CVAN National Summit 2012 City Hall London 9 May 2012 - Notes Oliver Bliss Introduction: The Contemporary

Visual Arts Network (CVAN) is a consortium of 11 coordinated regional groups of contemporary visual arts professionals across the 9 English regions. The network engages with around 2000 individuals and several hundred organisations, large and small, commercial and public, international and local. It represents and supports a diverse and vibrant ecology embracing a broad range of artistic and curatorial practice. The individual groups drive programmes of work that not only directly benefit their regional constituents, but also the sector as a whole through shared learning. Collectively we are stronger than the sum of our parts which makes us more resilient, sustainable and effective as a sector. Mission is to strengthen and develop the contemporary visual arts sector in England through collegiate working defined locally and nationally, using the network as a platform to do so. Vision is of a strong, sustainable and supportive contemporary visual arts network, working collectively in order to safeguard the future of artists and our sector as a whole. Values:

We are sector led and mutually supportive. We celebrate the distinctiveness and different contexts of the regions. We embrace a broad range of artistic and curatorial practice. We recognise and draw upon the expertise of regional groups to collectively build intelligence for the sector to share. We are committed to collaborating, and advocating for each other in order to benefit the contemporary visual arts as a whole.

These values will underpin all network activity and will enable CVAN to deliver visual arts sector's ultimate goal: To nurture contemporary visual artists and organisations in order to produce internationally regarded, critically engaged work that is valued by our society. CVAN messages in support for the contemporary visual arts are that:

Contemporary visual arts are at the heart of our nation and are central to what makes us expressive and creative individuals within society. The UKs contemporary visual art sector is the world leader in this field and therefore our country maintains a true competitive advantage. The sector's contribution to national and regional economies and society in general far outweighs the small amount of public subsidy it receives.

No longer attached to turning point document, TPN is now sector lead with the support of ACE now CVAN, full report available on website some progress and milestones in developing: Joint Consultation Building Links Joint Advocacy Skills development Learning/ Talent development Sharing Resources Co-commissioning Critical debate Market development Economy impact Audience bench marking Need to work more with other art forms more, we have addressed fragmentation and now need to focus on shared concerns. VAGA, AIR and CAS

East side projects Speaker Gavin Wade (GW) GW-The true artist help perceive mystical truths, politics is of the people. Art: Context to renegotiate the terms we live Imagine a Life. Live it Gavin Wade Space to renegotiate a new type of social space to live better. One agenda to make art Support the production of art on our own terms. Lets stop manipulating each other in our consumer led lifestyle. Our internet age of consumption is a revolutionary change in production. The true artist helps the world but not in the way you asked for. Economists are wrong; more people go to Galleries and museums than voted- this is a comment on our society not necessarily a comment on our art.

Debate 1 Measuring Value: Panel Chair Stephen Foster, John Hansard (JH) Dany Louise (DL) James Rebanks (JR) Kwong Lee (KL) Melissa Groulund (MG) Papers The following supporting materials have been provided by the panel:

Size Matters - notes towards a better understanding of the value, operation and potential of small visual arts organisations Leveraging leadership into income growth the LUX approach Capitalising Creativity - developing earned incomes streams in Creative Industries organisations Cultivating Research - articulating value in arts and academic collaborations Why Art Works - the value of contemporary visual arts in Lancashire and Cumbria Human Beings' Guide to the Economics of Culture Mapping Artists' CPD in Greater Manchester

KL- Dialogue is great, collective and disparate action is what we need JR what do you want measured and who are you measuring information for and what argument are you trying to voice? MG- Sarah B wrote Size Matters, contributions of small organisations to arts, showing impact and value, in relation to the artists. What is the value of small art organisations? London focused piece of research. JR- North by North West study, artists all individually doing stuff, hospital to make better working conditions, parks to make improvements, what is your contribution to making things better?

JR- Measuring perceptions, using flicker to see how people change in the perceptions of a sites and how they feel about their surroundings. DL-If we cant win the argument that the NHS is a public good how do we compete? Yes the quantifiable work is available and has value, people in LA and regional development agencies need to take note of this. DCMS and treasury seek and need to take on board impartial objective evidence. However the sector as a whole needs to tell stories and express why they are important and embed them to make them known. Be clear with the mission and embed this into every bit of marketing and tell those stories get them out there. The art of myth making, give something a compelling story not a myth but the mythology of great ideas and experiences. JR-councillors and gate keepers who have poor experiences lose interest and disengage with the arts. Need to experiment and innovate to make sure its relevant. MG- need something like ACE, evaluate what we do, we need a better stake in government KL- smaller organisation can be the best labs to test new ideas and work out what works and what fails, I think there is a hierarchy and in the time of austerity organisations can become conservative and protect their own. I take issue with social impact though, measuring usefulness, capacity is a real issue the sector can support, the larger supporting the smaller. JR- More effective when working collaboratively and being able to demonstrate to LA etc. JH- Snipping off all the smaller bits and protecting the larger organisations MG- Sense that small is near progression routes which then take you to places like Tate Modern. They wont do the work for you, they expect it to happen, the larger should be subsidising the smaller organisation for the valuable work they do. Question from Gavin Ward Telling the story is time consuming and takes too long organisations are doing the work anyway why should they be bogged down by evaluations and archiving. JR- think youre wrong, separate communities wont respond or understand what youre trying to achieve. It is useful for your organisation internally and tool for external use. DL- telling stories is intrinsic and should be a part of what youre doing, this is about vision an aspiring the future work. Being clear about what youre doing and being able to focus where youre working and trying to deliver. Sarah Fisher- no quality measure against continual professional development, artists can be good at speaking about the sector

