bo boww arartsts 20th Anniversary Edition Photography: Ollie Harrop, Agnese Sanvito, Michael Cubey 2 Design: John Garland Bow Arts Back cover photograph of Bow Arts Courtyard Installation 183 Bow Road Artist: Hannah Campion London Working with Title: Painting IV bo bow Medium: Coloured Gravel arts E3 2SJ artists to t: 020 8980 7774 make better www.bowarts.org communities Bow Arts Annual Report rt2013 -15 Marcel Baettig 2 Welcome from the Chief Executive The staff team Our mission is to support outside Bow Road community renewal in east after our annual Open Studios. London by delivering arts and creative services through a financially sustainable model 2015 marks our 20th active citizens and generators of Munira Murza, Deputy Mayor for Anniversary and it has been a wealth and enterprise. Bow Arts Culture and Education and Sir great opportunity to celebrate seeks out affordable spaces for Nicholas Serota, Director of the all ourachievements and the studios and explains the Tate Galleries, jointly come to friends we have made along the economic and social benefits to open the Rum Factory, a project way. This year is doubly landlords and residents: our artists in partnership with St George significant as part of the ever help build high impact, sustainable City we created 90 new purpose evolving east London story. and valuable communities! Our build affordable artist studios in Bow Arts was one of the very partners, from local authorities to the heart of Wapping E1. Then in first charitable social grant givers, from schools to October, Sir Robin Wales helped enterprise’s in east London, our community organisations, all work us celebrate the opening of new success over the last 20 years to deliver social change. We all studios in the Old Manor Park has shown how working with, have a desire to ‘make a Library, Newham which was and investing in, our difference’: I thank them all for closely followed by the Mayor community can make the arts supporting us, and report that we of Tower Hamlets John Biggs, vibrant, relevant and are more confident than ever in opening St Katharine’s studios in sustainable. Bow Arts’ ability to play our part. Limehouse. Contents We thank all our artists, makers Recently the GLA announced Next year looks to be just as busy and partners, whose commitment that 30% of artists’ workspaces in – early in 2016 we are set to open and energy is at the heart of London are under threat. We are more work spaces at he Ice House 2 Welcome 16 Social Impacts and Outcomes everything we do. Our annual delighted to have the opportunity in Barking and over 50 new spaces 3 Our Artists 17 Sustainability survey records the professional with the GLA and others to try to in Lewisham at the new Catford 7 Partners in our Community 19 Education and Learning contribution of our artists, find positive solutions to this very Creative Work Shop. London ReportAnnual 2013/15 including the extent and quality real problem. For our part, Bow is starting to wake up to the 11 Celebrating New Creative 23 Nunnery Gallery of their exhibitions, media Arts is delivering on our promise potential of its creative Workspace for London 25 Arts and Events coverage and participation in to find new opportunities for workforce and the role we 15 How do we deliver our 27 Out and About exhibitions, networking events artist and makers and so help can play in embedding and peer critiques. Our artists to reverse the trend. In 2013 we innovation, character and Charitable Work 29 Financials actively contribute to community opened Stratford Studios. June heart into our city. life in their neighbourhoods as this year we were thrilled to have 11/121-2 watch our aniversary film http://bowarts.org/ 2 Our Artists “Since being There were 1.71 million jobs in the creative industries across the UK in 2014 a third of these in London. The city’s art and cultural scene on the guided We delivered is vitally important to the capital’s global competitiveness and Open Studio tour nearly £1m businesses come to London because it attracts creative, dynamic in 2014, I have professionals from a range of sectors. “spoken to lots of worth of subsidy new people about through our Bow Arts is a community of London’s emerging artists. We provide my work and had practical support and encouragement to our community of artists a studio visit from affordable by managing a large network of affordable studios, a dynamic workspace programme of innovative arts and cultural events, employment Tintype, a gallery opportunities and networking resources. I really respect. I programme was also thrilled to Our studios and live/work spaces can currently be found across the be selected for the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham and Southwark. Jerwood Drawing Prize in 2014/15.” Over 500 artists Katy Wallwork, Bow