£1.18m fund to ‘transform future of visual arts’ in Bristol region

Leaders of a new consortium tasked with transforming visual arts in Bristol say their collective vision is to make the sector more progressive, sustainable and inclusive.

Co-led by Spike Island and Visual Arts South West, the partnership has been awarded a £1.18 million that will be used to increase professional development opportunities and commissioning capacity, and to ensure ambition and opportunity is thriving in this region.

The consortium of nine organisations, known collectively as the West of England Visual Arts Alliance, is set to bring about this step change over the next three years.

The work will include the creation of 2,760 opportunities for at least 500 artists, three artist development programmes led by Spike Island, Visual Arts South West and The Brunswick Club, online and place-based mentoring, resources and interdisciplinary skills workshops, as well as bursaries of between £500 to £1,000 and fellowships of £10,000.

Spike Island director Robert Leckie says the funding marks a “significant moment for the visual arts in Bristol and the West of England” – photo by Ellie Pipe

“The awarding of this funding to the West of England Visual Arts Alliance partnership is a significant moment for the visual arts in Bristol and the West of England – it gives us an exceptional opportunity to build a more resilient, progressive and inclusive sector,” says Spike Island director Robert Leckie, on behalf of the West of England Visual Arts Alliance.

“We can’t wait to start delivering on the many exciting projects and opportunities that this funding enables, to benefit local artists, curators and young people, and for the impact and importance of the visual arts in our region to be more widely recognised.”

The new National Lottery development fund awarded to the consortium was launched by Arts Council England in 2020.

Partners involved in delivering the transformation include Bath Spa University School of Art, Bristol City Council, The Brunswick Club, Creative Youth Network, Culture Weston, North Somerset Council and UWE Bristol.

https://twitter.com/_SpikeIsland/status/1425027325285093385

Phil Gibby, area director for the South West at Arts Council England, said: “The programme was designed with the local visual arts ecology in mind, to transform the opportunities in Bristol and across the West of England. This is the best opportunity we’ve had to direct a substantial amount of investment towards the development of the visual arts in the city and region.

“The consortium’s proposal looks set to realise the principal recommendations from the review by creating a more robust package of professional development opportunities for artists living and working in the West of England; increasing the number of commissions open to artists in the region; and nurturing the connectivity between artists and other players in the visual arts ecosystem.”

More details of the programme include:

• Research and development bursaries of between £500–£1,000 awarded to more than 15 South West-based artists, curators and independent art workers each year.
• Major new commissioning and exhibition opportunities for South West-based artists.
• Research and development fellowships of £10k awarded to 3 South West-based artists, artist-led groups or other independent art workers each year.
• New positive action policies for subsidised studio provision and artist development opportunities, designed to remove barriers to access for underrepresented groups.
• New fellowship and mentoring opportunities for artists, curators and young people, developed with Creative Youth Network.

Artists and curators who would like to hear first about these opportunities are encouraged to sign up to the Spike Island and/or Visual Arts South West mailing lists.

Main photo of Izzy Mooney, Dreamtime Fellow at Spike Island supported by artist Luke Jerram (2019) – by Rebecca Goldman

Read more: Introducing the Spike Island designers who won an Emmy

Listen to the latest episode of the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast: