Resources
YVAN Opportunities
Documents, toolkits, resources and guides for artists and the visual arts sector.
Filter by category or view all below.
Some general summaries and average reading time estimates were produced with AI assistance.
All Accessibility Artist Development Care Climate Justice Data & Evaluation EDI Financial F&E Toolkits Sector Yorkshire & Humber
Circular Economy Networks Report 2024
The report maps circular economy networks across the cultural sector and recommends actions to increase reuse, resource sharing, and environmental sustainability in arts and culture organisations.
Approx. reading time: 10–15 mins.
Sustainable resources for the creative and cultural industries
The Resource Hub is a platform that helps creative and cultural organisations reuse, donate, and source materials such as sets, props, costumes, and equipment to reduce waste and support a circular economy.
Approx. reading time: 3–5 mins.
Practical Planning & Finance Webinar
The video is a long-form finance planning session discussing creative sector funding, budgeting, and strategic financial planning for organisations in Wakefield.
Approx. reading time: 134 mins (full video of webinar).
Creating Your Own Access Rider; Unlimited
The guide explains how to create an access rider, what to include, and how it helps disabled artists communicate access needs clearly and work more effectively with organisations.
Approx. reading time: 5–10 mins.
Fundraising- A Practical Guide for Creatives (May 2021)
The PDF is a practical fundraising guide for creatives covering how to plan, write, and structure funding applications, understand funders, and build sustainable income strategies.
Approx. reading time: 15–25 mins.
Guides on commissions; Artquest
A curated section of guidance articles for visual artists covering topics like applying for opportunities, funding, careers, and professional practice development. It acts as a gateway to practical advice and resources across the site.
Approx. reading time: 2–4 mins (of homepage)
Public art in Yorkshire database
The site promotes a region-wide collaboration that showcases and cross-promotes exhibitions across public galleries and museums in Yorkshire, aiming to increase engagement with visual arts and encourage audiences to explore cultural venues across the region.
Approx. reading time: 2–3 mins for homepage.
Nature North Report 2024
This explores how nature recovery and environmental investment in Northern England can support regional economic growth, climate resilience, and healthier communities.
Approx. reading time: 4–6 mins.
Unlimited: Online Accessibility- Heritage Organisations
The guide explains how to make online content accessible, covering principles like readable text, clear structure, alt text, captions, forms, and WCAG standards for digital inclusion.
Approx. reading time: 8–12 mins.
Unlimited: Ten Top Tips for Running Accessible Events
This resource shares practical guidance on making events more inclusive, covering planning, communication, access needs, representation, and evaluation to ensure disabled people can fully participate.
Approx. reading time: 6–8 mins.
All In - Arts Access Scheme
A UK and Ireland access scheme for arts and cultural organisations, designed to improve accessibility for deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent audiences through standards, subscriptions, and specialist support.
Approx. reading time: 2–4 mins.
Commissioning Disabled Artists
The FAQ page provides guidance for arts organisations on commissioning disabled artists, focusing on inclusive commissioning practices, fair representation, and removing barriers across recruitment, communication, and delivery of creative work.
Approx. reading time: 6–10 mins.
Let's Debate - Inclusivity & Relevance key note (May 2023)
The page is a curated resource within Arts Council England’s “Let’s Debate” content, presenting a keynote discussion that explores how inclusivity and relevance should shape cultural decision-making and challenge traditional ideas of artistic excellence.
Approx. reading time: 8–12 mins.
The Big Picture: Behind the Social Model
The resource is a comic that explains the social model of disability, showing how disability is created by barriers in society rather than by individuals, and encouraging reflection through lived experience and accessible storytelling formats.
Approx. reading time: 6–10 mins.
Safer Spaces Agreement
Our YVAN Safer Spaces agreement in a google document form.
Approx. reading time: 4–6 mins.
DACS report into artists’ earnings (Nov 2024)
Practising the Planetary: Arts Catalyst Publication
A collection of essays and reflections that explores “planetary” thinking in contemporary art, focusing on ecological interdependence, situated practice, and how artists can rethink relationships between humans, non-humans, and environmental systems beyond extractive or colonial frameworks.
Approx. reading time: 10–15 mins.
Culture, Climate and Environmental Responsibility Report 2023/24
The report presents Arts Council England’s annual environmental data and case studies from National Portfolio Organisations, showing how the cultural sector is reducing carbon emissions while embedding environmental responsibility into creative practice and operations.
Approx. reading time: 12–18 mins.
Beyond the Obvious 2 Publication
YVAN is delighted to present Beyond the Obvious 2: a ‘Sector Snapshot’ that highlights the lived experience of artists from the Global Majority in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Approx. reading time: 10–20 mins.
Shape Arts Podcast
The Shape Arts Podcast page lists and hosts podcast episodes that explore disability, access, and contemporary arts practice through conversations with artists, activists, and cultural workers.
Approx. reading time: 2–4 mins.