists are a major economic contributor … they This document is one of a series of publica- clearly have a large social and cultural tions12 that Acme has produced over the past benefit to make to their communities.’ eighteen months including those which form part of Capital Studios. The case studies and Capital Studios – the London Artists’ portraits are intended to illuminate some of Studios Development Programme, which the facts and figures made available in the has commissioned this report, is an advocacy earlier research reports. Together, the reports programme which aims to raise awareness of provide a substantial body of evidence in sup- artists’ workspace as an important element in port of the need for permanent, affordable urban renewal programmes, with a view to studio space for artists in the capital and help creating opportunities for long-term sustain- to demonstrate the public benefit which ulti- ability and growth. mately flows from this activity. NOTES 9. Creating Places, 8 July 2003 at Tate Modern, London, 1. The phrase ‘non-commercial fine art practice’ is used in organised by Cultural Industries Development Agency this report to encompass the activity of artists who make supported by Arts Council England, the European Union art work for its creative, cultural, intellectual or philo- and Regeneration and Renewal; Making Space, 22 July at sophical value, as much as, and often in preference to, its Persistence Works, Sheffield, organised by ArtSpace and commodity value. supported by Arts Council England.
2. Commercial workspace provision for visual artists – a 10.Visual artists in shared workspaces – resources and comparison with the affordable sector, Michael Cubey, facilities, Creative Yorkshire. February 2006, Capital Studios. 11. Turning Point – Arts Council England: A strategy for 3. A register of artists’ studio groups and organisations the contemporary visual arts in England. June 2006. in England, Acme Studios, June 2006. 12. A survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in 4. London Digest – a survey of artists’ studio groups and England, Acme Studios, May 2005 organisations in London, Capital Studios, 2006. A register of artists’ studio groups and organisations in 5. ’80 per cent of total space is rented’ A survey of England, Acme Studios. May 2005 artists’ studio groups and organisations in England, Acme Studios, May 2005. Commercial workspace provision for visual artists – a 15 comparison with the affordable sector, Michael Cubey, I 6. See glossary, Section 7.1. February 2006, Capital Studios N T R O
7. The Arts in Schools project, 1985-1989, Schools London Digest – a survey of artists’ studio groups and D U
Curriculum Development Company Committee. organisations in London, Capital Studios, 2006 C T I
For information about Sir Ken Robinson see O www.principalvoices.com. All the four above publications are available from Acme N as downloadable pdf files from www.acme.org.uk. 8. Partnership between schools and artists to develop new approaches to teaching and learning. See glossary, Section 7.
1 Impact and benefit of affordable studio organisations “ACAVA is a launching pad that’s got me back into employment.”
Mustafa Mrimou
Impact and benefit of affordable studio organisations
This section provides an overview of the findings of the research presented in the body of this report and discusses a range of issues including: What do affordable studio organisations do? What benefit does this provide? To whom? t c e j o r p
c i a s o m
s t r A
e r u t p a C WHAT DO AFFORDABLE G Support artists to operate, 19
STUDIO ORGANISATIONS DO? where appropriate, as part of I M P A
the creative industries sector C T
Affordable studio organisations A
of the UK economy N D do some or all of the following: B E N E
G Support artists’ identification F I T
Provide the resources artists as professional by themselves, O G F
A
need to sustain their profes- peers and colleagues F F O R
sional practice and to produce D A B
artworks and projects for L E
Provide the resources artists S
public exhibition T need to sustain their professional U D I O
practice O R
G Create public benefit through G A
Affordable studio providers meet the need of N I
the provision of education S
artists to rent a working space in addition to a A T I
and community outreach place to live. As not-for-profit organisations O N programmes they strive to charge rents well below com- S mercial levels.
G Contribute to the cultural Artists share the need of other creative vibrancy of an area enterprises for a secure working environment – secure in the sense that their relationship with their landlord is on a clearly defined G Contribute to urban renewal legal footing, there is a good Health and Safety policy in place and reasonable steps have been taken to minimise the risk of G Support partners to conduct break-in and theft. Many sole-traders and public consultation and micro-enterprises benefit from the sense of being part of a community of like-minded evaluation professionals and appreciate access to joint digital facilities, such as an Information and Support art form development Communications Technology (ICT) studio with G specialist hard- and soft-ware, and a broad- and professional collaboration band network. It is also widely recognised that the ‘clustering’ of creative activity brings Previous page: APT Open Studios weekend added benefits. 20 I M P A C T
A N D
B E N E F I T
O F
A F F O R
D Creekside Summer College A ing in 3D and on a large scale – may need B
L relatively large amounts of space, that can be E
S However some of the other requirements that used for wet or dry, clean or dirty activity T U
D fine artists have of their working space differ using heat, water, chemicals and power tools, I O
from those of other creative industry (CI) doors that are high and wide enough for large O R
G enterprises. Many of these enterprises, for and/or heavy tools and materials to be A
N instance design and media companies, work in brought in and out, floors that can accept I S
A business units in managed office buildings. heavy loading, and accommodation with easy T I O However, much as some artists might enjoy access to the outside, either on the ground N
S some of the facilities that such environments floor or close to a goods lift. Some artists provide – central heating, air conditioning, need extraction facilities and to be in an area well-appointed kitchens and meeting rooms – where noise and fume pollution is permissi- their prime need is for flexible space where ble. Some studios provide shared workshop they can think, research, experiment, make space for this type of activity. preparatory drawings and models, create finished work and show and store their work, tools and materials. Increasingly artists also Create public benefit need clean and secure areas for administra- tion set apart from their production spaces. Studio organisations and their member Most need space which is well-lit (some need artists create public benefit through providing particular qualities of natural light), with high- education and community outreach pro- er ceilings than normal office or domestic grammes on-site and off-site (for instance on space, a good run of un-fettered working housing estates, in community centres, parks, walls, generous fire- and damp-proof storage playgrounds, schools, colleges, universities, to archive work securely, a place to wash up hospitals and prisons). They achieve this and shower and 24-hour access (to enable through partnerships with a variety of strategic them to combine part-time income-generation bodies and agencies engaged in direct provision and domestic responsibilities with their prac- in the arts, education and training, health and tice). Some artists – particularly those work- well-being and the prevention and reduction of crime. Their counterparts include voluntary, charitable, statutory, local authority, central Learning in art: acquiring and applying government and non-governmental groups, the knowledge and skills needed to institutions and organisations. In collaboration make art yourself with their partners, studio organisations (and their tenant-artists) provide programmes Learning about art: acquiring and which promote: applying the knowledge and skills need- ed to understand and enjoy art made G diverse creative, artistic and cultural by others, from your own and diverse practice cultural backgrounds, now and in the G learning in, about and through art (see past box below) G engage individuals from a wide range of Learning through art: using art as a ages (infants to mature adults), back- vehicle to enable people, particularly grounds and interests those who don’t respond well to tradi- G community participation in and enjoy- tional teaching methods in formal set- ment of projects of artistic, intellectual tings, to learn differently. Extensive 21 and cultural worth research by many different experts has I M
G achievement by hard-to-reach learners created widespread recognition that P A
and those who find traditional methods of C
before anyone can learn anything they T
teaching unsympathetic to the ways they A
must be ready to learn – to have self- N D
prefer to learn motivation, self-esteem and trust. B E
G increased self-confidence, self- Hands-on arts activity offers individuals N E
motivation and self-worth amongst F
and groups the opportunity to use a I T
beneficiaries who include pupils excluded range of different approaches to learn- O F
from mainstream education, young ing and to achieve success denied them A F
people at risk, people with mental and F in more conventional classroom set- O R
substance abuse issues and people tings. For some, achieving success in D A
in prison. learning through the arts gives them B L E
new confidence and the belief that they S T
will be able to acquire new skills. U D I O
Oaks Screen by Mamily Sheibani, Derwent School O R G A N I S A T I O N S Both ACAVA and APT are charities with educa- “ACAVA. Yes of course, tional objectives. To secure the financial rewards of their charitable status (such as we know ACAVA. We’ve eligibility for business rate relief and many funding schemes), they are obliged to provide been working with them public benefit. However, the reason why the organisations and the artists, both as mem- for years. Ask away, bers of the organisations and as independent they’re always helping individuals and groups, actively seek to benefit the public is “as much about sharing our own us, we’d be pleased to fundamental beliefs in the value of the arts as the need to honour our obligations to the help them.” Charity Commissioners – though we are fully aware of how important this obligation is.” Cuillin Bantock, Company Secretary and Occupational Therapist, West London Trustee, APT. Both organisations help equip Mental Health Unit at the Charing Cross 22 their artist members to acquire the skills they Hospital need to deliver learning activities, for instance I M
P by providing training to help them to hone A through grants and funding applications. Its C their skills as communicators and educators. T
substantial portfolio of work – which compris- A N
D Over the past decade, the government has es over 50 projects is summarised in Section
B
E 5.2. APT currently spends £5,000 (5 per
N initiated major programmes to raise stan-
E cent) of its annual income on its public F dards of attainment in schools and to support I T programme. In addition, it makes it a condi-
O increased literacy and numeracy skills in the
F tion of hire of the APT gallery that exhibition
A adult population (16- to 60-year-olds). Many
F organisers contribute events to the pro- F of these programmes target those living in O
R gramme. In three years time, when the mort-
D areas of high economic and social depriva-
A gage on the building has been paid off, it B tion. They seek particularly to support adults, L
E plans to increase this proportion and to sup-
young people, children and their families to S
T port an enlarged public education pro-
U overcome social and behavioural issues that D gramme. APT’s growing public programme is I
O hamper their learning. ACAVA and APT and
O their member artists have, between them, summarised in Section 6.2. R G
A made contributions to most of these initia- N I
S tives including: Skills for Life, Sure Start, A
T Creative Partnerships, Specialist Schools, Contribute to the cultural I O
N ArtsMark, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), Entry vibrancy of an area S to Employment (E2E), Access courses and prison education. These multi-agency partner- Studio organisations make an important ship programmes aim to increase basic, key contribution to the cultural life of an area by and life skills, raise literacy and numeracy providing public programmes of activity which achievement and support the development of enable artists, the wider arts community and the nation’s workforce. members of the public to experience and engage in the contemporary visual arts. Such For a number of years, ACAVA has run a sig- programmes, developed by studio organisa- nificant programme with Central North West tions individually, or in collaboration with London and West London Mental Health neighbouring organisations, enhance the over- Trusts. Artspace is for people recovering from all cultural offer in an area, contributing to the health, mental health and substance misuse quality of life and community well-being. problems. It offers access to the visual arts in critical wards in hospitals, day centres and Activities may include: temporary exhibitions studios at Blechynden Street. of contemporary art; taking part in open stu- dios events when artists in studio buildings ACAVA spends £250,000 (25 per cent) of its open their spaces to the public; joint projects annual income on its education and outreach with neighbouring organisations which, programme. It achieves this part of its income together, raise the profile of cultural activity; and, participating in urban renewal pro- APT artist Heather Burrell for example, grammes affecting their immediate locality. works extensively on public commissions in Newham, Lewisham and Southwark. APT, for example, runs a year-round pro- See artist portrait in section 3, Page 40. gramme of temporary exhibitions in its gallery, promoting the work of APT studio Studio organisations make use of difficult and artists, invited artists at different stages of hard-to-let buildings, securing funds to refur- their careers, and displaying work produced bish them and bring them back into use. APT through its educational and community was one of the first arts-led organisations to programme. APT’s annual open studios are take advantage of the cheap property and promoted as part of the highly successful underused industrial buildings in Creekside, London Open House weekend. Later in the leading the way for the area to be colonised year, APT takes part in the Deptford X by creative and cultural organisations. festival, showcasing the visual arts and creative industries across Lewisham. Studio developments can solve environmental and planning problems by utilising vacant or difficult sites deemed unsuitable for other 23 Contribute to urban renewal purposes. ACAVA’s Blechynden Street studios I M
were built on derelict land which local resi- P A
Studio organisations actively participate in dents were pressing the local authority to C T the consultation processes that inform regen- clean up and put into use. At the end of a cul- A N D
eration plans, bringing a creative and practi- de-sac, wedged between a residential block B E
cal perspective to development proposals. and the raised arches of the Hammersmith N E
and City Line, the area of land was too close F I T
They support artists who work in the public to the railway for residential use, too close to O F
realm, in their own neighbourhoods and fur- the block of flats for industrial use and pre- A F ther afield. Artists work as part of design sented serious access and parking problems. F O R
teams, undertake site-specific, permanent Artists’ studios, however, suited the site well. D A and temporary commissions and lead commu- B L E
nity projects that contribute to the develop-
Workshop with Action on Disability Kensington and S T
ment of local identity and a sense of place. Chelsea, artist Aine Scannell U D I O
O R G A N I S A T I O N S David Webb in his APT Studio
24 I M P A C T
A N D
B E
N They sit comfortably next to residential Support art form development E
F property and have double glazing to reduce I
T and professional collaboration
O the railway noise. As they are mostly F
A accessed by bicycle, only a small car park
F Studio organisations help to underpin art F O was required, minimising additional traffic form development and enable professional R
D problems.
A collaboration between artists, curators, critics B
L and other cultural practitioners. They assist in E
S the initiation, implementation and dissemina- T
U Support for public consultation D tion of projects of artistic and cultural value I O
and evaluation which push the boundaries of arts practice O R
G and bring the results into the public domain. A
N Nowadays, little social, education or cultural They help supply the technical and financial I S
A policy is developed and few public pro- resources needed to organise exhibitions, T I O grammes are delivered without partners and conferences, seminars and workshops and N
S beneficiaries being asked what they want publish articles, catalogues, films and books. before they get it, and what they thought of it The supportive ethos of the studio environ- once they’ve had it. Innovative and interesting ments encourages peer-to-peer networks to ways of getting people to give their opinions set up and flourish. These, often complex, are much sought after. Artist-led consultation webs comprise mixes of artists who have methodologies are more fun and user-friendly studied together, taught or been taught by than most and frequently more effective at one another and worked collaboratively or in engaging people. The case studies and por- association with each other. There are numer- traits include examples of the successful cost- ous, well-established sub-groups, which take effective support studio organisations and forward particular interests. The studio organ- their members offer their partners, together isations set quality thresholds ensuring that and individually. One portrait details how only professional artists who are committed ACAVA has been contracted by the local to non-commercial fine art practice become authority to undertake community consulta- tenants. For instance, APT has an artist-led tion, which it sub-contracted to member vetting committee which interviews prospec- artists. Another tells how commissioning an tive members when studio vacancies occur. individual APT artist to consult with users New tenancies are offered to artists whose on the design of play facilities has contributed work is of a high standard and who are able to the success of an award-winning architec- to contribute to the studio ethos. The artist- tural practice. led APT gallery committee selects its annual exhibition programme rigorously using care- Whilst many fine artists are extremely entre- fully chosen criteria to ensure that standards preneurial, they are reluctant to describe them- are maintained. selves as creative enterprises, let alone as busi- nesses. Those few that do are clear that most conventional business expansion models are Support participation within the inappropriate. For instance, though some creative industries1 sector artists will contract out particular services (for instance fabrication, bronze casting, framing, The visual arts can be seen as part of the photography and some administration and creative industries (CI) sector of the UK econ- accountancy) relatively few have the ambition omy. Although the current Department for to take on employees on a PAYE basis. Some Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) definition of do lead teams of workshop assistants, but even the creative industries does not specifically they often work on contract. Whatever services include visual artists, there are ways in which they do contract out, all artists insist on retain- non-commercial fine artists fit the CI model. ing creative control of the development, For instance, they create intellectual property, design, production and reproduction of their and copyright protection is an issue for some. work. The unique selling point of an artist’s 25 work is that it communicates the artist’s
While making work for sale is not the prime I M
unique vision, ideas and voice. P
motivation of many artists, some are becom- A C ing increasingly comfortable with the concept T
Nevertheless, studio organisations fully A of marketing their work and the creative and N D
recognise the advantages of positioning other skills their practice has equipped them B E with. This may be, in part, because they are themselves and their members as part of the N E
visual arts sub-sector of the economy. Both F finding the Internet a user-friendly creative I T communication tool. The value of on-line gal- APT and ACAVA are actively supporting the O F leries and exhibitions is becoming recognised development of creative hubs. A key part of A F
Creative London’s strategy to support the F more and more. For instance, almost half of O R the APT artists are now successfully repre- creative industries, creative hubs are geo- D A
graphically-based networks focused on B sented by anderssonhall contemporary art L E
encouraging enterprise and growth in the services’ on-line gallery, where examples of S T their work are displayed with price tags. U D I www.anderssonhall.com. Nicola Rae’s APT Studio O
O R G A N I S A T I O N S “To me, this studio is not Support artists’ identification as professional by themselves, ‘an island unto itself’ – peers and colleagues working near other All the artists interviewed for this research were artists is very important asked, “What does your studio mean to you?” Their responses were essentially variations on a to me. There is an theme: “When I come to my studio, I become myself.” For an artist, a studio is much more atmosphere of openness, than a physical space. Having a studio signifies their status as a professional person who has friendliness and freedom made a particular set of life choices. It affirms to experiment, which their self-image, and external perception of them, as an artist. Giving up their studio is working alone could often to signal that they have abandoned their belief in their identity as an artist. 26 never compare with. I
M The various partners interviewed were clear
P You can be alone but not A that they see having a studio and being part C
T of a studio organisation as an indicator of an
A alone – which I think is N artists’ professionalism. Each of the partners D
B stated explicitly that they consider it essential E necessary, when making N
E to be able to present the artists they work F I
T art over many years.” with as fellow professionals, who complement
O
F and extend their own specialist skills. This
A
F Nicola Rae, APT artist, from Sanctuary helps to achieve their strategic and practical F O exhibition catalogue objectives, which often hinge on being able to R D
A challenge the poor self-confidence, low expec- B
L tations and defeatist attitudes which hinder E
S creative industries sector. APT is closely learning. They are looking to give their pupils, T U
D involved with the Deptford/Greenwich Hub students, patients, inmates and clients com- I O and ACAVA with Westside, the creative hub pelling role models and access to opportuni- O
R for North Paddington Basin. They understand
G ties that excite their interest. A
N that the hubs will enable them to access I S
A financial and technical support. They are com- Many of the studio members hold teaching T I O mitted to helping their members understand posts in universities and colleges. In addition to N
S and benefit from the resources available being an essential qualification for the teaching through creative industry development agen- of creative subjects, professional practice con- cies. “We just want artists to take advantage stitutes the academic research that pushes the of the opportunities that are available now to boundaries of each discipline. Their students support their professional practice. Some are relish the contact with practising artists with afraid that becoming part of a network clus- their own studio practice. “It gave me the ener- ter or accepting the widely available free or gy I needed to take my own practice forward. subsidised training and mentorship to help Talking with Roxy about her London studio, them plan forward financially is tantamount how she manages the different facets of her to supping with the devil. It really can be professional life – making and exhibiting work, uphill work getting artists to appreciate the undertaking commissions and residences, support that’s there for them now – string curating shows, writing and teaching – inspired free. It can work though, often because stu- me and helped me to see how I could do the dio organisations are working hard to encour- same myself.” Artist Paul Flannery, who was age their members to realise that they can taught by APT member Roxy Walsh at access specialist business advisors who really Newcastle University, came to London for an do understand their needs and can provide MA at Goldsmiths College, and is now estab- bespoke advice.” Project manager, CI devel- lished with his own studio as a member of the opment initiative. Artists Studio Company (ASC) in New Cross. NOTES 1. The DCMS defines the creative industries as “those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. This includes advertising, architec- ture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, designer fashion, film and video, interactive leisure software, music, the performing arts, publishing, software and com- puter games, television and radio.”