DL- Artists dont have the chance to speak very valuably and artists have so much to add, the only website the contribution to arts orgs, four corners is a film and artist development website, not NPO the website has testimony from artists, expressing the value and movement. LUX four of the turner prize winners were helped by them Liverpool report impacts 08 academic research is independent and rigorous you pay to get what you want. Measuring impact, is more about communicating impact

Debate 2 Alternative Economies Chaired by Donna Lynas (DL), Director Wysing Arts Centre Sue Ball (SB) MAAP Sarah Browne(SBe)Artist Sam Hopley (SH) CEO timebanking UK Andreas Lang (AL) Publicworks The exchange testing way of working with volunteers, Volunteer run, Grizedale arts constitute AL-part product, working with the serpentine, negotiated time with the gardeners, 30 mins the team. Working for tradable product, royal compost from the royal park. Needed to list every gardener as a writer. Worried about intellectual property. Chompost Bar- item used to negotiate needs. Stories act as currency, the normal engagement entitled to Chompost bar. International village shop, my villages, Grizedale Arts, all involved, local produce disseminated locally, honesty stall or pop up shops. Idea of sharing more and giving the public chance to participate in the gift economy. How do you articulate the art? Not as important for those involved less interested in the sensitivity of the art more interested in its value. Cultural projects take place and the heritage of the art is kept in place. Operate in a peculiar economy. How to use fools goal. Changed into a circuit which is connected to fools gold to power the radio. Gift economy Idea of an art object sourced from charity shops, the art object became a anthropologist being noisy to observe and video record immigrants whilst providing them with a sofa. The ethics of the economy needed to be very clear. Even an issue with the Sofa having to be considered an art object as has not been fire tested.

Iceland being the happiest place in the world. Knitted sweater which had bored written into the weave. Representational status exist differently depending on the innovation- such at Venice as an artist. SB-Leeds creative Timebank Favour swapping Guilds models, 2 3rd sector structures Community time based model. Adopted Time Banking model Principles and ethics Self-subsidising model Free association of members Social contact between individuals and the network To establish a critique of resisting dominant forms of capital and the financial system To maintain an awareness of different forms of capital and their relationship and the generation of other models like gift economy To support the development of the time bank as an alternative economic structure Development of social capital through trust, networks.

How does it work? One hour of your time is equal to one hour of anybody elses time Pension to person model Can include organisations Time Banking vital to process an earned hour credits for their work Skills list compiled as members join. Research and development grant given by ACE to bring in two members who now bank their time so the model is self-sustaining. Bespoke resourcing Project facilitation and ideas realisation New collaboration coming out of mix of members R and D for future project including the possibility of banking hours Supported entry point into the arts practitioner sector. Benefits to arts infrastructure Transferable self-sustaining model Identifies breath and type of local sector skills and knowledge Identifies supplies network identity and advocacy

Creative cultural capital Helps retain young creative within the sector and geographical area Can be rolled out everywhere Flexible model

Debate 3 Conceptualising Engagement Panel Annabel Jackson (AB) Tom Trevor (TT) Gill Nicol (GN) Papers The following supporting materials have been provided by the panel:

Creative Timebanking - background http://www.internationalvillageshop.net/ http://www.publicworksgroup.net/projects/parkproducts

TT- just celebrated 55th anniversary at Arnofini experimental artists practice, how they reach out to broader audiences and how they are engaged. Morris Hargreaves MacInterier commissioned to create report on segmentation the needs of visitors motivation to visit spiritual, emotional, intellectual social Understanding your customer and understanding why people come to see the work, able to map out those who attend. Not hitting site seers, Experts 27% of visitors25-44- (43%) Third Spacers 19% 25-34 31 % Self-developers 15 % of visitors 45-54% Sensualists 11% 33% aged45-55 Families 9 % of visitors Sightseers 7% of visitors AJ- Thinking about quality of experience Need to consider why you need to conceptualise: Helps being precise about what success will look like

Articulating the theory of change behind a project or programme Clarifying what is special about your project or org Creating or capturing a group consensus Checking that idea behind the project or project are sound Developing meaningful and lean evaluation systems Identifying potential hurdles in the project or programme including gaps in the planning Communication the project concisely. Recruitments for a good definition

Apply to different art forms, Qualitative results, something that works across difference contexts, has to work for public art and digital craft as well as galleries. Needs to be: Relevant Meaningful Inclusive

Consistent with arts values, duality that is not passive or assuming of audiences. AJA model of experience Before Expectations, motivation, knowledge, interests awareness and needs The encounter During Attending sensing (reading looking listening) Thinking feeling, interacting socially, mapping into needs After Recall, conversation inspiration use, further contact What is special about the visual arts? It happens in different context Its general free Visitors generally standing rather than sitting Visitors walk through the space or past the art work at their own speed Visitors can form their own grouping and change their groups understanding and experience Doors if present are open rather than closed Timing is flexible

 GN

Lighting varies It is multifocal It is open ended.

