Guild
Guild is East Street Arts’ sector support programme supporting and empowering artists to help them create more resilient and sustainable work via artists’ spaces.
First launched in 2018, with Arts Council funding we have been working with 20 artist led groups, selected from a national call-out. Stretching the length and breadth of the country the groups demonstrate the incredible range of artists’ spaces in the UK.
This was then extended to 25 in 2020 due to the increased need for support in the sector following the Covid-19 pandemic.
They provide diverse opportunities for artists working in disciplines from performance and socially engaged practice to printmaking. These groups represent a snap-shot of artist-led initiatives, from small well-established groups, to artists working in a range of temporary spaces, and those at the beginning of their collaborative creative venture.
Looking at their business practices, their place in the community and the impact on political and social environments, we support them in expanding their reach through innovative and enterprising practice.
Artists spaces across the UK are historically self-organised, under-resourced and are prone to experiencing burn-out and we are committed to addressing this. Karen Watson, Artistic Director, East Street Arts
Karen continues; “Artists’ spaces help generate new and innovative artwork, projects and public facing events. Operating as essential catalysts for the art’s sector, these spaces help explore and develop new art practices that can lead to community-led ventures, social housing, land trusts and public facing bakeries, and bars.”
As part of the on-going support offered to artists we are developing new strategic areas of the Guild programme including:
Guild is led by:
– Kate West, GUILD Senior Producer
– Gabriella Davies, GUILD Producer
– Ingrid Banerjee Marvin, Artist Support Lead
The programme also has a dedicated University of Leeds PhD student, Benedetta d’Ettorre, who is exploring how different business models can impact on the sustainability of spaces, with an eye on local social dynamics.
Guild is also made possible with the invaluable support from partners including Key Fund, the University of Leeds, a-n The Artist Information Company , ACAVA , Creative Industries Federation & Unlimited.
Field is a conversational residency for those within the creative industry hosted by Two Destination Language.
Shifting Sands is a UK-wide research project investigating graduate preparedness for work in the Contemporary Art sector and the challenges they face in their first year post graduation.
PhD candidate Benedetta D’Ettorre was awarded with "Best Paper in Creative Industries Entrepreneurship" at the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) conference in October.
The marketing team sat down with Karen Watson (Artistic Director of East Street Arts) for a cup of tea, some Aldi biscuits, and a discussion on just what the Open Doors team mean when they say 'Campaign', as well as other important questions.
Laura and Ash set up a collaborative approach to working, called The Uncultured, in 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic.
OPEN DOORS is a collaborative project between The Uncultured and East Street Arts as part of Guild. It is exploring the barriers that artist-led spaces face in achieving and maintaining sustainability.
Guild Conversations is a unique discussion series with artist support at its core.
Guild Conversations is an online discussion series which began in 2020 as a direct response to COVID-19.
a-n is the largest artists' membership organisation in the UK.
Today we announced the activity that makes up the Guild Programme 2021-2022, including a series of public events, two campaigns and a programme of direct support for our current Guild Cohort.
Guild are delighted to announce that The Uncultured - a collaboration led by arts independents Ash Bowmott and Laura Sweeney - will lead one of our flagship Guild Campaigns with their project OPEN DOORS: The Real Cost of Artist Led Spaces.
In Session FKA GRADJOB is a learning and ‘unprofessional’ contemporary art practice programme.