27 I M P A C T
A N D
B E N E F I T
O F
A F F O R D A B L E
S T U D I O
O R G A N I S A T I O N S
2 The added impact of security of tenure The added impact of security of tenure
This section looks at the added value and impact of studio organisations having permanent tenure of their buildings
The majority of affordable studio organisations in England hold their property on short-term leases. A significant number of the buildings are ‘at risk’, jeopardising, within the next 10 years, the future of more than 800 artists’ studios 1. s o i d u t s
t e e r t S
n e d n y h c e l B Research undertaken for this An enhanced opportunity to build 31 the ethos of the organisation report produced evidence that T H E
studios, their members and A
APT members and trustees describe how, safe D D their partners believe that in the knowledge that it was worth investing E D
I with security of tenure comes: the time needed to create a cohesive commu- M P
nity, over the past 11 years they have worked A C
through a variety of problems as a group and T
O
have been able to reach a consensus on a F An enhanced opportunity G S number of difficult issues. Now that APT is E C
to build the ethos of the U
ready to develop further, the value of what R I T
organisation has been achieved so far is recognised by all. Y
O
This gives them the confidence to debate F
T
future options together. E N
G Encouragement for artists U R to commit to the locality E and become part of the Encouragement for artists to community commit to the locality and become part of the community
G Self-confidence and Well over half of the Blechynden Street and motivation to engage with APT artists have held their studios since their inception. Over 80 per cent of the APT artists the outside world live either in Lewisham, the borough in which the studio is based, or in neighbouring Greenwich or other south-east London bor- G The time needed for the oughs. A similar proportion of the Blechynden studio organisations and their Street studio artists live in the Royal Borough members to establish their of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham identity and track record, (LBHF) or other west London boroughs. and attract and build creative and professional partners Many have close personal ties in their studio neighbourhoods – partners, parents, children, and networks friends and dependants. Some ACAVA artists and many beneficiaries went to school locally. Most artists chose to live within 20 to 30 min- utes travel time of their studio. Many specifi- cally sought studio space on their doorstep, Previous page: APT window reflection while others first looked for studio space, and “Being in and working holding teaching posts at nearby universities value being able to fit in time in the studio in this space, has always between lectures and seminars. Others time their studio use to fit in with the school run. felt right…” Self-confidence and motivation to Nicola Rae, APT artist engage with the outside world
Many of the artists made a point of saying then, having managed to find space that suit- that for them to engage successfully with the ed them with a long-term lease, moved house outside world they need to feel confident to be nearer to their studio. Artists tend to about their identity as a professional, studio- use their studios at unsocial hours, during the based artist. Artists who have achieved evenings and holidays and at weekends. This secure space at ACAVA and APT were very enables them to juggle their art practice with clear about the impact of lack of security. a range of other professional and income- This was particularly the case if this had fol- 32 generating activities and their domestic lives. lowed the experience of a series of short-term
T A number of the artists enjoy their daily jour- studio lets, campaigning to keep a studio H
E ney from home to the studio – be it on foot, space or searching for and physically building
A
D by bicycle or using their own or public trans- new studio spaces in derelict buildings. It saps D
E port – and consider it an important part of their confidence and energy and reduces their D
I
M their life. “I have three personal spaces that time and appetite for making their own work, P
A have resources and references to hand – my let alone teaching and engaging in community C T
studio is one, the other two being home and and outreach work. O F
car.” David Oates, APT. They make a point of S E
C using local amenities such as the post office, U
R the markets and neighbourhood hardware I T
Y stores en route to and from the studio. Those Lou Smith in her APT Studio
O F
T E N U R E 33 T H E
A D D E D
I M P A C T
O F
S E C U R I T Y
Victoria Rance in her APT Studio “Though we have an overarching strategy for O F
our community work, because of our lack of T E
The time needed for the studio orga- revenue funding, we are not able to imple- N U
ment it proactively. We have to play a waiting R nisations and their members to E establish their identity and track game, and give partners the time they need to find project funding. We do manage to get record and attract and build many of our ideas implemented – eventually. creative and professional partners Without the security of the Blechynden and networks Street, Faroe and Hetley Road buildings giv- ing us permanent presence in RBKC and It takes a long time for any organisation to LBHF for a quarter of a century now, I know establish professional networks and possibly that some of our best education and commu- even longer to put down roots and win confi- nity projects would probably just have dence within local and professional communities. remained at the concept stage.” Duncan “When APT first set up in Deptford, Creekside Smith, (Artistic Director, ACAVA). was still largely given over to industry. As the new kids on the block and a bunch of artists Many of the artists lecture in university art into the bargain, it wasn’t always easy to get departments and the networks that they have people to accept the organisation or help us. built feed back into the studio organisations Now, 11 years on, people know what APT does and assist them to develop their programmes. and what the artists can offer the community, However, such networks need time – years – and they positively want to work with us.” to develop, as students graduate and their Steve Lewis, a founder member of APT. careers and projects evolve. For instance, a number of the APT artists have links with “ACAVA has been around for 25 years. Duncan Wimbledon School of Art – one of the founder (ACAVA’s Artistic Director) is like my bible – members trained there, and he encouraged he’s always introducing me to people and his peers to take up studios. Another of the networks.” Patricia Stead, Head of Arts, APT artists lectures in Newcastle, and as Libraries and Archives, LBHF. some students have graduated, they have 34 T H E
A D D E D
I M P A C T
O F
S E C
U remained in touch as they have taken up Artist Martin Newth, left, leading digital arts session in R
I the C-van T posts in the creative and cultural sector. Y
O Other students have become professional F
T artists themselves and have taken part in APT E N
U exhibitions. Another artist is currently study- celebrating 10 years of the group’s work R
E ing for a PhD – her supervisor at Manchester was held at the APT Gallery in the summer Metropolitan University (MMU) has a variety of 2006. of long-standing links with APT artists and
recently exhibited his work in the APT gallery. G the not-for-profit education company, The conference held in association with the Capture Arts, established by APT member exhibition contributed to the APT outreach Brigid Parusel with Deb Astell, contracts in programme. The exhibition catalogue will be other artists to lead projects used by MMU as part of its contribution to the
next Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). G A2 Arts, an independent group of artists, MMU’s rating in the RAE will affect its future named after the main A2 road in south- funding for practice-based academic research. east London along which all the members live, work and travel, is proactive. The group There are a number of examples of special organises exchange programmes of exhibi- interest groups that the artists have set up tions and site-specific installation work in which have established successful track the UK and abroad. The APT gallery plays records over a number of years. For instance, an important role in enabling partner at APT the groups include: organisations to make return visits in the exchange programme. G the Sharing a View group, set up by Tim Cousins a decade ago. The 13 members NOTES paint directly from shared locations at dif- 1. A survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in ferent sites around Deptford. An exhibition England, Acme Studios, May 2005 “We reap the benefit of the borough’s foresight 25 years ago in enabling ACAVA to purchase the freeholds of Faroe and Hetley Road. The invest- ment of a comparatively small amount of money has proved so worth- 35 T while. It gave us an H E
A D invaluable, long-lasting D E D
I M
resource – a building- P A C T based arts partner on O F
S E which we can rely.” C U R I T Y
Patricia Stead, Head of Arts, Libraries and O F
Archives, London Borough of Hammersmith T E and Fulham N U R E
3 Artists, partners and beneficiaries Artists, partners and beneficiaries
Portraits of five artists, six partners and two beneficiaries to illustrate the studio case studies o i d u t S
T P A
s ’ b b e W
d i v a D David Webb has made a successful start to his professional career as an abstract painter. He trained at Hastings College of Art, the University of Wales and Canterbury Christchurch College of Art. He has won a number of prestigious awards, including the Wales Drawing Biennale and the BP Portrait Award. “Portraiture is not really a major part of my practice, but I am currently enjoying taking part in open competitions. I find the need to respond to a brief creatively drives my work forward.” Since moving to London four years ago, he has completed a residency at the Florence School, London and has been accepted to take part in the 2006 Triangle residencies in New York. Joining APT has Artists enabled him to further his relationship with 39 established painters such as Geoff Rigden, A
John McLean and Mali Morris, each of whom R These five portraits of artists T I is a member of the studio and is recognised S T S
Sophia Clist and Julia Forde, from ,
as having made a contribution to the develop- P A
Blechynden Street studios, ment of British abstract painting over the R T
past 25 years. His joining the studio commu- N E
ACAVA and Heather Burrell, Mali R
nity enables this tradition to be extended into S
Morris and David Webb from APT A
a new generation. He is an active participant N D
in the life of the studio community, showing in offer a glimpse into the diverse B E
exhibitions in the APT gallery curated by N E art practice of the members of peers and curating shows himself. “David’s F I C I the two studio organisations and energy and immediate involvement in APT A R I
has been terrific. It’s great to have young E the range of ways in which they S artists like him around.” Mali Morris. support, share and celebrate their work, balance their profes- David draws inspiration for his work from the landscape and travel: “Travel is fundamental sional and domestic lives, con- to my practice. I take written notes and draw tribute to art form development, directly from the subject. I then make paint- the creative economy and the ings from these in my studio.” – from the sup- porting text for Sanctuary exhibition, APT cultural life and economy of the Gallery, 2005. In addition to Armenia, he has boroughs in which the studios are made work about Mexico and travelled by located. These portraits flesh out the short listings for all 64 “In my studio I continually permanent studio members in move things around so Sections 5.1 and 6.1. Further information about the artists and have no set place for images of their work can be painting … I work on found on www.acava.org and numerous pictures, www.aptstudios.org and by following the links to individual typically about five, at artists’ websites. the same time.”
Previous page: Streetscene, Sophia Clist David Webb, Sanctuary exhibition catalogue “The impact of artists’ Heather Burrell is a sculptor specialising in designing and fabricating metal work to work regenerating the commission. Over the past 20 years (10 of them at APT) she has built up a substantial neighbourhood has been practice, which enables her to employ two specialist assistants more or less full-time. tremendous. People want Registered for VAT, with a full order book and a turnover of £100,000 a year, she spends to live there now.” about half of this income on specialist materi- als and finishing services – some provided by Roger Young, Southwark Council locally-based firms, others by specialist com- panies located across the South of England. The majority of her commissions are for train across Canada. He is still working bespoke street furniture. Her metal gates, through ideas gathered on this trip. Visits to fences and bollards enhance the physical Cyprus in 1999 and the year he spent at the environment and build social cohesion by 40 Cyprus School of Art 2001-02 represent an creating a sense of community pride. Her important connection with the landscape, as clients include developers, for instance A
R well as his development as a painter. “I like to Bellway Housing, local authorities such as T I S Lewisham and Southwark, and Thames T make links, mostly through shapes. My priori- S ,
ty is to make these shapes distinctive and Gateway South East. Current projects include: P A
R memorable. They change during the course designing and fabricating over 100 metal T
N of the painting and I aim for them to seem bollards for Brookes Estate, Newham incorpo- E R
S familiar rather than recognisable. The idea of rating haiku poems specially written by chil-
A
N the painting appears, or returns to me, often dren living on the estate and making fencing D
panels to protect land in Surrey Canal Street,
B through a physical paring down from my E
N source material. Though un-peopled, the Rotherhithe which local kids use for bike E
F riding and skate boarding. The design for the I landscapes, buildings and objects in the pic- C I A tures may represent people or an intimate panels is based on photographs taken by the R I E memory of a relationship.” teenagers with help from Groundwork South, S who will also install the fence. He lives on Creekside, a minute away from the studio, and reckons to spend at least three There are several pieces of Heather’s work days a week painting. On other days, before on Creekside itself including the large metal going off to teach or perhaps on coming back gates of the Creekside Environmental Centre. from a day spent working for a stained glass She and her team take pride in offering window maker (another regular part-time cost-effective, art-based solutions to technical job), he makes a point of dropping into his briefs. For instance, when Berkeley Homes studio, maybe for an hour or just five minutes held a competition for an artwork to disguise “to sit and think and consider the work in a ventilation shaft for a new block of flats, the progress.” team won the contract with their proposal to build the shaft itself. Not only did they come in under the budget originally allocated by the developers just for ventilation, their shaft met the engineering specification and works as a piece of sculpture in its own right, enhancing the streetscape.
Heather is one of the group of artists commissioned by Southwark Council to make work for the Bellenden Renewal project in Peckham. Her work features alongside bollards, street-lighting, mosaics and metal gates designed by Antony Gormley and Tom Phillips (all three live locally). The 40 residents of the Council’s nearby Marsden Road urban regeneration scheme liked her tremendous. People want to live there now. gates for the Centre for Wild Life Gardening The make up of the population has changed, so much that they requested she be commis- middle class families have moved in and are sioned to design and fabricate fences and sending their children to the local schools. So gates to enhance their front gardens. As the all the pupils are benefiting, exam results are family at Number 32 Marsden Road explained, improving and the schools are moving up the “Everyone was offered a choice of three league tables. House prices are rising and designs. We went for the Frog and Bullrush everyone – newcomers and long-time gate, and so did our neighbours on either residents – are taking better care of their side. We all just love them. They’re so well environment.” Roger Young, Southwark made and Heather’s work has such a distinc- Council. Heather herself lives nearby, in East tive voice.” The Peckham scheme has been Dulwich, more or less round the corner from so successful that the Council and the Marsden Road and about 30 minutes from Peckham Society published a celebratory APT. She juggles her practice with childcare, leaflet Discover the Real Peckham which organising studio days around the school run has encouraged cultural tourists to visit the and holidays. If she needs to put extra time in borough – and the money they spend is at the studio over a weekend, her sons and 41 helping to support the increasingly cool cafés the dog are happy spending time foraging A and shops. “The impact of artists’ work R
about in the Creek and forging their own T I regenerating the neighbourhood has been S swords in the yard forge. T S ,
P A R T N E R S
A N D
B E N E F I C I A R I E S
Heather Burrell at APT Sophia Clist is a sculptor whose practice involves working in collaboration with theatre professionals – directors, lighting designers, set constructors, musicians, dancers and actors. “I make sculptural objects that trans- form – seemingly magically – in the telling of a story. Each piece of work evolves over a long period of time, weeks of research and development originating ideas with teams of people and trying them out in a space with performers.” She works particularly with Crying Out Loud, a commissioning, producing and programming company and Theatre- Rites, a theatre company. Both are compara- tively young companies which have achieved international reputations for their extraordi- 42 nary fusion of performance, installation art, puppetry, object animation, video and sound. A
R “If you were to make a list of the great T I S British theatre companies of the past 10 T S ,
years … Theatre-Rites would be up there.” P A
R They “lead the way for most of the rest of T
N theatre in their use of found spaces, the blur- E R
S ring of relationships between performer and
A
N audience and a kind of total theatre. Their D
site-specific work is world class.” Lyn Gardner, B E
N theatre critic writing in the Observer and E
F Inspire, a celebration of UK theatre published Paper People, Sophia Clist I C I A by the Foreign Office, 2003. R I E S Sophia is just about to return to her who invested a huge amount of their own Blechynden Street studio: “I want to get back time in the short-lived Barlby Road studios, into a lonely studio practice to get some built and moved to Palace Wharf studios, and headspace and to recharge. I’ve been working were rewarded for their input into ACAVA by relentlessly since Theodore was born in late being offered studio space in the Blechynden 2002, taking Saul to rehearsals at the Street flagship when it opened. Barbican when he was two months old and to Germany to put on Stretch when he was four Her work with Theatre-Rites started as a months. I wish I had taken more time out but result of a series of coincidences “which like a it all seemed so important to do…” She has lot of good things that have happened in my been a member of ACAVA since it started its career, owed a lot to ACAVA.” It was ACAVA expansion 15 years ago by taking on new who recommended her to the artistic director buildings. She was part of the group of artists of PanOptica Tabula Rasa, a large-scale multi- disciplinary project at Hammersmith Broadway Shopping Centre, when the pro- ject’s visual artist had to drop out at short notice. Around this time, Theatre-Rites had advertised for artists in the ACAVA project newsletter – “I remember it leapt off the page. Penny Barnard came to see PanOptica after meeting me. I think the scale of what I was doing there clinched it for her.” This lucky break – Penny Barnard is recognised as having been one of the most forward thinking theatre directors of her generation – opened
Sophia Clist “…which like a lot of good things that have happened in my career, owed a lot to ACAVA.”
Sophia Clist, ACAVA artist the way for Sophia to develop an innovative approach to sculpture, installation and per- formance which has contributed to the devel- opment of children’s theatre. Young children are totally drawn into shows such as In One Ear. Performances are accompanied by an 43 involuntary babble of advice from the audi- A
ence “Look out, there’s someone underneath R T I it”, surprise “Where’s it gone now?” and sat- S T S
isfaction “I KNEW there was no-one in it” as ,
P the children and their parents marvel at the A R T
wonderful objects and their mysterious N E appearances, disappearances and transforma- R S tions that are totally integral to the unfolding A N drama. The Theatre-Rites pieces are co-pro- Julia Forde D
B ductions with major theatres and venues: In E N E
One Ear with the Lyric Theatre, F
Julia Forde Since her children grew up, Julia I C I Hammersmith, and Der Welt, Stuttgart, has returned to her practice as a painter – A R
Hospital Works with Polka Theatre and The I having achieved a name for her work in archi- E S Thought that Counts with Young Genius and tectural glass and undertaken many large BITE, the Young Vic and the Barbican, commissions for churches and companies in London. They are toured extensively in the the City of London. She is a long-standing UK and abroad. In 2002, Crying Out Loud member of ACAVA and has had a studio at commissioned and produced Stretch. Sophia’s Blechynden Street since the building opened. interactive installation uses six miles of fine She has led the ACAVA schools education pro- elastic to create a piece which fuses sculp- gramme for a number of years and has ture, sound, performance and projection. become increasingly involved in managing the Having toured successfully in the UK, Stretch community outreach programme including, had its North American premier in Toronto at more recently, the Artspace project for people Milk, the international children’s festival of recovering from mental health issues. This has the arts, in May 2006. contributed to her decision to train, part-time over the past six years, as a psychotherapist. “I’ve found that there are some very close links between the two areas of practice. There is a particular way that an artist thinks, which avoids making presumptions – in observation- al drawing, for instance, you don’t presume you know what a chair looks like – you discov- er this through the process. Psychotherapy works along similar lines.”
One of her prime concerns is to stretch the thinking of the schools and teachers that ACAVA works with, helping them to develop imaginative and creative projects that are innovative and cutting edge but also linked to “Having a studio is one the curriculum. She takes pride in matching artists to projects and projects to schools and of the most important is keen to ensure the impact of the pro- gramme on the professional development of things in my life – it is teachers and artists. “We’ve worked with dozens of schools, hundreds of pupils, and crucial to my practice as have built up a considerable reputation. We have a special relationship with the arts teams an artist” in Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea, but we also work in East London, Mali Morris Lambeth, Westminster and Bromley.” Mali Morris has made a successful career as Over the years, ACAVA has been involved in an artist stretching back over 25 years. Since many different projects and programmes – her first solo show at the Ikon Gallery, supporting the varying needs of teachers as Birmingham in 1979, her abstract paintings 44 the curriculum has changed, and increasingly have been exhibited extensively, nationally as schools are awarded specialist status, their
A and internationally. In recent years she has R wider communities. “We have found recently T shown regularly in London, New York and I S that many secondary schools are finding the T
S Tokyo and a solo show organised by Angel ,
demands of winning specialist arts status dif- P Row Gallery, Nottingham in 2002 toured to A
R ficult to fulfil. The work that we are currently
T the Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown in 2003.
N doing with Archbishop Tenison’s School, E Her work is in many private, corporate and R
S Lambeth is a good example of how we can
public collections, including Arts Council A
N step in with our artists, and work with special- England, the British Council, the D
ist schools to deliver the tough targets they B Contemporary Art Society, and the Whitworth E
N have agreed with the local authority and the
E Art Gallery, Manchester. She is the recipient F Department for Education and Skills. I find it I C of awards, from Arts Council England, the I A rewarding to be able to offer the schools
R British Council, DAIWA Foundation, Greater I
E more than they realised was possible and to
S London Arts Association (GLAA), the support artists in developing the skills they Elephant Trust, and the Lorne Award. She has need to take on more demanding projects.” recently shown with Poussin Gallery, London, She is just about to start work on managing a and like an increasing number of APT artists, new collaboration between ACAVA and Mind has work with www.anderssonhall.com. in Brent – who have secured funding for the project. This has come about due to an She has taught and examined in many leading ACAVA artist working as volunteer coordina- art colleges, including the University of tor with Mind. “The group may come to the Reading, Slade School of Art, and for the past digital facility at our Blechynden Street 14 years, has held a 0.5 Senior Lecturer post Studios to work on the project, or we may at Chelsea College of Art and Design “Chelsea use our C-van and go to them. I’ve selected has a long tradition which I have really two experienced artists for the project who enjoyed being a part of – teaching is team will work with a group of pupils from South work.” Just retired from teaching, she is cur- Kilburn. They will be researching links rently External Examiner in Painting at the between cannabis and psychosis and then Royal College of Art. use ICT to design and produce leaflets to be distributed to secondary schools in Brent.” She is one of the founder members of APT, one of the group of artists who moved together from Greenwich Artists’ Studio Association (GASA) in 1997. “Having a studio is one of the most important things of my life… it is crucial to my practice as an artist. I feel more fully myself when I can get into the studio regularly, because my ideas are so bound up with making and looking.” She 45 A R T I S T S ,
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Mali Morris uses the local library, optician, shops, mar- E N E
kets, pubs and restaurants in Deptford and F I C
Greenwich regularly – calling in to do her I A R
spends some 40 to 60 hours a week at work errands on her walks backwards and forwards I E in her studio, and is impressed by the way from home to studio. She sees the Open S that APT has grown successfully as an organi- Studios – “a week of preparation, clearing up sation, enjoying the easy-going, benign envi- and two days of non-stop visitors – many ronment and the way the artists co-exist locals, including Greenwich neighbours – con- together. “I like the scale of the whole thing, tinuous conversations, questions about the not too big, not too small … I love the build- work, discussions” as making an important ing, four square and solid … it’s possible to contribution both to the local community and work without disturbance.” Partnered with to the art students considering setting up an APT sculptor, she lives in Greenwich, “an professionally: “Students at all levels say they enjoyable 10 minute walk from the studio find visits to studios instructive, to see the over Halfpenny Hatch Footbridge,” and much work, but also to find out how their future of her life is embedded in the locality. She studios could be organised.” Archbishop Tenison’s School, Lambeth Julian Clauson, Deputy Head
An example of a partnership ACAVA manages, bringing in both full and associate member artists to assist a specialist school meet its community targets.
Archbishop Tenison’s is a small comprehen- sive school for 11- to 18-year-olds. Other than in the sixth form, its pupils are boys. The school has a broad ethnic intake, including 46 Partners many boys with Black Caribbean and African backgrounds. The pupils tend to come from A
R families with strong Christian faiths. Many
T These six examples demonstrate I
S come from below average socio-economic cir- T
S how the studio organisations cumstances, and have learning, social, emo- ,
P
A tional, behavioural, medical, physical, and sen-
R and the artists themselves, T sory needs. A high proportion speak English N
E working alone and in groups, R as an additional language. A few are refugees S
A have established substantial and a small number are in public care. Ofsted N
D inspectors have deemed the overall effective-
B networks of partners with E ness of the school ‘very good’ and praised it N E
F whom they undertake long-term as serving ‘its local community very well’ I C
I enabling all pupils to ‘learn through good A professional collaborations. The R
I teaching and very high expectations of work E S driving force for their work is and behaviour.’ the conviction that embedding the arts in the work of other In 2003 the school gained specialist arts sta- tus. When schools achieve this status, along agencies supports learning in, with the resources they secure comes the about and, above all, through requirement to support their feeder primaries and community organisations to increase the the arts. quality and quantity of their visual arts provi- sion. Many secondary schools across England find the expectation that they will build spe- cialist infrastructure and capacity in the wider community extremely challenging, not to say verging on the impossible. Even where staff have the expertise this requires, they tend to feel that they already have their work cut out to meet needs within their own institution. Working in collaboration with a professional arts organisation with a strong commitment to education and outreach can provide the ideal solution – where such organisations exist. Archbishop Tenison’s was lucky. The deputy head teacher knew of ACAVA and its work. “I used to teach in the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and knew from personal experience how fruitfully ACAVA artists have collaborated with schools and helped them to achieve curriculum targets, Archbishop Tenison’s School ‘Make Poverty History’ project.
