ArtWorks: Developing Practice in Participatory Settings welcomes everyone back after the summer break, especially those of you who’ve helped our membership increase so much over the last couple of months!

ArtWorks seeks to meet the development needs of artists working in participatory settings at different stages in their careers, from emerging artists embarking on training to experienced artists wishing to develop their practice.

If you’re new to ArtWorks, sign up as a member and take part in generating a wider community of practice around this work.

Hot on the trail: Pathfinder Partnerships progress

ArtWorks Scotland
Internationally renowned, US based Arlene Goldbard and Charles Chip McNeal will give keynotes at Art, Society and Participation: Constructing the Larger Narrative at The Lighthouse, Glasgow on 22/23 November, a conference tackling the big topics of meaning and integrity when working in participatory settings. ArtWorks Scotland’s professional development symposia continue with opportunities to join in the debate. Read more

ArtWorks Cymru
Findings from Learning Group meetings for the first of five research projects, focusing on the theme of ‘ownership’, have been distilled and are available to read – and respond to! The next two meeting sets look at ‘collaboration’ and ‘process’. Colleague Judith Hills from ArtWorks North East joins ArtWorks Cymru for a day in December with the higher and further education sector to discuss how artists are prepared for participation. Read more

ArtWorks Navigator
Partners are currently leading their memberships in debates and developments in respect of national occupational standards (NOS) and qualifications in the field. There’s a focus on ‘getting it right’ through ensuring good consultation among practitioners as the working experts as well as achieving representation on all the relevant steering groups. Read more

ArtWorks London
Establishing a strong and visible pan-London network of people and organisations who advocate, support and have influence over the professional development of artists working in participatory settings is a key action arising from the pilot year research and evaluation. Read more about this plus artist development opportunities and an update on the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award.

ArtWorks North East
The Critical Conversations series continues with more sessions posted on the Events page. ArtWorks North East have been reviewing the wealth of data collected through their various research projects – an audit of provision, peer assisted learning, perceptions in higher education and practice focus groups – to inform future course provision. All the reports from these are now available to read .

Provocation Piece

‘A bit of time working with a community might tide them over’... Paul Collard, Chief Executive of Culture, Creativity and Education, kicks off our new regular feature by challenging attitudes to support for artists working in participatory settings found in some higher education institutions.

Got a burning issue to address and want to step onto the ArtWorks soapbox? Provocation Piece guidelines are available from the newsletter editor.

Events

We’ve very excited that the first event in our ArtWorks Platforms: a seminar series takes place on 30 October in Manchester, featuring Dr Alison Jeffers from the University of Manchester and Gerri Moriarty, community artist and arts consultant – and one of the two key people who were significant first influences on your editor’s engagement in the field!

See the Events page for details, where you’ll also find information on CPD opportunities from ArtWorks Scotland, ArtWorks London and ArtWorks North East – and if you work in higher or further education, don’t forget the day ArtWorks Cymru is holding.

R&E

We’re past the autumn equinox and there’s a wealth of Research & Evaluation reports for reading as the nights are drawing in... so check out the ConsiliumMapping the Terrain report on higher education that provoked Paul Collard, as well as the suites of reports from ArtWorks London and ArtWorks North Eastalready flagged, here.

ArtWorks out and about down under...

ArtWorks Project Director Susanne Burns made a virtual contribution to Deakin University’s Arts Participation Incubator 10 x 10 Showcase event in Melbourne, Australia earlier this month... an initiative well worth checking out.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone else interested in developing arts practice in participatory settings.And don’t forget, if you’re new to ArtWorks, sign up and make your own contribution to the community of practice.

Further information on the ArtWorks Special Initiative can be found on the Paul Hamlyn Foundation website.

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‘ArtWorks: Developing Practice in Participatory Settings’ is a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Special Initiative with additional funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Creativity Culture & Education (supported by Arts Council England) and the Cultural Leadership Programme.