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WEVAA creates accessible opportunities by delivering an artist development programme for Bristol and the West of England
Commissioning Professional Development Sector Building Diversity and Inclusion
An embroidered patch picturing a person's head with a thought bubble and the text 'when i got ill it forced me to reimagine the ways in which I could still make the art I want to make'
CREDIT
A colourful drawing created to document a discussion event. Three portraits are in the centre, surrounded by quotes from the event such as 'the collection is a living thing', 'who is allowed to breathe and for how much longer', histories of smaller social migration and inherited stories' and 'why are marginalised artists expected to fix a system they did not break'.
CREDIT

Professional Development

The WEVAA professional development programme was developed to support the ambition of artists living locally and increase resilience to challenges experienced in the current climate.

Spike Island Associates is a professional development network for artists, curators, designers, writers and producers at all stages of their careers. Over the three-year WEVAA programme, SpikeAssociates has broadened its reach within the South West, developing deeper connections between artists, arts workers and organisations in the region. They have worked with local artists and curators, including Theresa Bergne, Roseanna Dias, Zoe Li, Natasha MacVoy and Art & People; as well as collaborating with local organisations such as Weston Art Space, Bath Spa University, OSR Projects and Somerset Art Works.

The VASW online programme covers a wide range of key skills and has included workshops, training opportunities and mentoring. Thematic seasons have looked at sustaining practice; working in and with public/s; climate justice, racial & social precarity and communities of resistance with dhaqan collective; writing as communication and practice; and access support and disability representation with Amanda Lynch. Workshop leaders included Can Altay, Ama Josephine Budge, Benjamin Cook, Dr Cara Courage, dove / Chris Kirubi, Janine Francois, Maria Fusco, Gaylene Gould, Ceri Hand, Amal Khalaf, Migrants in Culture, Heather Peak, Saziso Phiri, Jamila Prowse, Christopher Samuel, George Vasey and Cathy Waller.

Commissioned resources and editorial related to the programme can be found below.

A portrait of a woman looking up to a ceiling covered in small bright lights
CREDIT
A photograph taken from outside a space looking in through an open door. Inside the space, a group of people is sat round a table in discussion.
CREDIT

Resources

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Christopher Samuel Archive of the unseen 2023 installation Attenbourgh Arts Centre
Disability Arts

In prac­tice, dis­abil­i­ty rep­re­sen­ta­tion in the Visu­al Arts

A record­ing of a sem­i­nar led by Aman­da Lynch with Matt Bur­rows, Anna Man­kee-Williams, Heather Peak and Christo­pher Samuel. With BSL interpretation.
Posted
30/07/24
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An photograph of a black man with a white beard wearing a black beanie hat and black jumper reading a text info a microphone. Behind him is a dark pink curtain. To the right of the image, a neon green strip has been added vertically, with the text 'my voice is...' in a handwritten style font
Writing

Soungs. Sonds.

A Soung­ing. Sond­ing. (Read­ing.) list by dove / Chris Kirubi
Posted
09/07/24
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Fig 2 Resting Up Collective 1
Disability Arts

Find­ing sup­port in the arts when chron­i­cal­ly ill, d/​Deaf, dis­abled, neu­ro­di­ver­gent, mad and/​or sick by Han­nah Wallis

A guide to get­ting start­ed as an artist, mak­ing con­nec­tions, spe­cif­ic sup­port to be found in the sec­tor and access support.
Posted
28/06/24
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Editorial

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A colourful artwork created using paint and oil pastel. The work consists of abstract shapes and patterns, with more figurative elements such as a two people's faces, people walking and cycling, and the outline of a building. Some marks appear to indicate clouds and rain.

Prac­tice in Place — Frank Morris

Frank Mor­ris shares his expe­ri­ences of liv­ing and work­ing as an artist in Bristol.
Posted
24/10/24
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A black and white portrait photograph of Amanda Lynch, holding a laptop with Zoom text, with bandages around her head and Bobby the love bird
Disability arts

In Prac­tice, dis­abil­i­ty rep­re­sen­ta­tion in the visu­al arts

Aman­da Lynch reflects on In Prac­tice, an online pro­gramme of events and train­ing that pri­ori­tised access and dis­abil­i­ty representation.
Posted
30/07/24
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Black and white photo of an artwork consisting of sports trophies with engraved plaques detailing myths, caricatures and prejudices related to Black people
Multidisciplinary

Things Arrive Togeth­er as Suf­fused and Insep­a­ra­ble: Don­ald Rodney

Jareh Das, Car­olyn Lazard and Robert Leck­ie con­sid­er Rodney’s work, and how his lega­cy rever­ber­ates among younger gen­er­a­tions of artists.
Posted
13/06/24
Region
Region-wide
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