47 A R T I and pupils to do really stimulating work. And, S Newhaven Pupil Referral Unit, T S yes inviting ACAVA to collaborate with us on ,
P our specialist status programme has worked Greenwich A R
Gill Harding and Maggie Higginson, T really well. The studio organisers really N E understand what schools need – and how to APT R S help their staff and pupils go the extra mile. A N D
So far more than 10 different artists, includ- An example of a direct partnership B E
ing painters, sculptors, ceramicists, photogra- N
managed between a teacher and an E pher and filmmakers have worked with us on F I artist. The partnership had funding C I the programme.” It’s a win, all round. The A from NADFAS (The National R I school’s staff and pupils can engage success- E fully in high quality external projects with Association of Decorative and Fine S long-term impact; its feeder primary schools Arts Society) for three years, and and partner organisations can offer exciting this year from private donations. provision to their pupils and beneficiaries encouraging learning in, about and through Praised in its recent Ofsted inspection report the arts; their staff teams and support work- as providing an ‘outstanding level of care, guid- ers have gained new skills; artists have been ance and support’ the Newhaven PRU provides able to share and support their professional education for 190 boys and girls, aged between practice. The LA, Ofsted and the DfES recog- 11 and 16. Gill works in Key Stage 4 where the nise that targets are being met not just in let- pupils have social, emotional and behavioural ter but also in spirit. This all contributes to difficulties. The pupils, who come from a range helping the school justify its specialist status. of ethnic backgrounds have been permanently excluded from mainstream education, and include those who have been chronic school non-attenders, and other vulnerable pupils “And, yes inviting needing multi-agency support. Though the attainment of the majority of pupils on entry ACAVA to collaborate tends to be below average, often as a result of disrupted schooling, the majority of Year 11 with us on our specialist pupils (14- to 16-year-olds) are now on track to status programme has achieve four or more GCSEs. “I thought I was on the scrapheap, but this place gives you a worked really well.” new start” as one pupil told the Ofsted inspec- tors. Pupils can arrive at short notice, and stay Julian Clauson, Deputy Head, Archbishop for varying lengths of time, but most older Tenison’s School, Lambeth pupils have little prospect of reintegration to “And our partnership special or important. The fact that a profes- sional artist is prepared to treat their ideas has developed me too. with respect and work with them on a one-to- one basis to help them to develop their 2D I trained as a painter drawings and paintings into sculpture gives them an extraordinary boost. This benefits not myself and used not to just their performance in Art, but in other sub- feel confident to encour- jects as well. For instance, one boy who nor- mally just doesn’t converse well and generally age my pupils to take shows very little interest in anything, was so inspired by being given the chance to work their work into 3D. But with Maggie that he started to ask her ques- tions about how and where she trained, and now, through having had how he might he able to continue to make art when he leaves school. I informed his English the chance to observe teacher as, to our amazement and delight, he 48 Maggie at work, I’ve built interviewed Maggie just like a proper journal- ist. So, he was able to get the credits he need- A
R ed for his English GCSE Speaking and Listening T up a whole new reper- I S coursework module.” T S ,
toire of practical skills.” P A
R The partnership has benefited Gill’s own T
N Gill Harding, Newhaven Pupil Referral Unit, teaching practice and her relationships with E R Greenwich S pupils and colleagues. “Maggie and I work
A
N well together – we recognise and complement D
each other’s strengths. I’m able to prepare
B mainstream education. They tend to finish E
N their school career in the unit and may then the pupils for their time with Maggie, using E
F my knowledge of their needs and difficulties I move on to further education or training. C I A to ensure that they make the most of it. And R I E Three years ago, with the full support of the our partnership has developed me too. I S unit’s head teacher, determined to boost the trained as a painter myself and used not to skills, self-esteem and confidence of her GCSE feel confident to encourage my pupils to take group, art teacher Gill invited APT sculptor, their work into 3D. But now, through having Margaret Higginson to work in partnership with had the chance to observe Maggie at work, her. “Because of their home backgrounds and I’ve built up a whole new repertoire of practi- their personal and behaviour difficulties, our cal skills. I and my GCSE students are pleased pupils just never have the chance to feel with the results”.
Maggie Higginson giving a talk in her APT studio Project with LBHF schools by artist Barbara Nicholls, executed by local authority road markers
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London Borough of delivery of programmes for the borough’s schools and community organisations to it. Hammersmith and Fulham “We reap the benefit of the borough’s fore- Patricia Stead, Head of Arts, Libraries sight 25 years ago in enabling ACAVA to pur- and Archives chase the freeholds of Faroe and Hetley Road. The investment of a comparatively An example of a close partnership small amount of money has proved so worth- between a studio organisation and a while. It gave us an invaluable, long-lasting resource – a building-based arts partner on local authority developed over many which we can rely. ACAVA enriches the cul- years. Though, with the building of tural life of the borough, their artists support the Blechynden Street studios, our schools and the Youth and the Play ACAVA’s headquarters moved out of Services to embed high quality art in their the borough, the move has not work. It’s a real strength to have such an affected the strength, range or suc- established organisation to work with. It gives stability to our arts offer. There has been cess of the collaboration. huge turnover in staff and departments at LBHF over the years, but ACAVA has been a Patricia Stead runs the team charged with constant throughout. It offers a reserve of strategic arts development in the borough. knowledge for us to draw on. Duncan She appreciates the value of being able to (ACAVA’s Artistic Director) is like a bible to develop projects with ACAVA, work jointly on me, he’s always introducing me to people and funding bids and contracts out the practical networks across London.” “ACAVA enriches the Royal Borough of Kensington cultural life of the bor- and Chelsea (RBKC) Donna David, Cultural Diversity Officer ough, their artists sup- An example of how the roles of partner, port our schools and the funder and beneficiary interchange and Youth and Play Services overlap. to embed high quality art A year ago, Donna David commissioned ACAVA to undertake consultancy with the res- in their work. It’s a real idents of two of the most deprived wards in the borough. ACAVA in turn contracted two of strength to have such an its members, artists Phil Coy and Kofi Allen, who specialise in video and film, to develop established organisation the brief. They worked with a cross-section of 50 to work with.” local people to create a film, A Public’s H_Art. The process enabled the artists to help the A
R residents to reflect on their attitudes to the T Patricia Stead, Head of Arts, Libraries and I S arts and the kinds of provision that they T
S Archives, London Borough of Hammersmith
, wanted in the future. RBKC accepted the find-
P and Fulham A ings of the consultancy and are working now R T
N to fund their implementation. So far so good, E R Like so many of the studio organisations’ but the relationship between ACAVA and S
A partners, Patricia recognises the contribution Donna is richer than that of client and con- N
D the partnership makes to her own profession-
tractor. She is more than a partner of ACAVA. B
E al development: “I’ve had the chance to enjoy
N She is also a beneficiary, having been sup- E
F a range of opportunities myself – for ported by the studio organisation in a I C
I instance, sitting on the hypaTraX Steering A range of ways as she found her way in arts R
I Group and taking part in an artist-led confer-
E management. S ence. Duncan and I made a presentation to the StabilityMobility Sharing Conference in A second generation Afro-Caribbean, she Rotterdam in 2003. It was a chance to share went to primary school in the borough and experiences with people from a number of her family still live there. Like many economic European countries about how arts and local migrants, her parents were determined that government organisations can collaborate their children would become part of the pro- together to benefit the community.” In turn, fessional classes, and convinced that studying she is able to contribute to the capacity build- art, even as one of a clutch of GCSEs, was not ing of ACAVA artists, by drawing on her budg- the route to such success. It was only after ets to meet some of the costs of training leaving school that she was able to take the them to work in a variety of settings. art route. Following an Access course, she
Artist Phil Coy “ACAVA gave me the opportunity to develop my digital arts skills on its courses and a job in the Blechynden Street office. This confirmed my interest in arts management and gave me the means to support my art practice and to 51 A R
study for a postgraduate T I S T S ,
qualification in Arts P A R
Capture Arts project Making Thinking matter, Brigitte T
Management.” N
talking with girl E R S
Donna David, Cultural Diversity Officer, A N
RBKC D
B E N E F I made it onto a degree course at Westminster Capture Arts C I A
University, graduated as a fine artist and suc- R I E
ceeded in securing an ACAVA studio. “ACAVA S An example of arts-led community gave me the opportunity to develop my digi- tal arts skills on its courses and a job in the provision initiated and managed by Blechynden Street office. This confirmed my artists independently of their studio interest in arts management and gave me the organisation, where subsequent means to support my art practice and to joint working with the studio adds study for a postgraduate qualification in Arts value to their work. Management.” Thus equipped, she success- fully applied for the post of Cultural Diversity Capture Arts is a not-for-profit artist-led com- Officer at RBKC – and the swap from benefici- pany founded and managed by Brigitte ary to partner followed. Parusel, an APT member, and Deborah Astell. They contract in other artists to lead specific projects. Capture uses creative thinking, art and digital media to create innovative and exciting education workshops and public art- works. They aim to engage children and young people in school and community set- tings to make permanent and temporary, thought provoking work – in a range of scales. Capture works in partnership with APT Studios on a variety of projects and exhibits education work regularly at the APT gallery. www.capturearts.org
In 2005 a joint arts education project was developed between Liz May, Studio Manager and Charity Administrator, APT and Jennifer “They took such pride The Koestler Trust
from seeing their own An example of an individual artist work displayed in a pro- making a substantial contribution to the work of a charity whose work fessional environment is nationally, and internationally, and being complimented acknowledged as a leader in its field. on the quality of their work by Nick Raynsford, Many people in prison are severely disadvan- taged as a result of their lack of education the local MP.” and poor basic skills. Fifty-two per cent of prisoners have dyslexia compared to just 5 to Brigitte Parusel, Capture Arts and APT 10 per cent of the general population. Thirty- three per cent are unable to read, 50 per cent 52 artist cannot write, 40 per cent of juvenile offend-
A ers are innumerate. Unless they are helped in R T
I Sherwood from the Greenwich Early Years prison to overcome these difficulties, they S T
S Child Development Partnership when they have little chance of changing their ways on ,
P
A met with Capture to discuss a mosaic project leaving prison, putting the public and them- R
T for pre-school children. Working with the selves at risk of their re-offending. The N E
R Charlton Family Centre and with support from Koestler Trust is a well-established prison arts S
A Triangle Homes, a 10-week programme of charity founded by the writer Arthur Koestler N
D activities was organised. Four large external in 1962 to address these issues through the
B
E mosaic panels based on the seasons were arts. Its importance is acknowledged by the N
E designed and made by the children with one- government: ‘The work of the Koestler Trust F I C
I to-one support from experienced mosaic is essential to the humanising of our prison A
R artists and workshop leaders. The children and detention system,’ The Right Honourable I E S drew and designed the panels, learnt the intri- Tessa Jowell MP, Secretary of State for cacies of mosaic and became adept at placing Culture, Media and Sport. and glueing small mosaic tesserae. Deborah Astell, co-founder of Capture comments, “We The trust promotes and encourages the arts developed a strong relationship with the chil- and creativity in UK prisons, young offender dren. When we arrived at the Family Centre institutions, high security psychiatric hospi- for the workshops each week, we were greet- tals, secure units and for those on probation. ed with enthusiastic cries of, ‘Oh, good you’re It runs an annual art competition and the here. It must be Wednesday!’ ” Learning to Learn through the Arts scheme which aims to inspire people to want to learn Visits to APT were a major part of the project, in, about and through the arts and overcome which started with the children, their parents some of the difficulties they may have had and carers taking part in a practical workshop with education in the past. It sends artists at the gallery. Many had never visited an art into prisons to run imaginative courses in a gallery before and had certainly never seen wide variety of media, from stone carving and visual artists at work in their studios. At the print-making to story writing, photo-anima- end of the project the completed mosaic pan- tion and filmmaking. These projects help pris- els were exhibited in the APT gallery as part oners gain new skills as well as the self-confi- of APT’s Education Week and the children and dence required to engage in education, train- their families were invited back to Creekside. ing and subsequently take employment. “Any artist anywhere, in the South of France or in Wormwood Scrubs, is trying to respond to the motif in front of him or the dream inside him, as honestly and sensitively as he can. And then we can enjoy, loathe or be indiffer- ent to the product… I have always felt very Angela Findlay teaching at HMP Wandsworth.
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lucky indeed that I can try to deal with love, produced. This work was installed in the pris- hate, fury, despair or passion with a bit of ons to help enhance and transform the often charcoal or a brush-load of paint in my hand.” dull environments. The prisoners recognise Maggi Hambling. www.koestlertrust.org.uk the value of the courses. “I learnt that if I want to do something good, then I can really ACAVA artist Angela Findlay is the Arts do it.” “I’m now much more confident dealing Coordinator for the Koestler Trust. She sets with prisoners and staff. My self-esteem was up projects, manages the artists’ database quite low and this course really picked me and contributes to fund-raising initiatives. The up.” “Doing art takes care of time in prison trust receives 25 per cent of its annual budg- and so often brings a currency of self-worth, et from the Home Office. The balance has to something you can take home.” be raised from grant-making trusts, corporate and private donations and events, such as the two auctions of work given by artists which Angela helped to organise. The proceeds of these auctions, some £100,000, were used to fund intensive arts programmes, again organ- ised by Angela, in nine prisons. In each proj- ect, two artists worked with prisoners inten- sively – three or four days a week for a month – enabling substantial bodies of work to be “The course at ACAVA came at just the right time; things were beginning to go really badly for me. It showed me that I really could make something of myself if I tried.”
Charlotte Hutchinson 54 Beneficiaries A
R Charlotte Hutchinson – stage name Fuzzie T I S Two further examples of how Bears - is an articulate 18-year-old who left T S
, school two years ago. “I never took my
P studio organisations and their A exams, I got my music GCSE just on my R
T artists share their networks,
N course work, but things got difficult at home, E R physical resources, creative and I messed up at school. So I ended up on S
A the street, keeping my spirit alive by playing N skills, knowledge and expertise D
music with my mates. My friend Natalie told B
E and, perhaps above all, their
N me about hypaTraX (the programme for E
F young people not in education, employment
I attitudes and beliefs to support C I
A or training (NEETS) ACAVA ran with £52,000
R individuals, groups, creative I
E funding from London Central Learning and S industries entrepreneurs and Skills Council). ACAVA said that I could join, cultural organisations to even though the programme had already started and I made two tracks, and then got a achieve their potential. month’s work experience with Music Nation (the small independent record label, that works with ACAVA to run the hypaTraX pro- gramme). The course at ACAVA came at just the right time; things were beginning to go really badly for me. It showed me that I really could make something of myself if I tried. Now I’ve got a proper job working for a record label. And I made my first album last year by myself and now I’m working on my second album. I think things are going to work OK for me.”
HMP Wandsworth 55 A R T I S T S ,
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Portobello Film Festival Jonathan Barnet of Portobello Film Festival E F I The festival, now in its 11th year, shows and C I A celebrates artists’ work in the moving image. R I E It employs a team of three people for three “promotes cultural awareness and provides S months a year. For the rest of the year, the stimulation for hungry minds eager to pick up members of the team, all of whom live locally, information about filmmaking.” It benefits give their support on a voluntary basis. It from the ACAVA network in a range of ways, wins project finance from the Arts Council, such as drawing on the personal contacts stu- for the support it offers to the development dio managers and members have to create of the art form, and from RBKC, European parallel programmes of art events – like the Social Fund (ESF) and Single Regeneration Boyle family residence planned for 2006. Budget (SRB), for its contribution to economic ACAVA members benefit directly from the regeneration and capacity building. It offers festival, which shows there both during the high level event management training to event and throughout the year. some 30 local people a year. The festival “owes its existence to ACAVA. It has provided us with low-cost office space and a support- “It has provided us ive environment at Blechynden Street studios since 1999.” Jonathan Barnet, festival direc- with low-cost office tor. “Our policy is to show all work submitted. Last August we showed 400 films over 21 space and a supportive days to 13,000 visitors.” The festival is free – both for showing participants and visitors. It environment at achieves a high degree of audience satisfac- tion and generous sponsorship in kind from Blechynden Street major companies, such as Time Out, Cobra Beer, JVC, Fopp Stores and local firms and studios since 1999.” organisations, including Westbourne Studios and the Electric Cinema. The education Jonathan Barnet, Director, Portobello Film strand is a strong component – the festival Festival
4 Studio portraits Studio portraits
Detailed case studies of ACAVA (at Blechynden Street) and APT are the core of this section. The introductory overview compares and contrasts the organisations, and considers what they have in common and where they differ. The Measuring Up section shows how typical the organisations are of the affordable studio sector in London, by compar- ing them with the key findings of the London Digest – a survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in London published by Acme Studios and Capital Studios in May 2006. . o i d u t S
T P A
s ’ n o s i r r a H
z i L G have good governance working with boards of trustees that do not include artists who currently hold studios in their buildings
G combine good management with a non- bureaucratic culture
G support non-commercial fine art practice
G encourage the production of artwork of quali- ty and integrity – which promotes art form development and cross-fertilisation between the visual and the performing arts and other disciplines such as science and literature
G encourage the sharing of creative projects 4.1 Overview and the public exhibition of artworks in many 59 kinds of spaces and contexts S T
ACAVA and APT share a U D
support artist members to acquire new skills I
G O number of features in common. - resource artist members to use ICT and new P O
technologies R Both: T R
- offer a range of employment and freelance A I T G are well-established in local, regional, opportunities to their members S national and international art networks ACAVA and APT differ in the detail of their
G are well-embedded in their communities charitable objects and in how they govern and manage their organisations, organise the
G are charities, with public benefit and process of studio allocation and letting/licens- education at the heart of their missions ing, involve their artists in the management of the spaces and their relationship with the wider
G contribute to: professional arts community and community - economic and social regeneration organisations. However, while each studio initiatives organisation may have different ways of doing - formal and informal education things, the outcomes are essentially the same. programmes which support learning in, about and through art Their artists:
G received initial investment from public and other bodies to convert/construct their G feel secure and have a sense of ownership of buildings (APT and ACAVA) and acquire the their organisations land they built on (ACAVA) G have a sense of long-term commitment – 12 G do not have annual revenue funding of the Blechynden Street artists and 24 of the APT artists have held their studios since
G balance astute financial management with their buildings opened a not-for-profit ethos G contribute, in a variety of ways, as individual G provide managed studios for artists at non- artists and in groups, independently and to commercial rents the organisations’ commitment to - initiatives to support their local
G use the income from rents to maintain their communities buildings, support the activity of their organ- - the wider art community – regionally, isations and build the capacity of artists nationally and internationally
Previous page: Lou Smith in her APT Studio APT from front looking over extension
60 S T U D
I ACAVA has been established for 25 years and for ACAVA. Since May 2006, all staff except O
P provides support for 1,181 members and asso- building caretakers have been based there. O R
T ciate members, studios for 336 artists in 17 There is flexible community workshop and R
A buildings, with three ICT studios, a mobile ICT gallery space for the whole studio organisa- I T
S studio, two spaces for gallery use, six short- tion, the largest of ACAVA’s three project stu- term project studios and 13 staff (7.0 full-time dios and a large ICT suite with 30 computers. equivalent). It runs professional development It houses the C-van (a mobile ICT studio), the programmes for members and a huge educa- Portobello Film Festival organisation and two tion and community outreach programme, creative industries media enterprises. which involves approximately 700 artists’ days per annum and costs £250,000 a year, APT is a younger, smaller organisation than 25 per cent of its annual turnover. This expen- ACAVA. It was established 11 years ago, pro- diture is supported by external funding on a vides workspace for 38 artists on one site, project-by-project basis. 75 per cent of has an ICT studio, a dedicated gallery space ACAVA’s income is from studio rent. and a 0.8 full-time equivalent studio manager and charity administrator. It has a sharply The Blechynden Street site is part of the focussed education and community outreach ACAVA property portfolio. It has 24 artists’ programme costing around £5,000 (5 per studios and provides the administrative hub cent of its annual turnover) which involves
Blechynden Street studios. KEY FACTS
Name ACAVA (Association for APT (The Art in Perpetuity Cultural Advancement through Trust) Visual Art)
Website www.acava.org www.aptstudios.org
Established 1983 1995
Status Company limited by guarantee Company limited by and registered charity guarantee and registered charity
Staff 7.0 full-time equivalent 0.8 full-time equivalent 61 Freehold sites 3 1 S T U D I
Leasehold sites 14 0 O
P O R
Studio units 273 37 T R A I T
Artists 336 37 S
approximately 30 artists’ days per annum and tives. These do develop, though they are is mainly funded from within APT’s own dependant on individual and group interests. income. Its total annual income is around £100,000, of which 90 per cent is generated Meanwhile, APT is currently debating how from studio and storage rents and 10 per cent best to develop as an organisation, and fur- from gallery lets. ther its activities as a charity with education- al objects, while continuing to provide a sta- In many ways, APT now finds itself in a similar ble environment for its artists. It is currently position to that of ACAVA in the early 90s. looking at how it can best expand the organi- Having weathered successfully its first 10 sation’s public programme. However, it differs years as an organisation, ACAVA recognised from ACAVA in that, although it is planning to that to survive and thrive, meet its legal obli- increase its studio provision, by building gations as an educational charity and respond seven new studios, it has no ambition to to the ever-increasing pressure for affordable increase the number of sites it operates. The workspace from artists, there were difficult most important reason for this (quite aside decisions to be made about how it developed from the economic realism of such a propos- as an organisation. ACAVA decided to al) is the value placed on the ethos that has increase its studio provision exponentially by evolved at Creekside over the past decade leasing a number of new buildings. The and the wish to retain APT’s strong sense of advantage of doing this was that it gave identity and its well-knit, working community artists the opportunity to be part of a larger of artists. However, as both board and artists network, with a broader range of resources recognise – with a degree of nervous anticipa- and studio-led opportunities. The drawback tion – the new studios will inevitably change was that it created a more devolved manage- the makeup of the community of artists. Not ment structure and a decline in community only will the numbers be increased, but the ethos. ACAVA redresses the balance as much age profile of the community may significant- as possible, by promoting and organising local ly alter, (currently only two of the 37 mem- projects and by encouraging individual studio bers of APT are under 35 years old). buildings to undertake autonomous initia- 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Size, scale and location of 54 Blechynden Street provides studios for 24 artists. It is part of the operation ACAVA studio organisation, which in all manages 17 buildings. Sixteen are spread across west, south-west, north and east London and there is one live/work studio in Berlin. ACAVA offers support to 1,181 members and studios for 336 artists.
