DIY: 2004

Professional development BY artists FOR artists

More info about DIY 2: 2004.

January – March 2004

DIY 2 offers artists working in Live Art the opportunity to take part in a unique series of short training and professional development projects conceived and run BY artists FOR artists.   DIY 2 projects are aimed at both emergent and experienced practitioners based in London.

Our Call for Participants is now closed.

Our Call for Proposals to lead a project has now closed.

Documentation from DIY 2: 2004.

Summary Report

DIY 2 built on the success of last year’s pilot initiative and offered London based artists working in Live Art the chance to conceive and run professional development projects for other artists.

The DIY 2 projects covered practical and conceptual issues and took in new approaches to networking, collaboration and documentation; artists’ evaluation strategies; considerations of costume in performance; building bridges between art and activism; and the processes and impact of time in art.

NOW led by Anne Bean

Five artists spent 90 days investigating time through process based experimentation.

FREE EVALUATION SERVICE led by Lucy Kimbell

Six artists were offered a free evaluation of their practice.

COSTUME IN LIVE ART led by Amy Sharrocks

14 artists considered approaches to costume in performance.

RESPONSE-ABILITY led by John Jordan

20 artists and activists shared ideas around new methodologies of creative resistance.

THE NETWORK led by Richard Layzell

18 artists explored networking, collaboration, process and documentation.

DIY 2 report

DIY 2 projects took place between January and March 2004 at a range of locations in London and beyond.

DIY 2 benefited the artistic and professional development of the participating artists and contributed to the skills and experiences of the artists who lead the projects.

Sixty eight artists took part in the five unique projects.  The responses from the project leaders and the participants was that DIY 2’s emphasis on peer training:

• empowered artists by allowing them to manage their own professional development.
• enabled artists to develop creative approaches directly relevant to the needs of their practice.
• encouraged artists to perceive their artistic output and professional development as inter-related and mutually beneficial components of a ‘complete’ practice.
• facilitated networking between like minded artists.
• inspired artists to take risks and think differently.

DIY 2 again demonstrated that artists are extremely well equipped to conceive and manage complex and often demanding professional development initiatives.  The role of the host organisations (Live Art Development Agency, Artsadmin and New Work Network) in DIY 2 was therefore to facilitate and advise rather than to control.

Each DIY 2 lead artist conceived their project, submitted an application detailing their idea, contributed to a group meeting at which they met the other lead artists, prepared publicity copy, managed recruitment of participants, handled all relevant participation fees, booked all necessary venues, facilitated their training day(s), and wrote an appraisal report.

Each lead artist received £1,000, which covered their fee and all direct project costs including venue hire, travel, materials and hospitality.  Some artists chose to seek a small fee from participants which further contributed to their project costs.

The Live Art Advisory Network secured the funding for the initiative, distributed a Call for Proposals via email, selected the lead artists through an open submission process, advised lead artists about the logistical and conceptual focus of their project, led a group meeting which enabled all lead artists to meet and share project information, publicised the five projects under the DIY 2 umbrella through a Call for Participants, organised a final networking buffet for all participants, and collated this summary report.

DIY future

Like the first DIY programme, DIY 2 proved to be a very successful and cost effective initiative that almost demands to be continued. Future development and refinement could include:

• An expanded programme offering more artists opportunities to initiate and manage projects.
• A national initiative managed in collaboration with regional and local partners.
• Access to more tailored advice and guidance for the lead artists (if and when assistance is required)
• A higher-profile evaluation of the projects, possibly through an event and/or publication that facilitates the sharing of outcomes and discussion of best practice.
• A more generous financial base that provides artists’ fees commensurate with the amount of time required to initiate, manage and evaluate a project, and remuneration for the host organisations.

DIY 2 focused on the professional development within the Live Art sector.  It is clear that the principles and form would successfully translate to other artform practices.

DIY 2 credits

DIY 2 was an initiative of the Live Art Advisory Network. The Live Art Development Agency, Artsadmin, and New Work Network have joined together to create the Live Art Advisory Network. Together we are partners in Creative Capital which is working to help artists to identify, prioritise and implement professional development activities.