Who we can help
Artquest helps visual artists with anything to do with their professional working lives.
By visual artists, we mean people working in:
- any 2-dimensional practices - painting, collage, printmaking, photography etc
- any 3-dimensional practices - sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, installation etc
- live / performance art
- digital, networked and internet art
- socially engaged practice
- art in the public realm, and public art
- moving image - artists film intended for showing in a visual arts gallery context
As you can see, our definition of visual artists includes makers, crafts practitioners and designer makers.
We don't hold information or provide support for artists working in fashion, architecture, graphic or industrial design, dance, theatre or literature.
Q. Do you provide services to full-time students?
A. As a part of University of the Arts London, we work with colleagues in the SEE team to prepare resources and publications for students. Our website also contains information on degree shows and the first steps graduates should consider after their course.
We also work with course directors at the University to create useful resources that they can use on their courses. Please contact us if you are a course leader and interested in finding out more.
If you're a full-time student, you can also ask your course tutor about professional development advice that you need.
Q. Do you provide services to artists outside of London?
A. Since we're funded by Arts Council England's London office, we're not primarily a national organisation. This quickly becomes problematic, however, when you consider that we're mostly a website (with no registration), that artists in London might not live and work here all the time, and that much of the information we have on our site is useful to visual artists living anywhere.
Over the next year, we'll be experimenting with rolling out our Ask Artquest email helpline across the country, and gauge the take-up to make sure our resources - remember, we're only three part-time staff, who are all artists - can take the strain.
Q. Who else can help me?
A. We're glad you ask. Artquest is a small part of the UK's professional advice and information services that artists can use.
For visual artists, services include those listed below.
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29 September
Jotta
websitejotta.com
Jotta is a creative networking site for artists working in all creative disciplines. By becoming member you can manage, display, and commercially exploit your own work whilst networking and collaborating with other creatives.
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29 September
IFACCA
website
The International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA)is the global network of arts councils and ministries of culture. They have a regular Newsletter that shares information and ideas between arts councils, ministries of culture and arts and culture organisations.
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29 September
engage
addressRich Mix, 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LAtelephone020 7729 5858fax020 7739 3688emailwebsite
engage is the professional body which promotes greater understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts by engaging with the public, artists, galleries and educators. engage also distributes a number of research grants from national and regional sources, and can assist artists in finding employment in the gallery education sector. Their library holds a unique collection of books, reports, research papers and teaching materials for gallery educators' information, research and professional development providing a theoretical background to gallery education practice. You need to subscribe to access some of their resources.
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29 September
New Work Network
addressToynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6ABcontactOrlagh Woods, Co-Directortelephone020 7539 9373website
New Work Network (NWN) supports the development of new performance, live and interdisciplinary arts practices by nurturing arts practitioners through the creation of innovative professional development activities that focus on networking, exchange and collaboration across the UK and internationally. The organisation builds on the existing cross-over between a wide variety of practices in the fields of performance, live art, new theatre, new dance, installation, video art, digital art, time-based and interdisciplinary arts including those that embrace new technologies.
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29 September
Creative Choices
addressLafone House, The Leathermarket Weston St, London, SE1 3HNcontacttelephone020 7015 1800
Creative Choices is an online service to provide the tools, knowledge and networks to support individuals and businesses working in creative industries and the cultural sector.
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29 September
Visual Artists Ireland
address37 North Great Georges Street, Dublin 1, Irelandtelephone00 353 1 8722296emailwebsite
Visual Artists Ireland is an all-Ireland body for professional visual artists. It provides services, facilities and resources for artists, initiates artistic projects and publications and acts as an advocate on behalf of individual artists. Free opportunities newsletter available to subscribe to.
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29 September
Axis
addressStudio 17/18 Leeds Design Innovation Centre, 46 The Calls Leeds, LS2 7EYtelephone0845 362 8230emailwebsite
Axis is the most extensive national listing of practising, contemporary artists in the UK and has recently opened up its directory to contemporary curators. Axis has been online since 1999 and now includes material on over 4,000 artists. Open Frequency is a frequently changing, on-line showcase of selected artists' current work, chosen by curators every 2 months. Artists and projects are selected by a national network of invited, curatorial advisors, who nominate artists in their region or country for inclusion.
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29 September
DACS, the Designers' and Artists' Copyright Society
address33 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DXtelephone020 7336 8811emailwebsite
DACS is the copyright and collecting society for visual artists in the UK. It is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that campaigns to create a fair working environment for members by administering and protecting copyright on their behalf, licensing the reproduction of its members' works and charging fees accordingly. Advice from DACS is to members only (free to join). DACS also collects and distributes royalties and licenses copyright under the direction of the artist who is a member, and has agreements with other artists copyright organisations worldwide. More information on copyright-related issues can be found in their Factsheet, downloadable from their website.
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29 September
a-n The Artists Information Company
addressToffee Factory, Lower Steenbergs Yard, Quayside, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2DFtelephone0300 330 0706emailwebsite
a-n provides information, research and debate for visual and applied artists. It is a not-for-profit social enterprise, with annual subscriptions starting at £36 per year - a subscription is required for full website access to opportunities and articles, with some articles available for non-subscribers. It has two main activities: a website with information for artists, and a programme supporting the professional development of individual artists in the north of England. The website covers business startup advice, tax, finances and professional development. a-n also have a range of professional development toolkits on their website to help develop methodologies and careers. All subscribers to a-n also become automatic members of AIR, a membership body for artists, with a-n providing its Advisory Group and secretariat. Subscribers also get public and products liability insurance, and from December 2012 this is extended to freelance curators and arts organisers for an additional £94.50.
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29 September
National Federation of Artists' Studio Providers (NFASP)
address70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJcontacttelephone0207 251 9395website
The National Federation of Artists' Studio Providers (NFASP) is the new membership body representing groups and organisations providing affordable studios in England. They aim to support its members and to campaign to secure, sustain and increase affordable studio provision in England.
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29 September
Own It
emailwebsite
Service provided by the University of the Arts London and national partners, Own It provides online information and advice on copyright, design rights, patents, trademarks, branding, confidentiality agreements, licensing, royalties and contracts. They also have downloadble guides to Ip protection for Visual Arts, New Media, Fashion and Film & Video.
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4 April
G39
websiteaddressOxford St, CARDIFF CF24 3DTtelephone+44 (0)29 2047 3633
G39 is an artist-run gallery in the centre of Cardiff. The organisation also runs Wales Artist Resource Programme – WARP - an open-access resource and training space for artists. G39 focus is on experimentation and risk and g39 aims to provide the opportunities to showcase new work rather than relying on selling. The organisation exists with the generous support of the Arts Council Of Wales and in 2004 it became the first artist-run space in Wales to be supported by a revenue agreement with ACW.
The article is for information only, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.
Readers should consult a solicitor for legal advice on specific matters, and artists in London can get free online legal advice from Artquest