A brief history of ACAVA ACAVA is a 25-year-old educational charity. With Acme, SPACE and ASC, it is one of the four biggest studio providers in London. It is important to understand that, “while the provision of affordable, managed workspace for artists is, and has always been, an important function of ACAVA, ACAVA was from the outset its ambitions were larger.” Duncan Smith, Artistic one of the Director, ACAVA. 62 first artist-led ACAVA grew out of initiatives in the early 1970s to provide facilities to
S support the visual arts in the Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush areas T
U organisations to of West London. In 1973, artists, politicians, local authority officers and D I O acquire freehold the visual arts officer of the Greater London Arts Association (GLAA)
P collaborated to stage the Hammersmith Art Experiment: the first-ever O
R premises. public consultation about artists’ needs held in Britain. The vision was T R
A “to move towards the responsible use of artists within the community” I T Alistair Mackintosh, GLAA 1973. S ACAVA secured, ACAVA started as an unincorporated association of local artists in 22 stu- regeneration, local dios at 23-29 Faroe Road and 62 Hetley Road. The buildings were made authority and arts available by an agreement with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF), Acme (who initially managed the buildings) and the artists. lottery funding Then, in 1983, having secured a Greater London Council (GLC) grant to undertake major repairs, ACAVA purchased the Faroe and Hetley Road towards the build – freeholds for £32,000, provided by a bank loan, incorporated as a limited the first purpose- company and registered as a charity. ACAVA was one of the first artist-led organisations to acquire freehold premises. Over the next 10 years, it grad- built affordable ually expanded, taking on the leases of four more buildings and enlarging its programmes of community activities. In 1995, responding to the ever- artists’ studio increasing demand for affordable artists’ workspace, a 10 year period of complex in London. rapid expansion began. In 1999, the Blechynden Street studios were built, adding a further 20 freehold workspaces. This means that, including the 30 studios at Faroe and Hetley Road, the ACAVA estate now totals some 50 permanent studios.
Blechynden Street and its In 1997, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) agreed relationship to ACAVA to provide some land off Blechynden Street on which ACAVA could build. ACAVA secured regeneration, local authority and arts lottery funding towards the construction – the first purpose-built affordable artists’ studio complex in London. The new premises were designed to provide fully accessible professional workspaces for artists, community studio accommodation, the headquarters and administrative hub for the whole organisation and a source of income (studio rent) to support the future development of ACAVA.
Faroe Road studios Hetley Road studios APT at Harold Works
Size, scale and location of APT provides studio space for 38 artists. All the APT studios are part operation of the Harold Works and Wharf site on Creekside, Deptford in the London Borough of Lewisham.
From GASA to APT APT is in its eleventh year as a studio organisation and charity. Its origins stretch back over 32 years.
In 1974, the sculptor Jeff Lowe started studios in King George Street, Greenwich in a former electricity depot. Alistair MacAlpine donated a prefabricated building and the Greenwich Artists’ Studio Association (GASA) was set up. The 23 GASA studios were let to artists at a low rent under licence, in the knowledge that Greenwich Council would, one day, serve them notice to quit. As it turned out, GASA actually 63 lasted for 20 years, but the studio members never enjoyed a sense of
permanence or stability. When finally in 1994, the council did serve S T
notice, a small group of the artists decided that the moment had U D I
come to find a freehold building to set up in perpetuity as a perma- O
nent home for the making of art. P O R T
It took over two years of searching before Harold Works on Creekside R A I
was discovered. It was well worth the wait. The building is interesting T in itself. It is thought to be one of the first reinforced concrete build- S ings in London, designed and built by Alfred Roberts, RIBA. The site also has an intriguing background. In medieval times, it housed a APT yard from above slaughter house and in the 18th century, a pottery (which supplied HMS Bounty with earthenware crocks to bring plants back from the New World). In the 19th century, it was part of a large chemical works. (According to Deptford Creek Archaeological Desk-based Assessment. Dr Christopher Phillpots, 1997). The build of the present Harold Works, was commissioned in 1911 by the Dandridge’s of Lewisham. They used It took over two the works and its wharf as a barge chandlery until 1975. John Dennis, of Stewart & Dennis, then bought the site and used it to run a large years of searching steel fabrication and ducting business until his retirement. He agreed to sell a seven year lease which incorporated an option to buy at a before Harold Works fixed price to the newly established Art in Perpetuity Trust. “John on Creekside was Dennis was a good man. He loved the building and wanted it to be put to a good purpose. At the time, we knew the price was fair. In retro- discovered. It was spect, we realise how lucky we were. We got an incredible bargain. well worth the wait. Finding the money, though, was a struggle, but even there we were lucky because it was a time when regeneration funds were available for the renovation work. We put together a business plan and tried to “At the time, we borrow the money to buy the building from the bank. They weren’t too impressed to find a bunch of artists asking for a loan, and they knew the price was wouldn’t accept our income projections – based (as it turns out pretty fair. In retrospect, accurately) on projections of 100 per cent occupancy. We ended up by having to borrow the money privately.” Andrew Carmichael – one we realise how lucky of the founding artists, now director of Creative Lewisham Agency. we were. We got an With a mix of funding – totalling just under £250,000 – from Deptford incredible bargain. City Challenge, Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funds, London Arts Board and the Foundation for Sports and Arts, over the next two Finding the money, years, the work needed to convert the building into studios was though, was a undertaken, much of it by the artists themselves. “It was all done on a wing and a prayer, the builders’ merchants were generous with their struggle …” credit, but we had cash-flow problems and overran their patience. At one point, they came very near to foreclosing on us and taking back their materials.” Andrew Carmichael. Of the 19 GASA artists who moved to Harold Works, 10 are still members of APT today, including Andrew Carmichael, though he no longer has a studio. 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Blechynden Street and Up to a point, the cycle is a familiar one. During the 80s and 90s, as the prosperi- the regeneration of North ty in W11 sailed upwards, fuelled by the ‘Notting Hill effect’, the W10 area, always Kensington the poor relation, stagnated to the point where property prices plummeted and severe economic and social deprivation set in. It became eligible for regeneration funding. The local authority, spurred on by the success of other boroughs, was willing to take a gamble on investing in culture. Enhanced by the halo effect of the rise and rise of W11, it worked. The decline in prosperity was first halted and then reversed. As the vibrancy of the area increased, upmarket shops and cafés opened up, the middle classes and property developers moved in and the value of land, leaseholds and freeholds rose. However, at this point there is a break in the familiar pattern – at least for ACAVA and its artists. While many independent traders, creative industry enterprises and the Portobello market itself are now 64 under threat of being driven out, as landlords succumb to developers’ offers and Blechynden Street before studios take their profit, ACAVA can be confident that it will not fall victim to the gentrifi-
S cation of the area. Owning its own building means that artists can continue to T development U hold studios at Blechynden Street and remain a part of their own community. D I O
P
O Facilities and Resources Tucked off a cul-de-sac, 50 metres from Latimer Road Tube station and a brisk
R walk away from the Portobello, Shepherd’s Bush and Goldhawk Road markets, T R
A the Blechynden Street studios are at the least privileged end of RBKC. The site, I T …ACAVA can be which was formerly used for garages, is overlooked by high- and medium-rise S social housing on several sides and the viaduct carrying the Hammersmith and confident that it Fulham line overland on another. A functionalist aesthetic inspired the architects’ will not fall victim design of the build – Gunnar Orefelt assisted by Nicholas England. The walkways of neighbouring blocks of 1930s flats prompted the use of external decks, which to the gentrification avoid corridors and maximise the usable floor space. Lift access to each of the of the area. Owning three storeys is provided via an external shaft. its own building To maximise daylight and the amount of uncluttered plastered wall space, fully- glazed anodised aluminium doors and windows, using shop-fitting frames, were means that artists used. Double glazing provides highly effective sound and heat insulation, com- can continue to pensating to some extent for the lack of central heating (the heating system fell victim to budget cut-backs). Other utilitarian inspired features include Kingspan hold studios at metal roofing and the use of galvanised handrails with chain link infill on the Blechynden Street. landings and stairways. A front courtyard offers parking for ACAVA’s mobile ICT studio – the C-van - and 10 cars (if tightly parked). The rear courtyard accommodates a bicycle rack, a grassed space enlivened with sculptures made by community groups and an additional wooden (shed) studio. A single-storey building with airy windows sits between the two courtyards, providing well-lit, wet and dry working space for the Artspace programme and other community projects. There is a small, shared kitchen which provides an informal interface between the working artists and community users. The site provides 24 professional studio spaces, four of them in shared studios, and a further three large spaces reserved for short-term projects.
There are three dedicated ACAVA staff offices. The Portobello Film Festival rents an office space, and two creative industry enterprises also have media ACAVA studios, Blechynden Street production offices on the site.
The digital arts suite has resources to support the use of new technologies and training – artists, unemployed and other people have benefited from over 28,000 hours of training here. Courses have covered a wide range of subjects including introduction to digital imaging, website design, animation, portfolio development and digital presentation. In addition, numerous digital projects have been facili- tated and weekday access, with technician support, provided to ACAVA members.
The building is one of only a few studio buildings in the UK to be fully accessi- ble. Two wheelchair-using artists have long-term studios. Training courses for artists with disabilities have been held in collaboration with SHAPE, and there are plans to establish further opportunities to enable long-term and intermit- tent use by people with disabilities. APT at Harold Works
APT and the regeneration of After World War II, the industries based on the river (ship-building and Creekside trading) that had driven the economy in Greenwich and Deptford for centuries fell into decline. The community was left with few employ- ment opportunities. There are local families in which, for several gen- erations, no one has been employed. Immigrant families with little APT was one of English and few other employable skills also moved in. Poverty and desperation became rife. However, the Deptford/Greenwich area also the first arts-led became an informal incubator for the cultural and creative industries. organisations to APT was one of the first arts-led organisations to take advantage of the cheap property and underused industrial and retail units in take advantage of Creekside, leading the way for the area to be colonised by creative the cheap property and cultural organisations. There are now 14 studio providers in the local area and four studio organisations in Creekside (Cockpit Arts 65 and underused www.cockpitarts.com; Creekside Artists www.creeksideartists.co.uk;
Cor Blimey Arts, Faircharm Trading Estate; Frameworks Studios S T industrial and retail www.frameworksgallery.co.uk) housing workspace for over 100 artists, U D I
craftspeople and designers. With two universities – Greenwich O
units in Creekside, University and the long-standing Goldsmiths College, University of P O
London, the Laban dance centre (in a landmark building designed by R
leading the way for T
Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, best known for their work on R A the area to be I Tate Modern) now anticipating a new extension which will also house T colonised by an enlarged Creative Industries Agency, the Deptford/Greenwich area S is now functioning as a classic ‘talent magnet’. An Investment Plan creative and cultural has been developed with the Nowhere Foundation for the Creative Lewisham Agency proposing that the investment in the cultural, aca- organisations. demic and creative infrastructure that has occurred piecemeal should be rationalised and a creative quarter be formally developed. This will enable years of history and community tradition to be capitalised on.
Facilities and Resources Harold Works, Deptford, SE8 comprises the APT gallery, a purpose- built space which can be directly accessed from the street; an ICT stu- dio equipped with Apple computers and broadband; internal and external storage in which the artists can rent space to archive work; education, office and meeting spaces.
There are 37 studio spaces for 38 artists. All except three studios have daylight, six with skylights. 13 of the APT studios are on the ground floor. Most of these studios open out onto the yard at the back of the building, overlooking Deptford Creek. High-ceilinged, with access to out- door space and the forge, the yard studios are well-suited to artists who work on a large scale in three dimensions in metal, stone and wood. APT before refurbishment Eleven of the 13 yard studios are occupied by sculptors, including five who work in metal and use the yard forge. Other studios are spread over the second and third floors. There is a large passenger/goods lift, which currently needs repair. The majority of the studios on the upper floors are occupied by painters, a number of whom combine their paint- ing practice with new media, installation and performance.
The strip of land APT owns includes river frontage on Deptford Creek, the tidal part of the Ravensbourne, a tributary of the River Thames which it joins about a mile to the north – and (unused) mooring rights. In 1999, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) took possession of a small piece of APT land to enable the creation of foundations for the viaduct. At the time this seemed a disaster. It meant losing two stu- APT with new extension dios and enabled the DLR to run close by the building. However, in ret- rospect, it has turned out well. The DLR runs remarkably quietly, is cherished as part of the studio’s urban backdrop and has significantly improved what were already good public transport links locally and to central London (it’s just eight minutes to London Bridge by overland and 15 minutes from Canary Wharf). APT has embarked on a Studio Development Programme and planning permission has been granted to build a new single-storied studio block for seven new workspaces. 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
The Artists Fourteen (58 per cent) of the permanent studios have been licensed by the same artists since the building opened seven years ago. As the flagship of the organisation, the new studios were allocated to artists who had been members of ACAVA for many years and had con- tributed to its development in a variety of ways.
The age profile of the permanent studio holders tends towards the mature, seven are aged 50 plus, 16 between 35 and 50, and five are under 35. To balance this, ACAVA looks to give younger artists the opportunity to use the project studio spaces and to rent spaces on a temporary basis when permanent members are away. One of the strengths of the successful First Base scheme, which offered sub- 66 sidised studio space for two years for 12 recently graduated artists, was that it helped to introduce younger artists across the work of the
S organisation. T U D I O Taking the year as a whole, around a quarter of the full members and
P
O the majority of those renting studios on a temporary basis spend an
R average of between 15 and 20 hours a week in their studios. A further T R
A half dozen devote at least that amount of time to their practice, I T though they may actually be at the studio for 10 hours or less a week. S A number are working away from the studio, for instance leading community education initiatives such as prison education and the- atre-in-education, researching and curating socially engaged projects and touring exhibitions and their accompanying outreach projects. Four artists are coming to the end of studio breaks to care for young children (though that does not mean that they stopped work on their practice as artists) or on account of their own or relatives’ ill health. Meanwhile, their temporary absence from ACAVA allows younger artists the chance to secure short-term studio space to develop their practice, undertake PhDs which require research through the making of artworks, and create bodies of work for exhibition.
Governance ACAVA is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. There is a board of six trustees. Trustees have a range of backgrounds and skills including arts management, education, professional art practice and finance. No current artist members sit on the board, but artist Gavin Turk, who had previously had a studio with ACAVA for 14 years, joined the board in 2005. The management of ACAVA is over- seen by the trustees and its Finance Sub-Committee. Day-to-day man- agement is the responsibility of the full-time director. ACAVA has a policy of employing artists in all posts, and on freelance contracts to run education and community projects whenever possible. The ACAVA Forum provides opportunities for artist members, trustees and employees to meet and consult about matters such as Open Studio schedules. Representatives from individual sites organise studio meet- ings and ensure that their views and concerns are heard in the Forum. APT at Harold Works
The Artists The APT community of artists is well-knit and well-established. Of the 38 artists, 24 (approximately 63 per cent) have held studios since APT’s inception. Ten moved in together from GASA 11 years ago. There is a spread of ages, though with around 18 artists aged over 50, 17 aged between 35 and 50, and just two who are under 35, the age pro- file is a mature one. APT plans to address this in future. Of the planned new studios, two will be allocated to artists setting up a stu- dio for the first time.
Taking the year as a whole, most APT artists spend at least 20 hours a week in their studios, and a further 10 to 15 hours a week lecturing in higher education, engaging in academic research including work towards PhDs, leading adult, school and community education proj- 67 ects or undertaking outreach work. The actual hours vary substantial-
ly from week to week depending on the time of year and individual S T
commitments. U D I O
A handful of artists support their practice with part-time jobs such as P O
exhibition organising, building, decorating or delivering milk. Eight R T
have school-aged children and organise their studio days around the R A I
school run. T S
Governance APT is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. There is a board of five trustees which meets approximately every six weeks. The trustees have a spread of skills, expertise and interests, including the arts, education, social work, law, finance, accountancy, and audit. The trustee and company secretary, Cuillin Bantock, is an artist and has a studio in a SPACE building. Over half of the tenant-artists sit on …most APT artists committees, such as the education, gallery, building, vetting and strat- egy committees. This structure has been developed to ensure that spend at least 20 they are fully involved in the running of the building, even though hours a week in charity law means that none of the APT artists may be trustees. their studios, and a further 10 to 15 hours a week lecturing …, leading… education projects or undertaking outreach work.
Keir Smith’s APT studio
Lou Smith’s APT studio 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Membership ACAVA offers membership to professional artists. A fee of £20 for life is charged. There are currently 1,181 members, of which 336 are full members holding studios and the rest associates. Members are asked to register their experience on the database and indicate potential interest in education projects. Associate members are eligible to apply for vacant studios, be employed on ACAVA projects and to benefit from facilities, such as the hire of digital equipment, darkroom, work- shop and meeting space.
Studio allocation and Taking ACAVA as a whole there is a small turnover of between 20 and full membership 30 studios a year, out of 273 managed spaces.
68 A permanent vacancy occurs at Blechynden Street perhaps once every 18 months to two years, with one or two opportunities for short-
S lets coming up annually. Vacancies, when they occur, are posted on T U the ACAVA website and allocated to associate members on the basis D I O Associate members of earliest registration as an associate.
P O
R are eligible to apply ACAVA is willing for substitutes to cover periods of absence of up to a T R
A year. Quite often, a period as a temporary member paves the way to
I for vacant studios, T an artist becoming permanent. This system contributes to the S be employed on achievement of virtually 100 per cent occupancy of the studios – an important contribution to the financial viability of the organisation, ACAVA projects and while enabling it to keep its rents affordable. to benefit from facilities such as the hire of equipment.
This system contributes to the achievement of virtually 100 per cent occupancy of the studios.
ACAVA artist Alistair Lambert leading a project at All Saints Church of England Primary School APT at Harold Works
Membership Once a studio tenancy is offered, artists become members of APT.
Studio allocation and Studio vacancies rarely occur – the turnover is less than one artist a tenancies year. APT maintains a short waiting list – which is currently closed at 20 people. The artists run a vetting committee and lead decisions about the allocation of new tenancies. Selection is done on the basis of the quality of practice and the potential to contribute to the organi- sation, its partners and beneficiaries.
Artist-tenants are able to sub-let their studios through APT. Sub-lets occur perhaps once or twice over the course of a two year period.
APT has granted the artists contracted-out business tenancies, which 69 means that the artists themselves do not have security of tenure. All
the studios are let on seven year leases which will expire in 2010. This S T
arrangement is designed to provide flexibility for the organisation in U D I
future planning. As the board is voted in annually, the tenant-artists O
are able to act collectively to ensure that the board continues to rep- P O
resent their interests. R T R A I T S APT has granted the artists contracted- out business tenancies … This arrangement is designed to provide flexibility for the organisation in future planning.
Stephen Lewis in his APT studio 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
ACAVA property portfolio Freehold: 54 Blechynden Street, W10 20 studios, community workshops, digital arts facilities, offices 23-29 Faroe Road, W14 9 studios, art gallery, darkroom 62 Hetley Road, W12 13 studios, forge, community workshop
Leasehold: 11 Colville Road, W3 12 studios 1-15 Cremer Street, E1 26 studios, art gallery 17-25 Cremer Street, E1 55 studios, art gallery Units 18/15F, 788 High Road, Tottenham, N17 9 studios Impress House, Vale Grove, W3 26 studios 70 Laundry, Phipps Bridge Road, Merton, SW19 8 studios 21 Lombard Road, SW19 14 studios
S 203-213 Mare Street, E8 12 studios T U Palace Wharf, Fulham, W6 35 studios D I O Potting Sheds, Cannizaro Park, SW17 7 studios
P
O Schwedter Strasse, Berlin, live/work space in studio block with
R 40 studios T R
A Sulzer Building, Catherine Wheel Road, Brentford 2 studios I T 1 Thorpe Close, W10 4 studios S 256 Vyner Street, London E2 21 studios
ACAVA gallery As part of its five-year business plan, ACAVA has the ambition to restore a full-time programme and realise the potential of its Central Space Gallery (at 23-29 Faroe Road, W14) and to expand art form development initiatives such as No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith – a survey of current video practice, and shoWorX – which enable artists to develop expertise in digital image authoring, editing and projection and show their work together in galleries and site-specific exhibitions.
