Brighton Artist’s Network launches Brighton’s first city-wide, interdisciplinary artists network!

Brighton Artist’s Network has launched the city’s first artist led, city-wide, interdisciplinary artist network!

The aim is to provide a space for artists of all disciplines to unite to tackle matters that affect them and their communities. There’ll be opportunities for artists to network, connect and collaborate throughout a year-round programme of activities like collaborations, skill-sharing, brainstorming events and peer-to-peer support groups.

“Since launching just under two months ago, the response has been overwhelming. Over 150 artists have so far joined us, and our membership includes all creative disciplines from visual artists through to writers, sound artists, performers and makers. The strength of our organisation lies in the breadth and diversity of our membership, and we would like to invite every artist in Brighton to join us” – Founder Elena Italia

Setting it’s stake in the ground as Brighton’s interdisciplinary artists network, in a city that a range of discipline-specific networks and events call home, but that lacks a place for artists of all disciplines to come together and collaborate, members Mike Barrett and Catherine Iterton share some of the benefits; Mike says: “Working with artists from other disciplines is a liberating experience for me. I not only get to try out new making processes, I’m also mentored in whole new ways of developing Ideas”. And Catherine continues: “As an independent artist I often work alone and particularly in lockdown, this can be very isolating. It was great brainstorming with other artists about creative ideas and just connecting with other creative people who live locally was really refreshing”

Run entirely by its members, for its members, Brighton Artists Network is led by a rotating team of Volunteer Administrators and all activities and events are designed and led by the wider pool of members. Regular meet-ups and planning sessions allow all members of the network to have a say in the direction of the organisation.

The hope is, in what represents a crucial time when creative and cultural industries have been amongst those most impacted by the global pandemic; that the network will set out a new model for support services to empower artists to grow agency, develop mutually beneficial relationships, and offer a sustainable alternative to private or state funded artist support. Member and Events Administrator volunteer Ainoa says: “What really attracted me to volunteer at BAN is the non-hierarchical structure of the organization. In my position I am loving facilitating other artists to find the support they need for their individual projects and seeing how people come together to help and solve problems in such creative ways.”

Another aim of the network is to advocate for a greater representation of artists in those matters which affect them and their communities. The idea is that artists are creative thinkers who are often deeply involved in their own communities and can bring added value to most decision-making processes, something which stands out at a time when every sector of our community is having to re-imagine elements of work and personal life. Member Karen Poley says: “We are about to enter a huge period of change and will have to rethink the way we work both in the cultural sector and beyond it. Artists, as creative thinkers should be at the forefront of this recovery”.

This week the Brighton Artists Network will run their second Planning Session and Artists Meet Up. These monthly meetings are an opportunity for members to give feedback on the direction of the organisation, and the upcoming session focuses on collecting artists’ needs and wants at this time with the question: “What can the local and national arts sector do to support you at this time?”.