Twenty-five artists are to gain professional development support through a-n’s artists’ Re:view bursaries. Awarded in March, the bursaries range in value from £310-£1000, from a total fund of £21,700. They are specifically designed to support artists’ self-determined critical and artistic development.
Claire Weetman has been awarded one of these bursaries to enable her to develop her skills to produce digital interactive works that she developed proposals for during her 2012 residency to Shanghai. She will work with Salford University and internationally recognised artists to develop her work both technically and with critical support.
Writing last year about the Arts Council England cuts to small-scale, practice-centred organisations, Dany Louise said: ‘Disinvestment will impact considerably on the scope of opportunity for artists, impacting adversely on their career development and livelihoods and increasing competition for the professional development opportunities that remain.”
a-n’s research has revealed that artists’ practices and livelihoods have indeed been badly affected, including through reductions in levels of paid work on offer and increased charges and costs being passed onto artists.
Set within a professional development programme that also includes seminars, Go and see bursaries, AIRTIME networking events and online resources, the Re:view bursaries are exclusive to a-n’s Artist + AIR membership. It is hoped they will play their part in providing artists with much-needed finance for self-directed critique and advice, assisting more artists to move their practice forward.
All artists with a-n Artist+AIR membership were eligible to apply for a share of the £21,700 fund, and from 56 applications received, the following were successful: Judith Alder (Sussex), Sovay Berriman (London), Charlie Carter (Hampshire), Amelia Crouch (Leeds), Sophie Cullinan (East Midlands), Susan Diab (Brighton), Susan Francis (Salisbury), FrenchMottershead-(London), Penny Hallas (Powys), Anton Hecht (Newcastle), Matthew Krishanu (London), Sally Lemsford (East Midlands), Jean McEwan (Keighley), Steve Messam (Cumbria, Elizabeth Murton (London), Julia O’Connell (Coventry), Kate Paxman (Torbay), Chantal Powell (London) Phiona Richards (Northampton), Alexis Zelda Stevens (London), Joe Stevens (Bridport), Clare Thornton (Bristol), Alana Tyson (Wales) and Claire Weetman (St Helens).
The practices of the successful artists range from painting, print and photography to digital art, dance, design and sound, many with collaborative working integral.