APT exhibition preview APT at Harold Works
APT property portfolio Freehold: Harold Works and Wharf, SE6 37 studios (including one shared space) digital art studio, offices, gallery.
The APT gallery In 1998, with the initial restoration of the building complete, APT took the decision to develop further, and successfully put together a fund of over £315,000. It contributed five per cent to lever the rest of the “The new gallery funding from the London Development Agency’s Innovative Clusters Fund, Creekside Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and the London enables us to open Borough of Lewisham. The development involved building a new steel up the building to and glass extension (the ‘Lean-To’), with four new studios and an enlarged and upgraded gallery with a glass atrium opening on to the the community – it street. “The new gallery enables us to open up the building to the 71 community – it literally gives us a window on the street. Passers-by literally gives us a do drop in and children and adults who work, live and study in the S T
area regularly come to the gallery – to look, to talk and to take part in U window on the D I
gallery events”. Liz May, Studio Manager and Charity Administrator. O street. Passers-by P O
APT positions its gallery programme carefully. The aim is to provide a high R T do drop in and quality, varied rolling programme of exhibitions (between one to three R A I
weeks long) – which supports art form, education and community devel- T children and adults S opment. The rental fees of £280 per week (providing exhibitors organise who work, live and an education event), are sufficient to subsidise a substantial percentage of the education and outreach activities APT itself organises annually. The study in the area APT gallery is one of only a few galleries in London which can be privately regularly come to hired and has non-commercial aims. It has a strong reputation, and there is fierce competition to secure an exhibition slot. The gallery is pro- the gallery – to look, grammed twelve months ahead by the gallery committee, which compris- to talk and to take es seven APT artists, and maintains a strict quality threshold. part in gallery Members of the artist-led committee have an acute perception of the contribution that the gallery makes: “The gallery is one of the key events.” ways in which APT contributes to its community.” Keir Smith. “Shape as Form was financially supported by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). The show was curated by artist and MMU lecturer, “The gallery is David Sweet, and it will contribute to the MMU submission to the next one of the key Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in 2008.” Roxy Walsh. ways in which APT Over the course of 12 months, between April 2005 and March 2006, there were 18 exhibitions, lasting on average a fortnight, each of which contributes to its had at least one associated education event, organised by the exhibitors as part of their contract with APT. The rich mix of organisers, exhibitors, community.” supporters and workshop audiences demonstrates the wide range of local, regional and national audiences that APT serves. Exhibitors and participants included: four higher education institutions (two London- based universities – Goldsmiths and the University of East London (UEL) and two regionally based universities – the University of Huddersfield and MMU); adult education (Morley College); two primary schools; Greenwich Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (GEYDCP); family learning and support (Charlton Family Centre); Lewisham Arts Service, Creative Lewisham Agency and NADFAS.
“We are a group of artists doing an MA at UEL. We’ve come together as a group to put on the Philoscope exhibition independent of our course requirements. Organising the show has given us the opportu- nity to work together as professionals to show and market our work. We know that including this exhibition at APT in our CVs, is going to help each of us to demonstrate our serious intent as professional artists. We found out about the venue through the network of one of the members of our group, an artist who has an ACME studio in APT studios Deptford, and good professional and personal links with APT ” Member of the group exhibiting in Philoscope (10 artists respond to the idea of memory and the stream of time). 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Education and community Many ACAVA artists have socially engaged art practices, which they projects have established independently of their studio organisation. These involve them in embedding their work in education and community outreach programmes. ACAVA itself runs a substantial number of programmes, many of which are undertaken collaboratively with long-term partners – for instance the Artspace project which supports people recovering from mental health and substance abuse issues and is conducted both in hospital and at Blechynden Street. This has had significant technical and financial support from NHS Mental Health Trusts. The Sculpture in Schools programme is a three-year partner- ship with LBHF, with funding from The John Lyons Charity.
72 During the years During the years 2003-06, more than 60 projects have been initiated, requiring more than 3,000 artist days to deliver, resulting in some
S 2003-06, more than 30,000 beneficiary days. While a number of the projects were one-day T U or one-week tasters and pilots, the majority took place over longer D 60 projects have I O timescales – ranging from a month, three months, and a year to several
P been initiated,
O years. Over the past four years, ACAVA has spent approximately £1 mil-
R lion on education and community projects. The funding has been built T
R requiring more than
A piecemeal, on a project-by-project basis, drawing on a range of govern- I T ment and local authority programmes, development, cultural and educa- S 3,000 artist days to tion agencies and institutions, including the Learning and Skills Council, deliver, resulting grant-making trusts, individual and corporate donations. The expendi- in some 30,000 ture falls under four broad headings: artists’ fees: 65 per cent (£650,000); administration: 15 per cent (£150,000); project manage- beneficiary days. ment: 10 per cent (£100,000); consumable materials: materials, travel, equipment hire, marketing etc: 10 per cent (£100,000).
All of the projects share the same broad aims of promoting learning in, about and through art; encouraging creative risk-taking and thinking; enabling participants to undertake work in an exciting range of media (such as sculpture, digital technologies, the moving image) using a range of scales and dimensions. The projects have a range of soft out- comes (increasing participants’ self-confidence, self-esteem and motiva- tion to learn) and hard outcomes (enabling participants to succeed in meeting the targets of their individual learning plans, meeting govern- ment targets to raise achievement in literacy and numeracy measured by raised SATs scores, improved GCSE and A level grades and, for adults with poor numeracy and literacy, reaching Level 2). The beneficiaries of the projects fall into five broad groups: people with mental health or substance misuse issues; people living in areas of social and economic deprivation – including families, children, the elderly and those with physical and mental disabilities; school children aged 5 to 16; young peo- ple, including many considered to be at risk, people from black and eth- nic minority groups, migrant and refugee groups; and those with special educational needs, including those in gifted and talented groups and those with learning difficulties or attention deficit issues.
For a summary list of projects see Section 5.2.
School visit to Tom Benson’s Blechynden Street studio APT at Harold Works
Education and community Around a quarter of APT’s artists actively engage in adult, school and outreach community education independently of the studio organisation both as an integral part of their individual and group practice and as a means of supporting their own work. Since the appointment of the studio manager, APT has been actively expanding its own programme. Currently around £5,000 a year, approximately five per cent of the total income of the organisation is allocated to this work. As referred to above, the APT gallery programme is a key focus and resource for APT’s own education provision for schools, colleges and organisations with a remit to support people with social, economic, education and “We value our part- health issues. It enables APT’s artists and gallery hirers to contribute nership with APT to the programme independently and enables APT to expand and strengthen its network of partner organisations. APT places impor- 73 and Laban. Being tance on its active collaboration with the other creative, community
and educational organisations in Creekside, Deptford and Lewisham. S T able to draw on For instance, together with Laban and the Creekside Education Trust, U D I
it runs the annual Creekside Summer College which enables 80 local O
the skills of their children and young people to work together on joint arts, science and P O members… enriches environmental projects. “We value our partnership with APT and R T
Laban. Being able to draw on the skills of their members, skilled peo- R A
the work we do with I ple who work professionally in the visual arts and dance, enriches the T the local communi- work we do with the local community. It means we can offer the local S kids and families who come on our courses so much more” Chris ty. It means we can Gittner, Creekside Educational Trust. offer the local To celebrate its tenth anniversary APT launched the Creekside Open, kids and families a competition for an exhibition at the APT Gallery in May 2005. Managed by APT artist, David Oates and Liz May and judged by Eileen who come on Cooper and David Tremlett, the competition was open to all visual our courses so artists working in Greater London. The initiative succeeded on a num- ber of levels: it attracted a large number of entrants; the final selec- much more.” tion met the expressed aim of “giving visitors an insight into the breadth and diversity of the visual arts today” and raised the profile of APT and its gallery through an efficient press and marketing cam- paign which included a dedicated website: www.creeksideopen.org. The costs of administration and £500 in prizes for five entrants were met by the £10 entrance fee and sponsorship. The intention is to make the Creekside Open a biennial event.
See Section 6.2 for a full list of APT activities.
Creekside Summer College 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Funding For its provision just to stand still, ACAVA now needs an annual income of £1 million. The main items of expenditure include amortisa- tion charges covering improvements to studio premises, building maintenance and repairs, staff costs (including caretaking, administra- tion, technician support) and project costs (including project manage- ment, professional development, artists’ fees, materials, transport and marketing). For the past 10 years, 75 per cent of its income has been derived from rental and other self-generated income. The balance, for the education and outreach programme, has come through project funding from various sources including Arts Council England, London; regeneration, development, training and education agencies and organisations; trusts and foundations and London Boroughs. 74 For the past 10 years, In its early years, 1985-93, ACAVA received capital and revenue sup-
S 75 per cent of its port initially from the GLC, followed by core financial support from T U GLAA and LBHF. However, in 1993 when LBHF closed down its Leisure D income has been I O and Recreation Department, it ceased funding ACAVA, along with
P derived from
O most other arts initiatives, and since then, the ongoing growth of the
R organisation has been achieved without core funding. North T
R rental and other self-
A Kensington qualified for inclusion in the first wave of City Challenge I T initiatives, and in 1995, ACAVA was able to use the regeneration funds
S generated income. to lever an Arts Council lottery award of £1 million to build on the The balance, for the Blechynden site (which was donated by RBKC). The constant need to education and search for project funding does constrain ACAVA’s ability proactively to implement its strategic learning and community education objec- outreach programme, tives. Instead, delivery of its programme to support learning in, about and through art tends to be reactive – its large portfolio of projects has come through are delivered piecemeal, as funding bids succeed or partners are able project funding from to embed them in their provision. Being able to take the long-term view is thus essential to ACAVA’s achievement. Eventually many of the various sources. innovative programme ideas that ACAVA proposes to potential part- ners do take place – but maybe three, four or even five years after they were first mooted. This is frustrating, but, like many other arts organisations, ACAVA has had to learn to play a waiting game, allow- ing time for others to adopt their ideas. Amongst the strategic objec- tives of the Blechynden Street project was to provide a stable source of finance to enable ACAVA to build administrative and project man- agement capacity over the long-term. The strategy has been – to some extent – successful. Not, perhaps, quite as successful as hoped, as the 18 month delay in starting the building programme after fund- ing had been granted, reduced the size of the build so there are 24 rather than 36 studios, while problems with the building contractor led to delay in completing the construction, reducing income in the initial years. Continuing structural problems, though relatively minor, are a financial drain. However, Blechynden Street generates £62,000 a year from studio rents and costs £48,000 a year to run. The £14,000 annual surplus does contribute to the on-going development of staff capacity. APT at Harold Works
Funding APT enjoys an enviable independence and financial security. It is not reliant on funding from external sources to maintain its building, pay staff wages and fees or to run its expanding outreach programme. The income generated from studio rents and gallery hire generates a surplus which is being used to pay off the mortgage. This will be redeemed in three years’ time. APT demonstrates that the external capital funding secured to renovate the building initially and for the subsequent Lean-To project has enabled it to develop as a self-sus- taining organisation. It has carefully husbanded the £55,000 compen- sation received from the DLR, when two studios were demolished to enable a viaduct to be built, which it now plans to use to lever in fur- ther investment, to enable a £360,000 capital development project, the Studio Development Programme, to go ahead. 75 S T U D
APT demonstrates I O
P that the external O R T R
capital funding A I T secured to renovate S the building initially … has enabled it to develop as a self-sustaining organisation.
APT Open Studios weekend 4.2 Blechynden Street Studios – ACAVA
Future Plans ACAVA is working to a five-year business plan (2005-2010) which aims to enable it to continue to: develop public programmes; build the capacity of members and staff; contribute to art form development and pioneer new ways of developing affordable studio space for artists in the light of the difficult current economic situation.
The vision for the next decade is to extend and expand existing proj- ects and establish new ones (in particular in areas experiencing rapid change and regeneration). There is an expectation from members, partners and clients that the organisation will continue to grow to meet the unceasing demand for its services. Some initiatives do have an assured future with funding secured. For instance, Sculptors in 76 Schools, a project which is transforming the way three-dimensional thinking and making are taught in LBHF schools, has project funding
S for a further two years. However ACAVA recognises it is easier to per- T U suade funders to support new work rather than to underwrite tried D I O and tested portfolios, despite the demonstrable success of projects
P
O like Artspace, First Base and hypaTraX. In order to provide the staff
R capacity needed to initiate the kind of ambitious new programmes T R
A that would attract funding support, the aim is to establish a new post I T of Assistant Director Projects by 2007/08. S
Given the current economic realities of the spiralling cost of land, free- holds and leaseholds, ACAVA recognises the need to find innovative solutions, just to maintain its portfolio of studios at the present level, let alone enlarge it. Unlike the majority of affordable studio providers, ACAVA owns the freehold of three of its buildings, giving it the security of knowing that it will continue as a studio provider in the future, albeit in a worst case scenario as a smaller organisation. However, it continues to aspire to respond to the ever-increasing demand for studio space. (In 2005, 3,553 artists were registered as looking for studio space across London’s studio organisations. A Survey of Artists’ Studio Groups and Organisations in England). Currently it is exploring the potential to rent space (unsuited to other uses) from the London Borough of Merton for a peppercorn rent, install artists at affordable rents, and recycle the income to support artists working on educational and community proj- ects. Funding has been secured from Arts Council England for a study of the feasibility of creating mobile studios. Live/work options and inter- national links are also being researched.
Despite its longevity and the size and success of its operation, ACAVA is surprisingly little known outside its current network. This could be hampering its success in securing funding in the face of increasing competition. There are plans to create a communication strategy which will raise the profile of the organisation and its services.
Digital Training Suite at Blechynden studios APT at Harold Works
Future Plans Secure in the knowledge that it owns its freehold, planning permission has been granted to build seven new studios and, by 2009, the mort- gage will have been paid off. APT is now able to consider its options for further developments in the medium- to long-term.
G A Studio Development Programme is planned in 2006 to establish the viability of a major new capital project 2007-09
G The project will involve securing £360,000 from a mix of sources to increase the number of studios, make the site fully accessible, including repairing the existing lift, and conserve the built and natu- ral environment of the whole site. It will involve: a new studio build; repairing and refurbishing 19th century windows and roof lights; 77 repairing the 1940s yard crane (a Deptford landmark) S T
and, in partnership with the Creekside Environmental Trust, creating U
G D I
a brown roof on the new studio block and a wildlife area under the O
DLR viaduct. P O R T
The APT gallery is fully booked until 2007, and some thought is R G A I
being given to providing additional administrative support to run T the gallery S
G There are plans to hold a second Creekside Open in 2007
G Art-led outreach and education projects have been programmed ahead for the next 18 months
Creekside Summer College – walking in the creek 4.3 Measuring up
A comparison of information about ACAVA (and its Blechynden Street studios) and APT with the key findings of the London Digest – A survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in London, Capital Studios, March 2006, taken from a national survey conducted by Acme Studios in 2004.
78 London has more studio ACAVA manages 17 buildings, in east, north, west and south- buildings than the rest of east London and a live/work space in Berlin. Blechynden Street S
T England combined, with 58 is in west London (W10). APT manages just one building, in U D
I per cent of the total studio south-east London (SE8). O
P space in which 27 organi- O R
T sations manage 72 build- R
A ings. More that two thirds I T
S of this space is in the east and south east of the capi- tal.
The 72 buildings provide Blechynden Street provides studios for 24 artists and APT for studios for more than 38 artists. 2,000 artists.
More than nine out of 10 of All the artists who occupy space at APT and Blechynden Street these studios are occupied are fine artists. Blechynden Street also provides accommoda- by fine artists. tion for the Portobello Film Festival and two creative industry enterprises.
There are more than 4,500 ACAVA does not have a waiting list as such; artists who are artists on waiting lists for looking for a studio register as Associate Members. Studio studios nationally, 3,553 in vacancies are advertised on the ACAVA website and allocated London. on the basis of earliest registration as a member. APT’s waiting list was closed at 20 artists.
This is a self-help move- This is true, both ACAVA and APT were artist-led. ment; almost all the groups providing studios were started by artists.
Of the 27 studio providers, ACAVA was established in 1983 from an artists’ group started more than half have been 30 years ago. The Blechynden Street studios opened in 1999, in existence for over 10 seven years ago. APT started 11 years ago, in 1995. It grew out years, three for over 30 of GASA (Greenwich Artists Studio Association) which was years. started 32 years ago. Most buildings have been The Blechynden Street studios were purpose-built on a site 79 converted from an amazing replacing derelict garages. Harold Works was being used for S range of previous uses. sheet metal fabrication when it was purchased by APT, prior to T U D
that the site had housed a medieval slaughter house, an 18th I O
century pottery and a 19th century chemical works. P O R T R
Half the cost of converting ACAVA has had financial support from the GLC and the RBKC, A I T studio buildings has been which also donated the land on which the Blechynden Street S self-financed. studios were built. APT used some of its own funds to lever in significant sums from regeneration funds.
Only two buildings were Blechynden Street is one of them. designed and built as studio space.
More than two-thirds of Blechynden Street has purpose-built community studios suitable studio buildings are also for wet and clean activities. APT has a purpose-built gallery. resource spaces for the Both have ICT suites equipped with Apple computers and public, providing exhibition broadband. Both provide education and training programmes. space and education programmes.
Very few buildings (eight Blechynden Street is one of three buildings which ACAVA owns out of 72) are owned and (the other 14 are rented). APT owns its own building. permanent – nearly 80 per cent of the total space is rented.
A significant number of the All the 37 studio spaces at APT and the 24 at Blechynden buildings are ‘at risk’, jeop- Street are permanent. APT is planning to create a capital pro- ardising, within the next 10 gramme to build an additional seven studios. A number of years, the future of more ACAVA leasehold buildings are ‘at risk’. than 430 artists’ studios.
The National Lottery has Blechynden Street was lottery funded. been of critical importance in providing capital funds to help secure a number of permanent studios – three major new buildings nationally in the last 10 years. 80 An average London studio There are 24 permanent studios at Blechynden Street. The measures 341 square feet average size is 278 square feet. At £10.43 per square foot S
T and an average studio (2006/07), the rent of an average studio is £2,900 per annum. U
D building has 25 individual There are 37 studio spaces at APT, which vary in size between I O
P studio units. 175 and 785 square feet. The average size is 376 square feet O
R and the rent per square foot is £5.75 (2006/07). An average T R
A studio costs £2,162 per annum. The average London rent I T
S charge for an affordable studio in September 2004 was £7.54 per square foot per annum.
Seventy per cent of ACAVA and APT both have charitable status. studio groups have charitable status.
Management capacity The management capacity of ACAVA and APT staff is good. amongst groups and ACAVA has 13 staff (7.0 full-time equivalent) and APT a 0.8 full- organisations varies widely; time equivalent. Both studio organisations allocate resources there is a clear need for to provide on-going professional development for their staff professional development and their members. and support.
Studio providers rely on a Both ACAVA and APT require their artists to participate in Open huge amount of voluntary Studios as part of their tenancy agreement. APT has a number staffing, mostly by their of management groups (floors, finance, education, exhibition artist tenants. etc.) which the artists chair. Both organisations do receive help on a voluntary basis from their artists, and both make a point of giving first refusal for any paid work available to members. Complying with charity legislation, none of the trustees of either organisation receive any form of remuneration.
The London studio sector Neither APT nor ACAVA receives revenue support. received less than £250,000 revenue support in 2003/04; the money went to four organisations managing over 70 per cent of the total space. The total ‘subsidy’ APT and ACAVA receive 80 per cent charity relief on their 81 achieved through business business rates at Harold Works and Blechynden Street. S rate relief for charities is T U D
at least four times the I O value of total revenue P O
1 R
support. T R A I T
Studios are almost 100 During the financial year 2005/06, no space changed hands S per cent continuously permanently at Blechynden Street studios, and just one of the occupied, just seven per APT studios had a new tenant. cent of all space changes hands each year.
Only three buildings were Blechynden Street is fully accessible. All the studios open off considered fully accessible one of the three studio decks, and a lift connects all three for disabled people. decks. One of the members is a wheelchair-user. There is a lift linking the three floors of the main APT building, but it is cur- rently out of commission and requires refurbishing. Funding for this will be included in the proposed Studio Development Programme. All seven of the new studios will have full disabled access. The APT gallery is fully accessible.
22 per cent of all buildings Blechynden Street is in good condition, though there is a per- are in ‘poor’ condition, with sistent issue with water penetration in the studio and offices only 38 per cent having on the north end of the building. Harold Works is in fair condi- central heating. tion, although work is needed to respect the heritage aspect of the buildings (for instance renewal of window frames, roof lights and the 1940s crane in the yard). These considerations form part of the Studio Development Programme for which funding is currently being sought. Neither building has central heating. There was originally provision for heating in Blechynden Street, but it fell victim to the spiralling costs.