Road Studios were supported Membership with affordable doubled this year The Bow Arts artist workspace community is both local to nearly 8,000 and London-wide... Averages London’s Artist Quarter - is our online resource for a digital community of creative professionals. London’s Artist Quarter is 40,000 hits per about supporting artists. The site helps artists find opportunities month and services in the creative sector. Things like commissions, work, Artists delivered exhibitions, training, galleries and prizes. It is also the forum where Around 1,700 205 contracts organisations and businesses can promote their activity and reach a large number of top creative individuals. opportunities through our posted in education www.londonsartistquarter.org 2014/15 ReportAnnual 2013/15 programme 3/4 2 Our Artists Professional Artist’s Studio Finder We supported Development New £10,000 Art over 95 artists We provide essential services for Prize for east artists in a straight forward, low- with professional cost way. This includes affordable London artists! education advice studios, places to live and work, jobs, access to artist networks, and The best way to find a studio in strong partnerships within our and services London our free digital service local communities and business. enables artists to quickly and easily connect with the affordable studio Advice & Training sector in London. Endorsed by the “I am thrilled to have Our education team provides GLA, Art Quest and NFASP. won“I am the thrilled Bow Arts to Prize www.artiststudiofinder.org support and advice for artist andhave found won that the the Bow free- educators who deliver our schools domArts afforded Prize and to me has “It’s great to have and community programmes. Open Studios Michael Goldhill, Nathan Edwards & Claire Gevaux ledfound to a thatproductive the and a neutral and We provide training and mentoring Our biggest ever series of Open exciting“ new direction opportunities for new artists to freedom afforded supportive space Studios event, with more than learn how to earn a living from East London The Bow Arts Prize forto myme work.” has led -Clare to discuss work 6,000 visitors exploring 400 artist teaching and to learn how to Painting Prize Mitten, Bow Arts Prize “ studios. The first year of the Bow Arts to a productive with other artists inspire and guide young people. winner 2013 it makes Bow Arts An important new prize for Prize worth in total over and exciting new Open Studios are a key event in feel more like a Engine Chat Chat east London artists, supported £10,000 has proved to be a direction for my our annual calendar, and serve by The Legacy List and the huge success. Making the most work.” - Clare community than Bow artist Elizabeth Merton runs as a great platform for artists to Goldhill family. 75 shortlisted of her 12 month funded studio Mitten, Bow Arts just studio spaces.” the ever popular Engine Chat Chat promote their work to curators, artists were selected by an and generous financial bursary, - Engine Chat Chat a series of peer critique sessions galleries and collectors. This year, Prize winner internationally recognised winner Clare Mitten has been participant which forms just part of our package over 25% of artists sold work, with of professional development 65% reporting that they made panel: Varda Caivano; Maitreyi producing her new series of opportunities that help artists not new professional contacts or Maheshwari; Michael Goldhill; work, due to be showcased in a just survive but thrive. connections. Sarah Elson and Matt Price. solo exhibition in 2015. Annual ReportAnnual 2013/14 2013/15 ...and we won an award ourselves!! Our very own Chief Executive, Marcel Baettig, won an award in the Social Entrepreneur category at this years, Bizcrowd’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2013 5/6 2 Partners in Bow Arts works with a wide range of partners to make a positive social impact in our communities. We place great value on our partnerships, working our community closely with others to improve opportunities for local people. Here are a small selection of our partnerships this year, but we would like say a big thank you to all those organisations that are working with us to build Schools better communities. Schools have always been a key partner for Bow Arts. Fidelity UK have generously offered Our education programme is firmly placed at the heart two years of support for our of the organisation, and schools are therefore a natural Education team, the funding will partner in addressing our aim of improving children support a new Education Project and young people’s life chances. Over the last 15 years Manager post. The additional we have worked with nearly every school in our area capacity enabling us to work with and a significant number in surrounding boroughs.