Nourish Networks Announcement
YVAN continues its in depth support for artists’ networks in the region with the Nourish programme.
Funded by Arts Council England, Nourish is a development opportunity for emerging networks looking to establish or enhance their presence in the region.
The programme prioritises engagement with artists, makers, networks and communities, through those facilitating connections between artists.
Through co-production sessions aimed at strategic growth, awareness raising activities, and advocacy, Nourish delivers practical sessions aimed at increasing organisations’ strengths, capacities, wants and needs in response to ongoing economic precarity - from online tools to scoping and events design – through to management of messaging, Mission Statements and Values.
Nourish is part of a larger ongoing research and development programme at YVAN that increases the health and equality of the artist-led infrastructure in the region. Look out for more announcements soon on the programme, including new commissions, publications and events.
We are delighted to announce the first three organisations that we are working with: Lockdown Still Lives, The Merrie Collective, DISrupt and Social Art Network
Lockdown Still Lives
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Lockdown Still Lives is a Facebook community born as an immediate response to UK Lockdown in 2020. Since then members have been posting images that inspire, move and speak to them. It provides a visual insight into life during this unique time. This simple activity has resonated with a wide range of people from different backgrounds and the group has over 450 members from across the UK and abroad. The group connects weekly via online reflections and events bringing artists and creatives from different backgrounds together to speak about their experience, share their artistic journey and background and connect with each other, creating a creative life line.
What we hope to explore:
The network is emerging and we want to explore how we can continue to provide a creative platform for artists from various backgrounds to continue the conversations which have taken place in a democratic, accessible and nourishing way online. What are the key factors that have made this group valuable to its members? What do artists and creatives need? As we were formed online during a pandemic, we are interested in forms of recreating the same atmosphere and engagement beyond the restrictions. How can we continue to be inclusive, accessible and relevant to members and expand to include other networks?
We want to expand on the artist's talks and reflections and continue to provide opportunities for artists and creatives across different disciplines to explore their work and find ways to develop themselves further.
The Merrie Collective
The Merrie Collective are Wakefield based collaborators working in Merrie Studios, WF1. Fuelled by innovation and drive, they have sought to create opportunities within the arts, determined to reimagine visual culture in the local community. The Merrie Collective use art to reflect, visualise and open up a dialogue on thoughts driven by their experiences as young northern artists.
The Merrie Collective Members:
Catherine Smart
Cerys Dyson
Emily Ryalls
Ilisha Aldridge
Katie Hopkins
Niamh Donnelly
Ranya Abdulateef
Ryan Bell
Thomas Bailey
DISrupt Arts Leeds
DISrupt is a collective of disabled artists in Leeds who are working for change. Our aim is for disabled artists to get the place and recognition we deserve in the art world. So we want to disrupt barriers that prevent disabled artists from taking part equally in our city’s arts and culture.
We make art that is original, ambitious, exciting and relevant. We are all dedicated artists who take our work seriously. We are committed to developing our artistic practices so that we can share our view of the world.
We have come together to have a collective voice to support disabled artists with their professional development, to amplify and promote disabled artists’ work and to tackle ableism and disabling barriers in the arts, starting in Leeds. We want to work with anyone who shares these aims.
Social Art Network
Social Art Network is a UK based community of artists committed to building agency for the field of art and social practice. YVAN will be working with Social Art Network Sheffield and new brach Social Art Network Leeds.
SAN Sheffield are working with practitioners to create the first SAN Leeds. This is voluntarily run by artists Emma Bentley Fox and Lily Lavorato.
SAN Sheffield will be presenting regular online meetups, alongside other events and activity. Each session will host artists, curators, and art workers dedicated to socially engaged practice, sharing insight into the ongoing question we ask ourselves: what does it mean to be making art through socially engaged art right now?