1. The value of business rate relief alone represents a subsidy created by the affordable studio sector of between £882,000 and £1,436,000 to the visual arts sector in London, Commercial workspace provision for visual artists – a comparison with the affordable sector, Michael Cubey, Capital Studios, 2006
5 ACAVA artists and projects ACAVA artists andprojects
Nathan 5.1 Epoh Beech graphic and sound pieces, based 85 Painter. Trained at Studio Simi in on Silk Threads Home. This
Florence, Gloucester College of virtual cabinet of curiosities was A ACAVA artists C developed during Denise’s 15 A
Art and Chelsea School of Art. V A
Has an MA in Art Therapy and is month travel to China with a A
registered with the Health sonic artist. The cabinet was R T I
Professional Council. Exhibits created in consultation with S T
work regularly in London, people they met along the way, S
A
Oxford and Hampshire. Managed and the on-line community N D
the ACAVA Artspace community developed through their website: P
programme 2004-06 and runs www.silkthreads.org R O
art and art therapy workshops J E for adults with mental Harriet Cameron C T health issues and for those in Trained in stained glass design at S palliative care. Wimbledon School of Art and École des Arts Decoratifs, Paris. Tom Benson Now working in textiles and sell- Painter. Trained at Central St ing work through exhibitions, Martins and Royal College of galleries and commissions. Art. Exhibits regularly in the UK, Japan, Germany, Holland, Sophia Clist the USA and Switzerland, now Sculptor. Trained at Exeter and supports his practice mainly Central St Martins College of Art. through sales of work. Has Makes installations often in col- taught at all levels of higher laboration with others, particu- education – foundation, degree larly theatre professionals. See and postgraduate. Invited as vis- artist portrait in 3, Page 42. iting critic to Cooper Union, New www.theatre-rites.co.uk; York, to work on architecture www.cryingoutloud.org programme. www.tombenson.net Lisa Dredge Painter. Has held an ACAVA stu- Denise Bryan dio since 1991, and is returning to Visual artist, practice includes studio practice following time sculpture, mixed-media and out to have a family. Works as a installation. Has a strong stylist to support her practice. interest in supporting informal, school and museum education. Angela Findlay Has partnership links with an Painter. Practice involves creat- acoustic ecology research group ing large scale skyscapes: “I work and is currently creating an Arts largely with my hands, mixing Council England funded exhibi- paints with mud and sand from tion, Silkthreads: a journey to the coastal places I have been. China. The exhibition tours from Painting in this way feels like a Macclesfield Silk Museum to the dance with the elements I am Oriental Museum Durham and painting.” Leads a variety of Previous page: Babylon Gallery, Ely during independent workshops for Blechynden Street studios 2006/07. It includes photo- adults – Inside Colour – and children and has many years experience of running art projects in prisons. Works with and for the Koestler Trust. See artist portrait in 3, Page 52. www.angelafindlay.com
F3K Creative industry enterprise. Media company co-managed by artists Dadu Silassie (MA Film and Television Manchester Polytechnic) and Osita Aneke (MA Scriptwriting, Chelsea College of Art) making non- commercial video shorts and film. They support this practice by working with the Safe Start Foundation, an Irish organisation 86 based in Barnet providing training for young people, A
C many at risk, who are not in A
V education, employment or Project with LBHF schools by artist Barbara Nicholls A
training (NEETS). Barbara Nicholls, executed by local Fine artist. Recently completed a A
R authority road markers PhD at the University of East T I S Julia Forde London (UEL). Works on a large T
S Painter. Trained at Kingston ACAVA. Founder of Leave to scale using photography, film,
A
N School of Art. Achieved success remain, a contemporary art painting and textiles to explore D
as architectural glass designer, project funded by Arts Council the concept of aesthetic archae- P
R specialising in large ecclesiasti- England exploring issues
O ology. Benefits from access to
J cal commissions, now training as of displacement. E Blechynden Street’s large project C
T a psychotherapist. Manages the www.leavetoremain.com; studio. Is a visiting lecturer at S ACAVA schools and community www.margaretakern.com numerous universities including, education programmes. See Manchester Metropolitan, artist portrait in 3, Page 43. Colette Morey de Morand Sheffield and UEL. Takes part in Painter. Born in Paris, grew up in Artspace projects, tutors A level Joy Gerrard New York, Toronto and New art students and teaches in adult Visual artist. Currently in first Zealand. Has lived in London education. year of practice-based research since 1975. Her work is consis- PhD at the Royal College of Art, tently abstract, using minimalist Midori Nishizawa having completed three years of and grid constructivist elements. Sculptor, continues her practice working on large scale public art Has won several awards, in England and in Japan, her projects and as university lectur- appeared in numerous publica- native country. Supported her er. Has had support from the tions, been shown extensively in practice for many years by Irish Arts Council. Now in the UK and abroad and is repre- working as the bookkeeper for research phase, working specula- sented in public and private col- ACAVA. Teaches on Artspace tively on large format drawings lections worldwide – including projects. A wheelchair-user, and photography. Russia, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Blechynden Street is one of the Spain and Mexico. Having taken few fully-accessible studios in Sophie Jacobsen advantage of the ACAVA digital London which could offer her the Visual artist, working in mixed- arts training, and ongoing access support she requires to operate media. Has worked in ACAVA to technical support and equip- independently. administration and on a range of ment, is making increasing use ACAVA community and educa- of the Internet to profile and David O’Driscoll tional projects. sell work internationally. Photographer, specialising in www.anderssonhall.com photography of people. Born Margareta Kern locally and members of his fami- Visual artist, practice includes Nathan Associates ly continue to live in the bor- photography, time-based media Creative industry enterprise, ough. Participates in ACAVA and elements of installation and providing brand management, community education pro- performance exploring identity. photography, brochures and gramme and undertakes pro Bosnian born, came to the UK in websites bespoke to the educa- bono commissions – including 1992 from the former Yugoslavia. tion sector. Has supported the the Kensington and Chelsea Trained at Goldsmiths College, ACAVA community programme, Social Council website and the University of London. Has tutoring and leading workshops Westway community calendar. worked on Artspace projects for for young people. Raziye Aley Parmley dios, including at Blechynden Brian Sayers Fine artist. Trained at Bath Art Street. Employs a small team of Painter. Studied fine art at College. Makes painterly abstract assistants. Was a founder mem- the Slade School of Fine Art. work and more experimental ber of SPACE, London’s first Combines his practice with mixed-media work and employs provider of affordable artists’ part-time teaching in formal automatic writing, sliced and studios. Participates regularly in education. stitched canvas, paper mouldings ACAVA open studios. and graffiti references. “In my Gabrielle Seymour practice from the beginning I Livia Rolandini Painter. Studied at the Byam have been fascinated by the Sculptor. Trained at the Royal Shaw School of Art, London. issues of privacy in public places College of Art. Has extensive Makes large, bold, colourful and make work that explores experience of adult and prison figurative paintings about cap- these issues.” Has close links education. tured moments, feelings and with her local primary school, sensations. Supports her prac- just round the corner from Marisa Rueda tice through sale of work, loans Blechynden Street, where she Sculptor. Trained at the Escuela to stylists and designers, and works two days a week to sup- Nacional de Bellas Artes teaching life drawing. port her practice. Prilidiano Pueyrredón, Argentina. Has worked for many years on Candida Thring Portobello Film Festival community projects, including Painter. Trained at Edinburgh 87 Annual festival of the art of the extensive work with people with College of Art and Edinburgh A
moving image, now in its learning difficulties and those University. Has a PGCE from the C A
eleventh year. Free festival, recovering from substance mis- Institute of Education, London V A shows every work submitted. use and mental health problems. University and supports her A
Has support from commercial Works regularly with Artspace. practice by teaching at primary R T I sponsors including Cobra and and secondary level and on the S T
Time Out and project funding Joanna Sands ACAVA Artspace programme. S
A from Arts Council England. Fine artist. Trained at Maidstone Exhibits work regularly. N D
Provides training and work College of Art and Chelsea P experience in arts event School of Art. Until recently Julie Walker R O J
management for unemployed made site-specific installations – Painter. Currently training part E C
people locally. See beneficiary “events rather than straight time as an art psychotherapist at T portrait in 3, Page 55. exhibition” – in the spaces in Hertfordshire University. Exhibits S www.portobellofilmfestival.com which they were shown, which regularly, teaches in higher and varied over the years from further education and partici- Bridget Riley squats and derelict buildings to pates in ACAVA projects, primari- Internationally known artist, with her studio. Currently creating ly with groups of adults with work in major collections across moveable works and showing mental health and substance the world, has a number of stu- in galleries. misuse issues.
Brian Sayers in his Blechynden Street studio 88 5.2 SCHOOLS EDUCATION 2. Diana Hughes Drawing PROJECTS Project A Four artists working in one sec-
C ACAVA Projects
A ondary and three primary V A 1. Sculpture in Schools schools over a term, exploring
A 2003-2006 A three-year collaboration R and demonstrating approaches T (2005-2008) with the London I
S to drawing. Celebrated with an
T Borough of Hammersmith and
S exhibition of work by artists and
Summary list of A Fulham to establish 3D thinking children and resulting in a teach- N
D ACAVA’s programme and making skills through the ing pack. Funding secured
P teaching of sculpture. Involves R of education and through a legacy. O artists spending half-a-day a J
E community outreach week for 10 weeks in different C 3. Chalkhill Musiko Musika T S 2003-2006 primary schools and, in all, 26 Three artists for three blocks such interventions by some 20 of six-weekly sessions working artists over the three years (a The programme involves alongside music workshops total of 1,040 artist teaching aimed at improving emotional a total of some 60 proj- hours, and a minimum of 7,800 and mental health for refugee child sessions). Work from the and immigrant communities. ects; the main ones are first year exhibited at the Glass listed here. Delivery of Box gallery at Hammersmith 4. CITA Words and Pictures these projects requires Town Hall. Funding has been One artist in a one-day workshop secured for the whole project 3,000 artist days, result- for refugee teenagers on the from The John Lyon’s Charity. theme of communication and ing in at least 30,000 beneficiary days. The total budget, levered in from a range of sources, including development agencies, grant-giving trusts, the Learning and Skills Council, and local authorities, amounts to some £1 million. The budget is allocated as 65 per cent artists’ fees, 10 per cent project man- agement, 15 per cent administration and 10 per cent materials, tools, and transport. Sculpture in Schools. Artist Roland Lawar, right, at Langford Primary School Stained glass monotonous stairs and signpost made from routes around the school. design created by pupils of 12. Fulham Summer Challenge Sion Manning Annual one-week blocks of school artist-led workshops in a variety of media as part of LBHF school holiday provision.
13. Sacred Heart Workshops Artists’ talks and six workshops part-subsidised by the LBHF portfolio development project.
14. Henry Compton City Learning Six weekly sessions with a group of Year 10 boys working with cameras and computers at a LBHF City Learning Centre. 89 A
15. Gibbs Green Learning C A
Support Group V A
Three termly blocks of artist-led A
workshops, producing art teach- R T I ing aids for learning mentors. S T S
A
16. Respect N D
A project to promote respect P
amongst pupils in a school with R O J
large numbers from diverse com- E C
munities. Three artists accompa- T place. Involved large group 9. Ealing Education and nied Neville Lawrence, the father S drawing and discussion. Business of the murdered teenager Exploring art as employment. Stephen Lawrence, for a day- 5. Ealing Primary Regular one-day workshops as long visit to Acton High School. Playgrounds part of industry days in Ealing The artists then worked with Three artists working with primary schools. pupils over a term, produced an children to brighten and uplift exhibition and created and alienating playgrounds. 10. Latimer Education Centre, installed permanent artworks. Pupil Referral Centre 6. Gifted Children Workshops Work to reach young people in 17. Archbishop Tenison’s School Two days per term, including extended programme activities Part of ACAVA’s ongoing work to studio visit and morning and using digital technology to cre- support schools awarded special- afternoon workshop sessions ate an illustrated story. ist visual arts status but without at Blechynden Street, 15 pupils from 15 Hammersmith and 11. Wormholt Park Ceramics Fulham schools, using funds One artist for a one-week block Neville Lawrence returning to see from Gifted and Talented initia- in an ArtsMark primary school the work produced as part of the tive to provide experience of to produce work to brighten Respect project at Acton High School making art outside of the usual school experience.
7. Phoenix High School Ceramics A year-long project involving an artist two days a week, producing a final 3D installation.
8. Sion Manning Arts School A partnership with a school with specialist arts school status to pro- vide professional artists to work with pupils and to create perma- nent artworks for the school in ceramics and stained glass. White City Looks You in the Eye hoard- ing
90 A C A V A
A R T I S T S
A N
D the capacity to deliver their new Westminster) and successfully 22. Clayponds Gardens Mural
P community commitments. ACAVA fulfilled the aims of recruiting One artist working with local resi- R
O has delivered eight programmes participants from migrant, black dents on an estate undergoing J
E in Archbishop Tenison’s feeder and other minority ethnic development, to create a mural C T
S schools, worked with three com- groups, and those with drug- for the community centre. munity organisations, Los Anõs, a offending, domestic and home- drop-in centre for retired Latin lessness problems, and enabling 23. Ealing Summer Festival American people, the Oval House them to reconnect with educa- Two artists at Walpole Park arts centre and St Martin’s in the tion and employment. See contributing to carnival style Fields on its programme to sup- Charlotte Hutchinson beneficiary activities for under-twelves. port homeless people. portrait in 3, Page 54. 24. Eritrean painting and 19. Shape ADKC Taster photography COMMUNITY Workshops Six-week project, 12 workshops Two artists with a volunteer with an Eritrean group and their PROJECTS assistant artist ran taster ses- community leaders to promote sions and six weekly workshops and develop their sense of 18. hypaTraX with a mix of digital, painting and shared identity. Cohorts of 20 young people at craft activities. risk aged 16 to 19, not in educa- 25. SHAPE signs tion, employment or training 20. Fulham Car-Free Days Six workshops in collaboration with (NEETS) are engaged through Four artists created opportuni- SHAPE mentoring project, including their interest in music in a three- ties for public participation in installation during Open Studios at month programme designed to chalk pavement drawing, scrap Blechynden Street. Led by a SHAPE develop their personal, social sculpture and video production artist working with an ACAVA artist and technical skills, reconnect in the C-van. who had received Activate training them with education and provide for working with people with dis- opportunities for work place- 21. White City Hoardings abilities. Activate was a training ments in commercial environ- Poster-sized digital work created programme set up by SHAPE which ments within the music industry. with local teenagers and dis- trained 30 disabled artists in deliv- The first two runs of the pro- played on the hoardings round ering disability equality. gramme were funded from the the building site of a massive ESF and the Learning and Skills new shopping centre develop- Workwise was a project set up Council, London Central. They ment, promoting a positive face by Bishop Creighton House, a were open to young people from of the adjoining problem White local authority supported the inner London boroughs City estate and creating a sense community centre, to provide (Camden, Islington, Kensington of ownership, reducing vandal- training, work experience and and Chelsea, Lambeth, ism while raising awareness of employment of young people Southwark, Wandsworth and the development. with learning disabilities. 26. SHAPE at Old Oak 30. Artist Talks creating digital imagery and ani- Community Centre One-off talks/slide shows by mation for a community safety Block of taster workshops by artists from a broad variety of website. various artists for disability media covering work practice, event, including artist-led education and career path, lead- interactions between artists ing in some cases to after school ARTSPACE and the public. workshop sessions booked with ACAVA across secondary schools COMMUNITY HEALTH 27. A Reasonable Adjustment and sixth forms in the borough. PROJECTS Film project in collaboration with Workwise and service users at 31. Bishop Creighton ARTSPACE is for people recover- Bishop Creighton House. Mentoring training and small cre- ing from health, mental health Involved training, work experi- ative mentoring projects – main- and substance misuse problems. ence and employment of young ly computer, photography and ACAVA collaborates with Central people with learning disabilities video, with individual artists and North West London Mental in drama, film and video skills young people. Health NHS Trust and West through the production of a CD London Mental Health Trust to Rom for employers. The piece 32. Hafad provide access to the visual arts presented a positive and Small creative mentoring proj- in critical wards in hospitals and assertive image of people with ects, individual artists working day centres. Some workshops 91 learning disabilities and their with young people with disabili- are run in ACAVA studios. The A
right to equal access in the work- ties, mainly computer, photogra- project is run by a team of C A place. Workwise was a project phy and video. artists in close collaboration with V A set up by Bishop Creighton
health care professionals and A
House, a local authority support- 33. Kingswood Multi Media Art R
service users. Artspace aims are T I ed community centre, to provide Lab to provide: S T training, work experience and Three artists leading five weekly S G a supportive, non-medical con- A employment of young people after school multimedia, portfo- text for exploring and making N D with learning disabilities. lio development
art P workshops/taster projects. R G high quality art projects across O J
28. Kensington and Chelsea a wide range of media E C
Social Council 34. Riverside Talent Splash G active service user involve- T ACAVA designed and manages Artists engaged as creative men- ment in project development S the website and Link newsletter tors, working with individual G opportunities for exhibition, for this key Kensington and young people on computer, pho- further education and Chelsea community service. tography and video projects. employment
29. Bridging the Gap 35. Community Safety Lock-in 36. Workshops Inter-generational community Log-on Artists working in critical wards, video workshops and film pro- Workshop with young people at day care centres and ACAVA duction aimed at demystifying Kingwood City Learning Centre premises with people with and ameliorating communication between young and elderly resi- dents in the community. A col- laboration with Hammersmith and Fulham Social Services and North Fulham New Deal for Communities.
PORTFOLIO PROJECTS
Collaboration with the LBHF Team. Schools and special units are circulated with details of artists’ CVs and skills to enable them to select practitioners to visit them and show and discuss work in the imaging industries. These ‘show-and-tell’ visits are often followed up with ‘make- and-take’ workshops, and individual portfolio advice.
St Mark’s Primary School mental health and substance 39. e-legalyouth.net 44. netWorX misuse problems, providing val- A collaboration between ACAVA, An introductory web design ued and beneficial opportunities the RBKC and the Metropolitan course for artists. to develop and use artistic skills. Police to create a website with 12 workshops a year. young people to give them access 45. siteWorX to police officers through a chat Advanced web design, creating 37. Community Art Group room to find out about the law a website for a real client, A project of several years’ dura- and discuss matters of concern. usually an arts or community tion, artists and health workers group, in a small team simulating providing training and support to 40. Facet actual practice in the commercial a group of mental health service Partnership with RBKC and the environment. users. borough’s major cultural institu- tions to create a website show- 46. shoWorX 38. Park Royal Mosaic ing its cultural wealth through Artists of different generations A mosaic created with users of pictures. ACAVA curated and and at different stages of the Park Royal Centre for Mental digitised many of the images, their careers but with limited Health. Funded by an Equalities including collections by noted knowledge of digital display, and Diversity grant. photographers. creating site-specific digital works for display in a public 92 41. portWorX exhibition, at the end of DIGITAL ART Basic training course in digitis- the course. A
C ing, storing and distributing
A PROJECTS
V images. 47. flashWorX A
Computer animation with the A
R The digital arts facilities at 42. abcWorX new releases of vector animation T
I Blechynden Street and at S Foundation training course in software Flash. T
S Hawkco house in Acton, support- digital imagery for those working
A ed by the C-van, enable the pro- N in, or wishing to work in, the 48. Digital Art Module D vision of training for local com- imaging industries. Design and delivery of a module P
R munities and artists in digital for Thames Valley University, a O
J applications, covering the entire 43. printWorX credit towards their BA qualifica- E
C range of skills from the beginner
T A course for artists in digital pro- tion in Digital Arts. S to the cutting-edge practitioner. duction for print. 49. Community Grid for Learning Working with LBHF to deliver community access to ITC skills in community centres.
50. MV Music Project to engage young people in developing skills in digital technology. Collaboration with the arts and youth teams of the LBHF.
51. North Fulham NDC Workshops delivered in the ACAVA C-van, enabling local peo- ple engaged in neighbourhood development to access digital technology.
52. C-van Holiday Projects School holiday programme giv- ing children and young people access to, and training in the use of digital technology. Collaboration with RBKC commu- nity education department.
Artspace mosaic project with Park Royal Daycare Centre ACAVA’s C-van
53. Leap Regular summer project bringing together digital artists, musi- cians and performers to work with young people over a week to create a public performance and DVD.