Aim to increase and enhance the quality of the experience To widen and deepen engagement with the visual arts and with contemporary visual culture How can we support widen and deepen engagement with the arts. Where is everyone, who is everyone and how do we get hold of them. Casual visitor- white cube, black box? How warm, how do you feel, is someone smiling at you or ignoring you or looking at you or bored texting. Three ACE regions SW, WM and Ems working with ten organisations. Using three mystery shoppers Looked at key findings Newlyn art Gallery and the exchange Penzance Arnofini Training- for invigilators/ gallery assistants Interpretation-language and looking at how others do it Observation and mini interviews pre and post visit Dialogue The role to bring something out of someone not that you are putting stuff in. Info verses dialogue. People as active learners and participants, not passive...is establishing a more confident audience for contemporary arts in the future. Empowered invigilators, Confidence, increased knowledge of the art, skills in dealing with difficult people, Many ways in such as cafe organisational context

Example talked to a police woman in the Caf of New Art Exchange, she appreciate its for other people not for her personally. She noticed the lady had walked around the space after talking with her and the police woman said:

Yep dont get it The exhibition was Hetain Patal: At Home, 21-April -14 July 2012 They then spoke for a bit and after spending time together talking about the art work, which was an 8 minute video they discussed how prayer can affect you individually down through the bones. Both as a result ended up nearly in because they were both so moved, the point of the story was it just took a bit of dialogue to gain that understanding of the art work. Looking at vision and mission getting more conversation between staff. Digital audiences, IKON has 9,500 followers on twitter By asking them questions like What would you consider a memorable experience? Remembering something after a day, week, month year or forever? Controversial, big, interesting, vivid sense based. Turning the place survey, Liverpool Biennial 2008 over 70% said that it was the most memorable experience of the year, or ever. Five year training programme form Baltic shift from operations to learning Chris Bailey- assuming attendance was compulsory what would you do differently ? Answer- Abolish compulsory attendance

Debate 4 Visual arts and the education agenda Sam Cairn Pauline Tambling Lesley Butterworth Emma Thomas Papers The following supporting materials have been provided by the panel:

Imagine National - the case for cultural learning Henley Review of cultural education in England Government response to the Henley Review Internships in the Arts - a guide Creative Apprenticeships - assessing ROI The Creative Industries Council Skillset Skills Group Report The Creative Industries Council Skillset Skills Group Report - appendices

ET-Turner prize received lots of schools, transforming thinking and learning, beyond the visual arts sector, raising self-confidence and self-esteem. Building longer term relationships training to generate funds, freelance artist being involved, lots of temporary exhibitions, arts award and arts mark heavily involved. Baltic now offering Gold award this year. Personal and local relationships with schools and how the cultural sector increase childrens performance. Making the right arguments at the right audience, schools usually only want a single page to express why they should be involved. Cultural ambassadors in the NE and links within Schools and arts organisations as a positive step toward collaborative working. CPD budget has been reduced in schools, PGC teachers in the arts being reduced. Connection with arts practice and appreciation, relationships with head teachers are becoming more important. 16 universities in the North East, Research coming through, universities working more in partnership

Creative careers, Baltic profession, CPD, turning point, Paul Hamblin foundation supporting paintings, ENGAGE( education engagement. Pauline Tambling CPD for artist from organisations Level 3 creative practitioners created by arts council?

Auto-Italia Speaker Richard John Jones(RJJ) RJJ-Commission and produce new work, over the five years, always collaboration to produce projects. Mission statement: Provides framework to practice and exhibitions, temporary buildings Previously used three different spaces in Peckham Started 2007, graduates from central Saint Martins Sharing studios spaces, negotiating the use of space. Confronting no money or work, collaborating enabled them to over issue and found free spaces. Creating contexts, measuring audience impact intimately, Able to produce projects which wouldnt be possible with a single person. How we can produce work together, Auto-Italia becomes a new way of working a space. ICA remote control, 9 June 7pm Artist produced content We have our own concept of time and motion Bookblock currently working without a space however wanted to create pop-up book shop. Deterrorial- author a blog producing ascetics and politics, artists means. Responsible for the mean of Lady Gaga and Meam? Cultural theory related texts, arts torrents Interviews considering how artist interface Uberweb, reproduced without permission Social imaginations, the future is still ours Liberation is in our future not in our past, we dont need centralisation to achieve this but need to know how to operate it. END