Artsadmin
Artsadmin is a UK-based organisation founded in 1979 by Judith Knight, MBE and Seonaid Stewart, providing project management, producing, support and resources for artists working in the fields of performance, dance, live art and mixed media work. They became increasingly aware of the lack of producing and administrative support for independent artists and companies, and set up Artsadmin as a reaction to this. Early partners included Hesitate and Demonstrate, Mike Figgis, Pip Simmons, Welfare State International, Smith and Goody and Natasha Morgan amongst others. They established a strong relationship with the Mickery Theater Amsterdam which provided a gateway to the rest of Europe, and many projects were subsequently co-produced in partnership with European theatres and festivals.
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| Formation | 1979 |
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| Founder | Judith Knight and Seonaid Stewart |
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| Website | artsadmin |
Support from UK trusts and foundations enabled Artsadmin to provide forward-looking management that could sustain companies between projects to develop their work, and the company first received Arts Council funding in 1984. The organisation is still funded predominantly through a National Portfolio Organisation grant. Artsadmin continued to increase its portfolio to include companies and artists such Station House Opera, Amy Sharrocks, Rosemary Lee, Larry Achiampong, Stacy Makishi, Nic Green, Impact Theatre Co-operative, DV8, the Bow Gamelan Ensemble, Selina Thompson[1] and others, establishing relationships with many which have continued to the present day.
In 1998 Artsadmin set up its bursary scheme. The aim of the scheme was to provide support for artistic research and process, providing flexibility according to each artist’s ideas. This was also the year that the free advisory service for artists was established. In 1995 Artsadmin moved from a tiny office in Clerkenwell to Toynbee Studios, an old drama school in London’s East End. Artsadmin was now able to offer artists space to develop work: rehearsal spaces, video resources and performance opportunities. Artsadmin remains at Toynbee Studios to this day. The building was refurbished in 2006[2] and includes six rehearsal and performance spaces, eight office spaces occupied by artists, companies and arts organisations, and an Artsadmin Canteen.
Directors Gil Lloyd and Judith Knight received MBEs for their services to the arts in the New Years Honours 2008. Gill Lloyd left Artsadmin after 32 years and Deborah Chadbourn joined Artsadmin as Executive Director in 2018. Artsadmin celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019 and Judith Knight stepped down as Director after 40 years, with Róise Goan joining as Artistic Director. Ben Cooper-Melchiors joined as Executive Director in January 2022.
Directors
- Róise Goan, Artistic Director
- Ben Cooper-Melchiors, Executive Director
Current projects
Artsadmin works with promoters, producers and other arts organisations in the UK and internationally to develop audiences for the work of its artists, and with other partner organisations on the development of support schemes and resources for artists.[3]
Up in Arms, Anna-Maria Nabirye and Annie Saunders
Tentacular Spectacular, Oozing Gloop
The Making of Pinocchio, Cade and MacAskill
Cultural Exchange Rate, Tania El Khoury
Arty Parties, Tarik Elmoutawakil
Programmes
Season for Change
Season for Change launched in 2020, led by Artsadmin and Julie's Bicycle, and supported by Arts Council England and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. The first programme planned 18 months from 2020-21, as the world counted down to COP26, and aimed to mobilise artists and cultural organisations to put climate action at the heart of their creative practice and platform voices historically excluded from the climate conversation. Season for Change will return in 2023.
Another Route
Artsadmin is part of a consortium that leads on Another Route, an artistic fellowship that enables a group of performance artists and artist-led companies to embark upon a remarkable journey to internationalise their creative practice through a sensitively curated 18-month programme of international events and residencies. The project is designed and led by a new consortium of independent artists and companies from across the UK who bring to the project a variety of different experiences of working internationally across a broad range of contexts, not always with formal institutional support.
ACT - Art, Climate, Transition
ACT is a European cooperation project on ecology, climate change and social transition, initiated by ten cultural organisations across the continent working in the fields of performing and visual arts and supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. ACT emerged from the cultural operators of the preceding Imagine 2020 programme. This European project evolved around raising awareness on the climate crisis, and presenting the arts as a strong designer of possible futures.
Artsadmin Youth
The Artsadmin Youth programme offers evening sessions in art and performance to 16-21 year old residents of Tower Hamlets.
Artsadmin Youth is supported by Be Part through the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, The Simon Gibson Charitable Trust and the Allen & Overy Ben Ogden Memorial Fund.
Creative Criminal Justice
Artsadmin delivers multi-disciplinary creative projects in prisons and provide opportunities for people who have lived experience of the criminal justice system to engage in the arts after a prison sentence. Projects include Take Up Space and Unchained Nights. Artsasmin worked closely with Lady Unchained - a poet, performer, host, facilitator and curator.
Lady Unchained was a nominee for the New Voice Award 2020 by Audio Production Awards and Runner Up for CJA Awards 2020- Outstanding Documentary, winner of The Insight awards 2021 for Insight through Journalism. She received a Bronze award for her show Free Flow on National Prison Radio at the ARIAS Awards 2021 and she continues to challenge the ex-offender label through creativity. She also curated the Soul Journey To Truth Exhibition at HOME gallery in Manchester in partnership with Koestler Arts and Ripples of Hope Festival highlighting creativity within the criminal justice system in the North West.
Artist Support
Artsadmin has established a range of new opportunities for artists with a bursary and mentoring scheme (now ended), a creative support service, the Radar workshop series, Lab residencies, the Artsadmin Anchor weekly newsletter for artist opportunities, and a public programme at Toynbee Studios.
Bursary Recipients
2018-19
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2016-17
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2014-15
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2013
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2010
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2007
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2006
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2005
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References
- "Where To See Star Of BBC's 'Salt' Selina Thompson Next". Bustle. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
- Gardner, Lyn (2007-02-27). "We should cherish Arts Admin". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
- Heddon, Deirdre; Klein, Jennie (2012-12-07). Histories and practices of live art. Heddon, Deirdre, 1969-, Klein, Jennie. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. ISBN 978-1137272317. OCLC 915154855.