54. Detached Youth Project and Positive Activities for Young People Collaborations with Kensington and Chelsea Youth Services on 93 various initiatives to develop and
deliver digital arts training A C opportunities for young people. A V
PUBLIC ART 57. Acton Crawl A
A unique artistic journey through A
55. Hawkco House Digital Suite R
the heart of Acton. Tower blocks, T
Broadband connected digital arts 56. Oaks Screen I S suite providing a base for several a church hall, the tube station T Permanent art wall created by S community education training artist Mamily Sheibani, a and local swimming pool were A N initiatives in Acton. refugee from Iran. It provides amongst the sites transformed D
by artists in a series of multi- P
displays of local children’s work R
media installations and subtle O
in a sculptural screen designed J interventions into Acton life and E Crush projected installation by to hide the waste skips behind C T
Michael Pinsky at Acton Town Station the Oaks Shopping Centre. architecture. S
6 APT artists, projects and exhibitions and exhibitions APT artists, projects
Tim Cousins’ APT Studio 6.1 Ekkehard Altenburger Gallery in July 2006 and is cur- 97 Sculptor, German born, trained at rently working on a performance
Hochschule für Künste, Bremen for Newlyn Art Gallery, part of A APT Artists P T
and Edinburgh and Chelsea Tract live art programme. Joined A
Colleges of Art. Recent public art APT in May 2006 and is the stu- R T I
commissions include, a marble dio’s most recent member. S T
sculpture for the Museo Municipal S ,
Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, two Tim Cousins P R
large scale sculptures in Brighton Painter. Trained at Ravensbourne O J
and Hove, and sculptures for a E College of Art. Regularly works C T
new treatment centre at the in the open landscape. Initiated S
Queen Elizabeth Hospital the Sharing a View group of A N
Gateshead. artists which works from shared D
E
www.altenburger.org.uk; locations. Supports his practice X H
www.futurecityarts.com by working as a teacher/educa- I B I tor. Has held a number of posts T I O
Heather Burrell in primary schools across N Sculptor. Trained at Wimbledon south-east London. Member S School of Art. Works in metal. of APT since its inception. Undertakes wide range of com- www.anderssonhall.com missions and specialises in street furniture and urban renewal proj- Anthony Daley ects which involve the communi- Painter. Born in Jamaica, came ty. Employs a team of two artists. to the UK with his family in 1972. Together they have worked Trained at Chelsea College of extensively in Newham, Lewisham Art. Teaches at Chelsea and and Southwark. See artist por- Slade School of Fine Art trait in Section 3, Page 40. amongst other colleges. Work exhibited widely in museums and Fran Cottell galleries nationally and interna- Visual artist. Trained at the tionally. Represented by the University of Reading and Angela Flowers Gallery in the UK Goldsmiths College. Makes site/ and USA. [email protected] occupant related work. Recently made work about the impossibili- Jeff Dellow ty of collecting time and life by Painter. Trained at St. Martin’s juggling with the architectural (foundation), Maidstone College elements and the relative of Art and the Slade School of degrees of display of visitors to Fine Art (post graduate). Uses and occupants of her house. lyrical abstraction, painterly Recently worked on a project for processes and a computer to an architectural practice which manipulate and enhance images centred on the lack of space, of experience in painting. dominance of cars and refuse Awarded the Boise Travelling bins and the number of people in Scholarship, a Cheltenham the street in which she lives. Did Fellowship and is a John a performance for South London Moore’s prize winner. Shows Previous page: Deptford Creek 98 A P T
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H internationally. Currently Principal investigates the creative corre- Liz Harrison I B
I Lecturer in Fine Art at Kingston spondence between writing and T I O University and External Assessor painting and the philosophical N
S for Visual Arts at West Dean conditions for such an event. Liz Harrison College, Sussex (part of the Mixed media. Trained at Edward James Foundation). Leila Galloway Manchester College of Art and Original studio member of Sculptor. Trained at the Slade Design and the Slade School of Greenwich Studios (from 1977) School of Fine Art and Fine Art. Practice seeks to define prior to APT. www.jeffdellow.com; Manchester Polytechnic. Makes and articulate ideas about space www.anderssonhall.com work primarily concerned with through a range of media, images the bodily and the material, and and processes. Teaches at Arnold Dobbs on unravelling possible meaning Camberwell College of Arts. Painter. Trained at London through the handling of materi- Exhibits widely both nationally Guildhall University and Gold- als. Currently Senior Lecturer at and internationally – including smiths College. Has a diverse De Montfort University, Leicester. Frankfurt, Brussels and, in 2006, range of work, mainly abstract Amsterdam. Recently participated and expressionist, occasionally Nic Godbold in re-Vision, a series of light figurative. Work held in private Painter. Trained at Reading based site-specific works in the collections in the UK, USA, University and Chelsea College former Royal Infirmary, Worcester Australia, Germany and France. of Art. Exhibits in London and (a six month exhibition pro- Studio member at APT since Italy. Member of APT since its gramme and publication). Is an 1998. www.arnolddobbs.com; inception. active member of the A2 Arts www.anderssonhall.com group. www.a2arts.co.uk/harrison Marilyn Hallam Cath Ferguson Painter. Trained at University Margaret Higginson Painter. Trained at Manchester of Reading. Has work in private Sculptor, Canadian born. Works Polytechnic and Chelsea College collections, particularly in the in stone, bronze, steel, plastic of Art and Design. Teaches fine USA, was with the Smith and photography. Practice art and art history, holds a visit- Jariwala Gallery, London for includes exhibition pieces, indi- ing lecturer post at Chelsea some years. Currently teaches vidual private commissions and College of Art. Currently in the at University of East London and work with large organisations. final year of completing a PhD Kingston University. Member of Has a strong commitment to from Manchester Metropolitan APT since inception. community and outreach work University (MMU) which www.anderssonhall.com and has led many community consultations, undertaken resi- Stephen Jaques pieces visually. He makes the dencies in schools and worked Painter. Trained at Derby and sheer stuff of his art dance.’ with pupils excluded from Canterbury Colleges of Art. Has John McLean. Exhibits in the mainstream schools. Clients exhibited widely in the UK and UK and Luxembourg, and is include Arts Council England, has work in corporate and pri- increasingly in demand for Greenwich Council, Eger vate collections in the UK, major public commissions. Has Architects, Newhaven PRU, Europe and the USA. A member work in collections in UK, Sure Start, London Docklands of APT since its inception. Luxembourg and Germany. Development Corporation. See www.anderssonhall.com Is a founder member of APT. partner portrait in Section 3. www.stephenlewissculpture.co.uk; www.margarethigginson.com Richard Lawrence www.anderssonhall.com Sculptor, trained at Wimbledon Clyde Hopkins School of Art. Works predomi- John McLean Painter. Has won numerous nantly in stone. A Boise Painter, internationally recog- awards including the Mark Travelling Scholarship award-win- nised as one of the foremost Rothko Fellowship (USA), Arts ner, has undertaken residencies abstract painters working today. Council of Great Britain Purchase in schools, art galleries and Trained at St. Andrews University Award and the Lorne Award. museums and taken part in and the Courtauld Institute. Has Head of Painting at Chelsea international symposia in won several prestigious awards, College of Art. Exhibits widely in China and Italy. Has undertaken including the Lorne Award and an 99 the UK, Europe and the USA and major public art commissions Arts Council major award. Was A
work is in a number of public and in Greenwich, London. Is a guest artist at the Emma Lake P T
private collections. Has strong founder member of APT. Workshop and artist-in-residence A connections with East Sussex, www.anderssonhall.com at Edinburgh University. Exhibits R T I has a studio at St.Leonard’s-on- widely in group and solo shows. S T
Sea, near his place of birth. Has Stephen Lewis Has work in a number of public, S ,
P
also held studios in Greenwich Sculptor. Designs and fabricates private and corporate collections R and Deptford for over 30 years. large-scale, abstract work in including Tate, Scottish Arts O J E
At APT since its inception. metal. ‘Lewis’s quality as a sculp- Council and Glasgow Museum C T www.anderssonhall.com; tor lies in his ability to animate S
A
www.advancedgraphics.co.uk the structure and weight of his Clyde Hopkins N D
E X H I B I T I O N S 100 A P T
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H and Art Gallery and universities Chris Marshall John McLean I B
I around the world.
T Sculptor. Trained at Manchester I O www.poussin-gallery.com; College of Art and Design. N
S www.anderssonhall.com Teaches at Wimbledon School of British Council, Contemporary Art and Design and Lewisham Art Society, and the Whitworth Alix MacSweeney College. Exhibits nationally Art Gallery, Manchester. An APT Painter. Studied at the Byam and internationally. Makes member since its inception. Shaw School of Art following a site-specific installations/ See artist portrait in Section 3, first degree in Classics. Has performance work with a strong Page 44. www.anderssonhall.com; exhibited widely in group shows. sense of place. Large scale pub- www.poussin-gallery.com Solo exhibitions include the lic work includes CircumSphere, Colville Place Gallery, London sited in the River Thames, a Geoff Mowlam and, twice as featured artist, at commission for Lewisham Painter. Trained at Bristol the Mill Hill Festival, Colchester. Hospital, and an exterior Polytechnic and Chelsea School Also guest artist at the Sheffield installation on the site of the of Art. Has well-established Festival, 2007. Is a founder old silk mill, Lewisham, in reputation as an abstract lyrical member of APT. collaboration with Schoenaiche painter. Winner of the ICA Landscape Architects. Artscribe prize. selected by Paul Malone www.a2arts.co.uk/marshall John Hoyland for the Royal Sculptor. Studied Fine Art at Academicians Choice show. Reading University and a Mali Morris Has taught at many art schools masters degree in sculpture at Painter. Has a well-established across the UK. Member of the Royal College of Art. Works reputation as an abstract painter. APT since its inception. in a range of techniques from Has taught in many UK art col- www.anderssonhall.com; extended installations to digital leges, including the University of www.burnside-artrooms.com projection and machined arte- Reading and Chelsea College of facts. A member of A2 Arts Art and Design. External Laurence Noga group, works with other APT Examiner at the Royal College of Painter. Trained at Byam Shaw artists, organises and partici- Art 2003-06. Shows work exten- and Wimbledon Schools of Art. pates in the group shows in sively, nationally and internation- Teaches Fine Art at Wimbledon the UK and abroad. An APT ally, including exhibitions in Tokyo and is Programme Area Leader member since inception. and New York. Has work in many for Art at Lewisham College. www.a2arts.co.uk/malone private and public collections, Exhibits work in the UK and in including Arts Council England, Europe. Recently had shows in Amsterdam, Mashed Potato scape. Currently studying for a www.victoriarance.com; Gallery, London, and at the ING PGCE, teaches Contextual www.rbs.org.uk Bank, London. Work owned by a Studies in Art & Design at number of public and corporate Lewisham College. Has exhibited Geoff Rigden collections including Croner widely in Europe, including solo Painter. Studied at the Royal Publications, Pizza Express and shows in Düsseldorf and College of Art. Well-established Lewisham College. Frankfurt, and mixed shows in abstract painter with a strong Turin, Brussels, and Amsterdam. reputation. Exhibits widely and David Oates Took part in Personal Structures has work in a number of major Painter. Trained at Winchester book project, which resulted public collections. John Moore’s and Norwich Schools of Art. A in various exhibitions including prizewinner in 1965. Was prizewinner at the Fitzrovia a show at the Ludwig Museum, chosen by John McLean as Open and the Hunting Art Prizes. Koblenz, 2005. Member of ‘Artist for the Day’ at Flowers Exhibits work regularly in the UK A2 Arts group. An APT Central in 2005. Member and abroad – including Japan member since 1995. of APT since its inception. and Poland. Supports his www.a2arts.co.uk/nrae www.poussin-gallery.com practice by hanging exhibitions and private collections. Victoria Rance Hideatsu Shiba Organises APT’s biennial Sculptor. Trained at Newcastle Painter. Japanese born. Trained Creekside Open competition. University. Winner of the Mark at Byam Shaw School of Art, 101 www.anderssonhall.com Tanner Award for Sculpture, Goldsmiths College and Chelsea A
2003. Her sculptures make ref- College of Art. Exhibits widely P T
Brigitte Parusel erence to shelters, buildings and and has had solo shows at A
Sculptor. German born artist, places that have held human Laurent Delaye and One in the R T I trained in Hamburg, has lived in beings safe from the outside Other galleries, London. Has held S T
London for 12 years. Works to world and are part of a symbolic studio at APT since 2003. S ,
P
transform ideas through draw- framework. Works are intended R ings based on sound to create to be experienced physically by Keir Smith O J E
steel sculptures. Also creates stepping into them. Teaches in Sculptor. Trained under Ian C T works that interact with space adult education, including pre- Stephenson at the University S
A
and material producing walk- foundation courses. Sells widely of Newcastle-on-Tyne and at N through sculptures. Has exhibit- and exhibits extensively in group Chelsea College of Art. Best D
E ed in London and Europe. and solo shows in Britain, known as a sculptor, particularly X H I
Co-founder of Capture Arts, Holland, Germany and Japan. of large bronzes, having under- B I an artist-led arts education Her many commissions include taken a number of large public T I O
organisation which runs Faircross Arches for The art commissions in the 1980s N community and schools projects. Faircross Community Complex, and 1990s. Current practice S www.capturearts.org Barking; Deptford Star for focuses on drawing, informed Housing 21; Wheat Spire for by investigation of Italian Nicola Rae Mumford Mill, Deptford and, Renaissance iconography and Sculptor. Trained at Canterbury most recently, sculptures and 17th century Dutch marine paint- College of Art. Makes earthworks stained glass for St Andrew’s ings. Has taught in higher educa- using earth found in the land- Church, Waterloo, London. tion throughout his career, and is currently Reader at Wimbledon College of Art, and has a resi- dency at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
Lou Smith Painter and photographer. Trained at Colchester School of Art and Ravensbourne College of Art. Works on a large scale on unprimed unstretched canvas up to nine feet high. Teaches in adult education and manages Arts Lift - an independent proj- ect which works in partnership with Community Education Lewisham and the Lewisham Primary Care Trust. Arts Lift offers support for people experi- encing depression, anxiety or stress and receives over 200
Lou Smith David Webb
referrals a year from Lewisham GPs, counsellors, practice nurses and community organisations. A member of APT since its inception. www.lousmith.co.uk; www.smithnsmith.com
Paul Tonkin Painter. Trained at Canterbury College of Art. Regarded as an authentic abstract colourist, his paintings exploit the fluid and translucent properties of acrylic paint. Exhibits widely and work is held in a number of corporate and private collections. 102 www.anderssonhall.com; www.poussin-gallery.com A P T
Sheila Vollmer involved in site specific/commis- including Viewing Club, A
R Sculptor. Canadian born. Trained sioned work, for instance for London and Hamburg, the T I
S at University of Guelph, Ontario the Beacon Art Project 2005, BP Portrait Award 2005, and T
S and St Martin’s School of Art. Lincolnshire www.beaconartpro- 4th International Biennial, ,
P Sculpture is primarily abstract, ject.com. Exhibits widely as a Armenia 2004. Joined APT R O symbolic and geometric. painter, solo exhibitions include in 2003. See artist portrait J E
C Occasionally it is figurative. Head shows at University of Cincinnati, in Section 3, Page 39. T
S of Sculpture at Morley College DomoBaal and Mobile Home. As www.davidwebbpaintings.co.uk
A having taught there since 1991. a curator/editor, led the Arts N
D Exhibits widely. Currently show- Council England funded project Rob Welch
E
X ing in FE205, which tours the UK Infallible, In Search of the Real Painter. Trained at Hull College H
I George Eliot www.infallible.org.uk of Art and MA at Manchester B in 2006 and internationally in I T 2007. Work held in public and which explored the links between Polytechnic. ‘Combines Matisse’s I O
N private collections in Canada, fine art and fiction, toured to opulence with a very English S the USA, Switzerland and the four galleries and was published ‘kitchen sink’ candour.’ Mike UK. Founder member of APT. by Article Press, University of Butler, Manchester Evening www.sculpture.org.uk; Central England. News. Has lectured at a number www.anderssonhall.com; of colleges, including Manchester www.rbs.org.uk David Webb Polytechnic, Kingston University, Painter. Studied at Hastings Winchester and Chelsea Colleges Roxy Walsh College of Art, University of of Art. Took part in residency at Painter. Trained at Manchester Wales and MA at Canterbury the Triangle Artists’ Studios, Polytechnic. Has had residencies Christchurch College of Art. New York. Exhibits regularly in at Triangle, New York and Worked in Cyprus for one year London and abroad, including Braziers International Artists’ before completing a residency Hamburg, Berlin and Michigan. Workshop. Combines studio prac- at the Florence Trust, London. APT studio member since its tice and membership of APT with Part-time tutor at Blackheath inception. www.robertwelch.info part-time Senior Lecturer post at Conservatoire of Music and the the University of Newcastle. Is Arts. Has exhibited widely 6.2 APT Projects and Exhibitions 2005-2006
Creekside Summer College
DATE EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS Artists
April 2005 RECENT PAINTINGS Mosaic Workshop: Russell Burn, Nicolas Godbold Capture’s Mosaic project 103 May CREEKSIDE OPEN Selectors: Eileen Cooper RA and David A
Olga Alexopoulou, Lela Budde, Russell Tremlett P T
Burn, David Chalkley, Leigh Clarke, A R
Helen Couchman, Derek Curtis, Jeremy Supporters: Creative Lewisham Agency, T I S
Deadman, Jeff Dellow, Jane Dixon, MacDonald Egan, anderssonhall contem- T S ,
Arnold Dobbs, Garry Doherty, Jan porary art services, Lewisham Arts P
Dunning, Lisa Freeman, Oona Grimes, Service, Alasdair and Katherine R O J
Nigel Grimmer, Marilyn Hallam, Paul McPherson, Dr Cuillin Bantock E C
Haydock-Wilson, Emma Holden T S
Georgina Hooper, Clyde Hopkins, Artist’s talk: Halstow Primary School A N
Caroline Isgar, Bridget Jackson, Neil (KS2) D
E
Kelly, Ansel Krut, Catherine Lee, X H I
Stephen Nelson, Joe Painter, Alex Clay workshop: Halstow Primary School B I Ramsay, Richard Reynolds, Melanie (Foundation Stage) T I O
Russell, Wendy Smith, David Tebbs, N S Tontxi Vazquez, Matthew Verdon, Roxy Walsh, Rob Welch
June IN MEDIA Educational Show Veronique Chance, Laura Daly, Sophia (MPhil/PhD Goldsmiths University) Kosmaoglou, Hohannes Maler, Christina Niederberger, Alain Robinson, Denny Robson, Lisa Vinebaum
DEPTFORD HOUSEWIVES Educational Show Tom Boswell, Nicky Carvell, Maisie (BA Fine Art Goldsmiths University) James, Josephine Lyons, Amy McDonough, Neil McNally, Alan McQuillan, Phil Root, Ishai Rimmer, Natalie Tafelmacher-Magnat, David Thompson, James Welch
July HIGGINSON & HIGGINSON Reception Margaret Higginson, Fred Higginson
70:10 NEW PAINTINGS AND Piano Recital: LINOCUTS Cuillin Bantock & Joe Gatley Cuillin Bantock
MOSAIC PROJECT Partners: Greenwich Early Years Brigitte Parusel, Deborah Astell, Sara Development Partnership, Capture, Lee, Jennifer Sherwood Charlton Family Centre, APT Open Day Sanctuary – Keir Smith’s APT studio
August CREEKSIDE SUMMER COLLEGE Partners: LABAN, Creekside Education Trust, APT Five-day summer school 104 URBAN VISIONS Educational show (MA Photography and A
P Jose Abad, David Anderson, Amie Urban Cultures, Goldsmiths College) T
Beswick, Laura Braun, Jonathan E. H. Talk A R
T Burbidge, Lia Chavez, Sue Edwards, Britt I S
T Hatzius, Chizuko Hino, Debbie Humphry, S ,
Magdalena Krakowska, Emily Keele, Zoe P
R Hatziyannaki, Yue-Jin Ho, Javier Moran, O J
E Konstantinos Panapakidis, Isidro C
T Ramirez, Ann Shuptrine, Aynur Simsek S
A N
D September SANCTUARY Curator: Keir Smith
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X Heather Burrell, Tim Cousins, Liz H I
B Harrison, Nicola Rae, Keir Smith, Lou I T Smith, David Webb. I O
N Photographer: Peter Anderson S
DEPTFORD DESIGN FESTIVAL Launch of Deptford Design Festival by the Creative Lewisham Agency Book launch: ‘What’s so great about SE8?’
OPEN STUDIOS 2005 ‘Open Studios’ Weekend, Depford All 39 APT Artist-Tenants
October LEKKER Curators: Andrew Ekins and Nick Fox Maria Chevska, Andrew Ekins, Nick Fox, Artist’s talk Hannah Maybank, Rob Platt, Hiroko Nakao, Raymond Yap
EX ROMA: ABBEY AWARD WINNERS Curators: the Abbey Council Bernice Donszelmann, James Fisher, Gallery Talk and studio visit: Judith Frost, Angela Gill, Beth Harland, NADFAS Group Kristin Holder, Jasper Joffe, Pauls Kane, Richard Kirwan, Margaret Lansetta, Des Lawrence, David Leapman, David Mabb, Mary McLean, Lee Maelzer, Darren Marshall, Katherine Meynell, Simon Morley, Sadie Murdoch, Sista Pratesi, Tim Renshaw, Henry Rogers, Claude Temin-Vergez, Roxy Walsh
November PLUG-IN CITY: DEPTFORD X Organised by: Creative Lewisham Alain Bublex Agency Talk & Open Evening November FOLKLORE Curators: Edwin Aitken and Simon Edwin Aitken, Matthew Burrows, Simon Burton Burton, James Fisher, Glenn Holman, Supported by University of Huddersfield Ansel Krut, Andy Parsons, Kate Dance/mime performance Scrivener, Swindells and Dutton, Finlay Taylor
RESEARCH INTERVIEW Talk and Studio visit for Hertfordshire University
December LURE Exhibition in conjunction with: ROLLO Joseph Hillier Contemporary Art Artist’s talk : The Sculpture Academy Artist’s talk : Morley College (Sculpture students)
January 2006 NIGHT FLIGHTS Project developed by: Entelechy Arts 105 Malcolm Buchanan-Dick, Florence Peake, Seminar
Open Day A P T
A
FILMING & INTERVIEWS FOR TV: Nonsolomoda R T
ITALIAN TV Gallery & Studio visit I S T
Silvia Toffanin Artist interviews S ,
P R O
February THE LIVING CENTRE Educational Show J E
Nora Adwan, Amy Smyth, Zara Morris (Graduates from Kingston University) C T
Artists’ Talk with Space Station S
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Sixty-Five N D
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SICKLY SINS AND WOLFISH GRINS Talk H I B
Chot Freer, Louisa Currie I T I O N
March SHAPE AS FORM Supported by: Manchester Metropolitan S David Sweet University Seminar
MEMORY AND THE STREAM OF TIME Educational Show The Philoscope Group (MA Print graduates from University of East London) School Workshop: Castlecombe School
APT Gallery – Spiral of Time
7 Glossary and consultations h g u o l c r i a F
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n o i t c A 7.1 Glossary
Includes details of acronyms and definitions of words and phrases used in the text. The words and phrases printed bold in the glossary text are also explained within the glossary.
Beneficiaries Descriptor used ACAVA Association for Cultural individual artists. It is a portfolio 107 Advancement through Visual of specific, action-based initia- throughout this report to refer
Art. www.acava.org. tives, aimed to act as the cata- to the individuals who benefit G L
lyst for a significant change in from the education and commu- O S
how Arts Council England will nity work of the artists, studio S Access Courses Courses which A
organisations and their R enable adults to get back into work with individual artists local- Y learning, often a preliminary step ly, nationally and internationally partners. A N in their preparation to apply for in the future. There are six initia- D
CABE Commission for C further and higher education. tives, each designed to address O very specific areas of need, for Architecture and the Built N S
Environment. The government’s U
Acme Studios is a group of instance mid-career development L T three housing associations, and finance, including pension advisor on architecture, urban A T
design and public space. I exempt charities registered provision. The initiative most rel- O www.cabe.org.uk N under the Industrial and evant to this document is S Provident Societies Act 1975. INHABIT, which aims ‘to increase Acme provides affordable studio access to affordable, sustainable Creative Hubs Part of and living space for non-com- workspaces where artists can Creative London’s strategy to mercial fine artists in need and is create and experiment’. Start-up support the creative industries. the leading development agency funding of the National Creative Hubs are creative net- for affordable studios in the UK. Federation of Artists’ Studio works within geographical areas www.acme.org.uk Providers is a part of this of London which focus on initiative. www.artistsinsights encouraging enterprise, generat- Accredited Courses Courses @artscouncil.org.uk ing more jobs, training and which enable learners to gain opportunities in the creative qualifications that meet national Arts Council England The industries sector. Each has a lead standards which are recognised national development agency for organiser and a long-term plan. by employers and providers to the arts. www.artscouncil.org.uk Whilst each will operate individu- access a range of key funding ally, they will all focus on four sources. ArtsMark Government main areas: talent, enterprise, initiative to encourage schools property and showcasing. Affordable Studios An afford- to commit to giving pupils www.creativelondon.org.uk able artist’s studio is a work high quality arts experiences, space which enables an artist to such as opportunities to work Creative Industries are a sustain and develop their prac- with professional artists and sector of the UK economy. The tice and which is made available cultural organisations. Department for Culture, Media to artists in need i.e. artists who www.artscouncil.org.uk/artsmark and Sport has responsibility for are unable to afford to rent supporting and developing the workspace on the open market ASC Artists Studio Company, sector. The sub-sectors of the in addition to somewhere to live. London. www.ascstudios.co.uk creative industries sector include advertising, architecture, the art APT The Art in Perpetuity Basic Skills The skills of and antiques market, crafts, Trust. www.aptstudios.org. literacy and numeracy funda- design, designer fashion, film mental to the success of a and video, interactive leisure Artists’ Insights Formerly knowledge based economy. See software, music, the performing called Artists Time Space Money also Workforce Development and arts, publishing, software and (ATSM) is an outcome of Arts Skills for Life initiatives below. computer games, television and Council England research into radio. Between 1997 and 2004 the professional requirements of the creative industries averaged six per cent growth, around The Cultural Sector This sec- GASA Greenwich Artists Studio twice that of the economy as a tor comprises providers and Association. whole. In 1998 employment in supporters of cultural facilities the sector stood at around 1.5 and activities such as libraries, GLAA Greater London Arts million people; today it’s over 1.8 museums and art galleries. Association. million. Its enterprises (mainly a While some of this provision is mix of sole traders, micro, small supported by the public sector GLC Greater London Council. and medium enterprises) gener- and the national lottery, not-for- ated revenues of £112.5 billion profit organisations, charities, Hard (Learning) Outcomes are for the national economy in trusts and foundations drive and results of learning which can be 2001. The creative sectors now resource much of its develop- measured by assessing them account for eight per cent of ment and activity. With up to 114 against externally agreed crite- economic activity as measured million people visiting museums ria, enabling learners to be by gross value added (GVA); and galleries a year (The Art awarded qualifications which are which is more that the Fund) and “more people visiting recognised nationally. financial services sector. libraries annually than attending Government targets include that www.culture.gov.uk/about_us/ football matches” (David 11-year-old children will achieve creativeindustries Lammy, Minster for Culture, Level 4 in their SATS, 16-year- Radio 4, June 2006), the cultur- olds will gain five GCSEs at 108 Creative London is the strategic al sector makes a significant grades A-C and adults in the agency for London’s creative contribution to the health, well- working population can demon- G
L industries, part of the London being and prosperity of commu- strate, as a minimum, achieve- O
S Development Agency. nities across the UK. The rich ment at literacy and numeracy S
A www.creativelondon.org.uk offer of the UK cultural sector is of Level 2. R
Y contributing to the growth of
A Creative Partnerships is a tourism. Secondary expenditure HEFCE Higher Education N
D well-funded government initia- on service industries by cultural Funding Council for England.
C
O tive developed as a result of tourists – UK residents and visi- www.hefce.ac.uk N
S strategic working between the tors from abroad – and the U
L Department for Culture, Media resulting benefit to local, region- Key Skills Numeracy and T A and Sport and the Department al and national economies is a Literacy. T I O for Education and Skills. driver of economic regeneration. N
S Managed by Arts Council LA Local Authority, the educa- England in partnership with LAs, DCMS Department for Culture, tion function was formerly given this arts-led programme is much Media and Sport. the designation Local Education more than an arts education www.culture.gov.uk Authority. scheme. Its mission is to support creativity in learning in both the DfES Department for LBHF London Borough of arts and the sciences and to Education and Skills. Hammersmith and Fulham draw in and benefit schools’ www.dfes.gov.uk wider communities. Learning and Skills Council DLR Docklands Light Railway. Government funded body A prerequisite for its practical responsible for all post-16 educa- implementation is that schools E2E Entry to Employment, tion and training other than in develop partnerships with artists government initiative to support universities. It operates through and enable their approaches to NEETS. 47 regional offices. thinking, language development www.lsc.gov.uk and creative risk-taking to be ESF European Social Fund. embedded in the teaching and Learning in art Acquiring and learning of 5- to 18-year-olds. ESOL English for speakers of applying the knowledge and skills There are currently 36 creative other languages. needed to make art yourself. partnerships, each operating in an area of high socio-economic Feeder Primaries The group Learning about art Acquiring deprivation. The aspiration for of primary schools from which and applying the knowledge and legacy is for UK schools to children tend to go on to (feed skills needed to understand and free up their approach to into) a particular secondary enjoy art made by others, from teaching and learning across school. your own and diverse cultural the curriculum and for partner backgrounds, now and in the past. agencies to endorse the concept Fine artist Acme’s current def- of a creative and cultural inition includes the following Learning through art Using art entitlement for all children practitioners: painter, sculptor, as a vehicle to enable people, and young people as a print-maker and artists working particularly those who don’t fundamental part of their in installation, site-specific, pho- respond well to traditional teach- preparation for adult life. tography, film, video, live art, ing methods in formal settings, www.creative-partnerships.com time-based, digital or multi- to learn differently. Extensive media work. research by many different experts has created widespread to help those accustomed to and legal documentation. Acme recognition that before anyone solving disagreements with fists, Studios has been facilitating and can learn anything they must be knives and guns to make respon- managing the work of the ready to learn – to have self- sible decisions, manage their Steering Group, consisting of motivation, self-esteem and anger, and develop the social life regional representatives of stu- trust. Hands-on arts activity skills society demands. dio providers, which has been offers individuals and groups the working to establish the national opportunity to use a range of dif- organisation. www.nfasp.org.uk Literacy Skills in reading, writ- ferent learning styles, and to ing, speaking and listening. achieve success denied them in Non-commercial fine art prac- more conventional classroom tice The making of art for its settings. For some, achieving London Development Agency is creative, cultural, intellectual or success in learning through the the Mayor of London’s agency philosophical value, as much as, arts gives them new confidence for business and jobs. and sometimes in preference to, and the desire to acquire basic, www.lda.gov.uk its commodity value. Most pro- key and life skills. fessional artists seek ways to Members Artists who hold place their work in the public Learning Styles There is studios in studio organisations’ domain in some way and many increasing recognition that there buildings. ACAVA has a system sell to private and public collec- is not just one ‘correct’ way of of full members (tenant-artists) tions and make work to commis- 109 learning. Some people find and associate members (artists sion. However, the major motiva- who are entitled to use the G abstract thought comes easily to tion for most of them in making L O
them and they may respond well studios’ facilities and training their work is not financial, and S S to traditional book and seden- opportunities and to work on few have the expectation that A R tary desk-based approaches to ACAVA projects). they will be able to make a living Y teaching and learning. Other income purely from the sale of A N people find they learn best if NADFAS The National their work. Most artists are pre- D
C they can use their senses to help Association of Decorative and pared to support their practice O N them to think about, understand, Fine Arts Society. An arts-based through other kinds of part-time S U remember and apply ideas, con- educational charity whose con- income-generating activity. This L T
cerns increasingly include work- A
cepts and knowledge. There are may well include lecturing on T I some people who learn well ing towards developing the arts foundation, graduate and post- O N aurally – through using their for the young. graduate courses in higher edu- S sense of hearing, some who ben- www.nadfas.org.uk cation or teaching in schools or efit from visual stimuli, and oth- further education colleges. Some ers from a kinaesthetic, hands- NEETS Young people, aged 16 artists prefer to undertake on approach using touch and in to 19, often at risk, not in educa- employment delivering milk or some cases, taste and smell. tion, employment or training. mail, serving in restaurants etc. Many people find that they can www.everychildmatters.gov.uk where their responsibility for the learn more easily from practical job starts and finishes as they hands on experience – through NFASP The National walk through the door, and they seeing, doing and making and a Federation of Artists’ Studio can work either first thing in the mix of trial and error – rather Providers: the professional body morning or in the evening, leav- than from the abstract experi- for organisations which provide ing the major part of the working ence of reading about ideas and affordable studios for artists in day for their studio practice. manipulating them in their head. England. With three-year start- Other choices of income-gener- While some find it easiest to up funding through Arts Council ating activity include freelance learn as individuals, others England’s Artists’ Insights ini- styling, photography (as a job achieve more when they work as tiative, the Federation was incor- rather than an art form), build- a team member. porated as a charitable company ing, painting and decorating, art in June 2006 and is in the therapy and psychotherapy and process of registering with the some kinds of workshop based Level 2 An attainment level for Charity Commission. It will be a work – such as fabrication or adults. The government target is membership organisation, which frame-making for other artists. that all adults should be able to aims to enable members to achieve, as a minimum, Level 2 derive mutual benefit from com- Numeracy Skills required to in literacy and numeracy. In lit- mon resources. The work and understand and operate num- eracy and numeracy, this is the achievements of member organ- bers in everyday activities in the equivalent to the Level 4 target isations will be shared and pro- home, shopping and at work. for 11-year-olds as they enter filed through creating and main- secondary education. taining extensive web resources, Occupation Studios is a small a register, database and archive organisation providing affordable Life Skills Cognitive and and publishing an annual year studios for 17 artists in south- behavioural skills development book. The Federation will pro- east London. designed particularly to assist vide members with technical young people at risk to change assistance and specialist advice Ofsted Office of Standards in their anti-social behaviours and including model constitutional Education. The body responsible for managing the inspection of Skills for Life Government Specialist Visual Art Status education providers in England strategy to raise the level of Any maintained secondary school and Wales for the government. numeracy and literacy skills of in England can apply for special- Ofsted inspection reports are the adult population, following ist status in one of ten spe- placed in the public domain. the publication of A Fresh Start - cialisms, of which one is arts, as www.oftsed.gov.uk improving literacy and numeracy part of the government’s (Sir Claus Moser, DfES 1999). The Specialist Schools Programme. Open Studios A designated Moser report revealed that up to There are three broad areas of day or days when artists wel- seven million adults in England – the arts – performing, visual and come drop-in visits from the i.e. 20 per cent of the adult pop- media. Schools may either focus public to see their work in ulation – have difficulties with exclusively on one of these broad progress and, in some cases, to literacy and numeracy. One in areas or, if they prefer, focus buy or commission work. Some five adults is functionally illiter- mainly on one of the broad areas studio organisations with chari- ate, unable for instance, to find a but include an element from one table status often include partici- plumber in the Yellow Pages. of the other two. pation in open studios as one of Moser recognised that the situa- the conditions for renting a stu- tion in the UK was worse than in Specialist Schools Part of the dio, as this may help to fulfil its any other western country apart government’s plans to raise charitable objects, which could from Poland and Ireland, and standards in secondary education, 110 include creating public access. saw the need for a long-term maintained secondary schools are APT plans and advertises its national strategy. Poor basic encouraged to apply to become G
L open studios in partnership with skills cost the UK £10 billion a specialist schools and establish O
S the other Deptford cultural year in lost productivity and distinctive identities through one S
A organisations and Blechynden compensatory welfare benefits. of ten specialisms. Schools with R
Y Street links its open studios with The Skills for Life strategy is specialist arts status, also called
A other west and central London designed to halve the number of Arts Colleges, are required to N
D organisations. illiterate adults in the UK by share their expertise and the
C
O 2010. It aims to improve both the additional resources specialist N
S Partner Descriptor used supply of and demand for adult status secures with their feeder U
L throughout this report to describe learning provision by increasing primaries and their wider T A the local, regional and national the quality of learning provision community. There are currently T I O groups, organisations and agen- on offer and the number of 408 specialist Arts Colleges in N
S cies who work in partnership with adults taking it up. Embedding England designated as part of the the studio organisations. the work of artists in their cours- Specialist Schools Programme. es has been one of the ways in www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ PGCE Post Graduate which agencies have been able specialistschools Certificate of Education to improve quality and increase uptake. www.literacytrust.org.uk SRB Single Regeneration Budget. PRU Pupil Referral Unit. Local www.lifelonglearning.co.uk Authority provision for children Sure Start Government initiative excluded from mainstream Soft (Learning) Outcomes are to support parents and carers in schooling for a variety of rea- achievements, such as changes wards with multiple deprivation to sons including chronic non-atten- in behaviour and attitude and help their children to learn dance, behavioural, health and increases in self-confidence or through play and to prepare them social issues. Many pupils have a self-esteem, which cannot be to learn in more formal ways when mix of educational and family precisely measured. A learner’s they start school. One of the real needs and may be achieving well progress can be observed successes of the programme is beneath their ability. through indicators such as that it has brought traditionally changes in body language – for hard-to-reach learners forward. RAE Research Assessment instance, when talking to some- Many of the parents have them- Exercise. Organised by HEFCE to one, the learner may start to be selves had difficulty learning but determine the quality of willing to meet their eye, to lean have been willing to overcome research undertaken by universi- towards them or to speak clearly often inadequate basic skills and ties. The allocation of funding to rather than mumble. Such a reluctance to seek help for universities for research in their progress is sometimes recorded themselves in order to give their academic disciplines is based on and shared with the learner or children a better chance. the findings of the RAE. an external course assessor using video or photography. Turning Point Arts Council RBKC Royal Borough of England’s ten-year strategy for Kensington and Chelsea SPACE (Arts Services Grants the contemporary visual arts, Ltd.) Studio organisation and published in June 2006, which SAT Standard Attainment Test. registered charity, with an office follows on from the first inde- These tests use agreed criteria base, gallery and media facilities pendent review of the sector to determine the level achieved in Hackney, providing affordable ever undertaken in England. by children aged 5 to 16 in statu- studio space to some 500 artists www.artscouncil.org.uk/ tory education. in 17 buildings across London. turningpoint www.spacestudios.org.uk GLOSSARY AND CONSULTATIONS 111 , APT gallery , APT Philoscope AVA C , Theatre-Rites performance performance , Theatre-Rites , A , APT gallery , APT , APT gallery , APT Housework s manager Philoscope Philoscope t al ar ditor, Time Out Out Time ditor, s s E ’ , Nation Records , Nation Records or en , Blechynden Street, ACAVA ACAVA Street, , Blechynden amme t and digit t t, trained Newcastle University and Goldsmiths College University Newcastle trained t, t, works with Heather Burrell, APT Burrell, with Heather works t, ect tis tis tist, photographer documenting Sculpture in Schools project, in Schools Sculpture documenting photographer tist, tis tis ogr tudio Manager and Charity Administrator, APT Administrator, Manager and Charity tudio pr Ar ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, Ar Ar ACAVA S Dir Archbishop Tenison’s School Tenison’s Archbishop Ar Ar Childr y coll ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, ger t t on az eilly shon ding LA Greenwich Centre, Pupil Referral Newhaven Art Teacher, y erguson APT Artist, gareta Kerngareta ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, don Ille tin Piper a O’R vid Oatesvid O’Dris APT Artist, ephen Lewis APT Artist, ame Position enise Bryanenise ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, esident project regeneration street of beneficiary SE15, Road, Marsden ath F aul Flannery elina Eger elina Eger Camberwell Architects, Eger ar t ulian Clauson ulian Clauson Lambeth School, Tenison’s Archbishop Head, Deputy Julia FordeChris GittnerGill Har Liz Harris and community schools ACAVA manages Street, Blechynden Artist, Trust Educational Creekside Nathan Gaydhani GerrardJoy Jon Ger Holzer-Gatti Maryvonne artist and designer; tutor digital Nathan Associates, ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, UEL MA students, of member group Artist, Negotiator NgoyViolette Deptford agents, estate in exhibiting Artist, Kellar, Cannon Heather BurrellHeather CareyJennifer CarmichaelAndrew J ClistSophia Curator Donna David Dillon Luke APT Artist, APT member of a founder Agency, Lewisham Creative Director, Street Blechynden coordinator, group drawing Life ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, RBKC Officer, Diversity Cultural Durham Museum, Oriental Curator, audience, Member of Angela Findla Nick PondsPupil RanceVictoria R Project Environmental Creekside APT Artist, School Tenison’s Archbishop primary, Feeder Colette Moray de Morand Moray Colette Mali Morris MrimouMustafa Aki Nazw ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, ACAVA Street, Blechynden and tutor, user Access APT Artist, Richard LawrenceRichard S Alix MacSweeneyLiz Ma APT Artist, APT Artist, Mar List of those consulted consulted those of List N BantockCuillin Jonathan Barnett BensonTom workerBookshop D Film Festival Portobello Director, APT member, Board Peckham Road, Bellenden ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, 7.2 People, publications and websites consulted and websites publications People, 7.2 P Katie Dillon Katie Naomi Dines DredgeLiza Julian HedmanS C Arts Centre Battersea Club member, Theatre Persons’ Young London Studios, Occupation manager, Artist and studio primary for feeder School, Primary Mark’s St Teacher, Head ACAVA Street, Blechynden Artist, Jus Da O’ConnorTim Da S APT Artist, Owner Peppin Biddy in exhibiting Artist, Creekside Gallery, Framework Clyde HopkinsClyde Hutchinson Charlotte Gor Bars name Fuzzie stage NEET, ex programme, hypaTraX of Beneficiary APT Artist, John Robinson Artist, works with Heather Burrell, APT Dadu Silassie Co-owner, F3K creative enterprise, Blechynden Street, ACAVA Duncan Smith Artistic Director, ACAVA Keir Smith Artist, APT Lou Smith Artist, APT Patricia Stead Head of Arts, Libraries and Archives, LBHF Cheryl Thomas Occupational Therapist, West London Mental Health Unit at Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith Sheila Vollmer Artist, APT Rob Welch Artist, APT Roxy Walsh Artist, APT David Webb Artist, APT Sarah Wills Curator, Macclesfield Silk Museum Roger Young Bellenden Renewal Team, London Borough of Southwark
Publications consulted include
A survey of artists’ studio groups and organisations in England, Acme Studios, 2005 112 A register of studio groups and organisations in England, Acme Studios, 2005 Commercial workspace provision for visual artists – a comparison with the affordable sector, Michael G
L Cubey, Capital Studios 2006. O
S London Digest – a survey of artists’ studio groups and organisation in London, Acme Studios and S
A Capital Studios, 2006 R Y
A All four research reports are available from Acme in hard copy or downloadable from www.acme.org.uk N D
C
O Art Decko, Robert Bevan, article in Building Design, 13 August 1999 N
S Discover the Real Peckham, leaflet featuring the Bellenden Renewal Area with public art by many artists U
L who live locally, including Heather Burrell, Anthony Gormley, Tom Phillips and Zandra Rhodes. The Peckham T A Society and Southwark Council 2005 T I O Deptford’s Secrets, map guide featuring Deptford’s visitor attractions including arts organisations, creative N
S industries. Deptford and New Cross Town Centre Management and Creative Lewisham Agency, 2005. www.deptford towntalk.co.uk
Ofsted reports, Archbishop Tenison’s School, Lambeth and Newhaven PRU, Greenwich A Fresh Start - improving literacy and numeracy, Sir Claus Moser, DfES 1999
The Artist in the Changing City, Jennifer Williams et al, British American Arts Association, 1993 Creativity, London’s Core Business, GLA, 2002 Culture and Urban Development Commission Report, Charles Landry, Creative Lewisham Agency Deptford/Greenwich Creative Hub - Investment plan, 2005-2012, Creative Lewisham Agency with assis- tance from TF Consultancy and the Nowhere Foundation, 2005 Deptford/Greenwich Creative Hub – Framework Document, London Development Agency. Visual artists in shared workspaces – resources and facilities, Creative Yorkshire
Websites consulted
The desk research for the case studies made extensive use of the Internet. The URLs of key sites, such as those of the artists, the studio organisations, partner organisations and the other main sites used for ref- erences are given in the text.
Photo credits
ACAVA: pages 21, 23, 30, 34, 36, 50, 55, 60 bottom, 64 top, 64 bottom, 68, 72, 76, 82, 84, 87, 89 bottom, 90, 92, 93 bottom, 93 top and 106; ACME STUDIOS archive: page 62; Ekkehard Altenburger: page 60 top; Peter Anderson: pages 12, 25, 38, 58, 67 top, 67 bottom, 96 and 104; APT: page 65 top; Capture Arts: pages 18 and 51; Creekside Summer College students: pages 20, 73, 77 and 103; Jeff Dellow: pages 32, 56, 98 and 101; Liz May: Front cover, inside front cover and pages 10, 13, 16, 24, 28, 33, 41, 48, 65 bottom, 69, 70, 71, 75, 94, 102 and 105; Mali Morris: pages 45, 63, 99 and 100; Barbara Nicholls: pages 49 and 86; Justin Piperger: pages 8, 43, 88, 89 top and 91.