Phase One Research Findings.

*ArtWorks Cymru.Produced with funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation as part of the ArtWorks special initiative.

ArtWorks: Developing Practice in Participatory Settings is a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Special Initiative with funding and support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Creativity Culture & Education (supported by Arts Council England) and the Cultural Leadership Programme.

*Who are we?

*Part of a special initiative created by Paul Hamlyn Foundation

*5 Pathfinders awarded in the UK – Scotland, Wales, London, North East and Navigator

*ArtWorks Cymru partnership –

- Welsh National Opera,

- Sherman Cymru

- National Dance Company Wales

- Community Music Wales

- Dance Cymru

- Head for Arts

- Streetwise Opera

- Professor Hamish Fyfe from University of Glamorgan

*Key Figures.

*Audit across HE/FE institutions in Wales assessed the training and support available to artists wanting to develop skills to work in participatory settings.14 tutors were interviewed regarding 37 courses.

* 9 artists participated in case studies.

* 116 artists completed an online survey.

* 52 artists attended 5 consultations across Wales.

* 21 organisations who buy in projects completed an online survey.

*21 organisations who create projects completed an online survey. This was supported by 3 case studies.

* 27 participants were consulted using semi-structured interviews.

*Training.

*There is a lack of training- where training is offered, it usually takes place in South Wales.

*There is no coherent approach amongst academic institutions or art organisations.

*Mentoring, apprenticeships and on-the-job training are particularly valued by artists.

*There is a lack of CPD. Demand for CPD amongst participatory artists is high, and many would be willing to pay towards CPD if it was relevant and suitable.

* It is difficult to access information about participatory arts training. Few HE/FE institutions make this information explicit on their websites.

*There is a lack of Welsh language training available.

Training within academic institutions is largely

dependent on individual course leaders.

Barriers to course development include:

* Viewed by some lecturers as irrelevant.

* A belief that participatory skills cannot be taught.

* Time constraints

* Funding constraints.

* Lack of demand from students.

Most art organisations feel

that they should offer training, but many

feel unable to.

Barriers to training opportunities include:

*Time constraints

*Funding constraints

Where training is offered demand is high, and is increasing.

*Barriers to developing

training.

*Who should provide training?

*Universities, artist and art organisations agree that experienced individuals who are still active in their artistic field should train artists.

*Artists feel that mentoring, apprenticeships and on the job training are particularly good ways to develop the skills needed: learning by ‘doing’ rather than just academic study (although academic study can have a place as it is good to understand some theory).

*Art organisations also feel that they should be providing training, although very few do. Where training is provided it is often ad hoc, unaccredited, and is usually offered in South Wales.

*Artist Skills

* Artists need a wide range of skills. The skill set needed largely works across art form.

* Key skills include:* Communication skills

* Ability to work collaboratively

* Ability to manage a room

* Ability to put people at ease

* Trust

* Create a safe environment

* Project planning/ project management

* Participants expect artists to be professionals within their

field.

* The personality of the artist is very important to participants

and organisations.

* The values and beliefs of the participatory artist are very

important for organisations looking to employ artists.* Belief in the value of what they are doing.

* Belief that everyone can contribute.

* Giving ownership to participants to empower them.

Artist response from Cardiff 24/01/2012

*Accreditation

*Most organisations that employ participatory artists do not look for specific qualifications (although most will expect an arts degree).

*There is no clear call for artist accreditation from either artists or art organisations.

*There is some desire for artist accreditation amongst those who ‘buy in’ projects, although this is not a strong desire. It is more important that artists have suitable skills to deal with the specific participant group.

*Artists are concerned about how their wide ranging skills could be measured, and who would monitor/accredit this.

*Participants are concerned that accreditation would be a procedure of ‘jumping through hoops’. Organisation reputation is more important to participants than accreditation of individual artists.

*Confidence in the sector.

*Confidence amongst participatory artists is not high:*Artists feel isolated-

* An online network would be welcomed by many artists.

* Opportunities to meet other participatory artists (across art form) would be welcomed by many artists.

* Income and training for participatory artists is not suitable

*Confidence amongst organisations that create participatory projects is fairly high:

*Organisations feel connected to a wider participatory arts sector, and many feel that community groups and funders are more interested in participatory arts.

*A number of collaborations with other art organisations is undertaken. This may go some way to explain the higher confidence.

*Process and product

*Process and product are important to those involved in participatory arts projects.

*The majority of organisations that create participatory projects perceive the process to be as important as the final product within a participatory arts project.

*Organisations that buy in participatory arts projects, and individuals that take part, have high expectations. Participants expect to develop both artistic skills and soft skills.

*Quality

*A project must inspire creativity, provide space for participants to explore, and instil pride in participants- this requires a framework to ensure it is safe and fun.

*Giving participants a sense of achievement- participants should feel ownership of a project.

*Participants should learn new skills- by building up the skills of participants, artists are empowering them. This can lead to transformation.

*There should be a two-way learning process between artists and participants.

*Ensuring a quality project starts with the artist and their skills.• How do we measure

this? • How do we capture this?

*Participants

*Participants want to know how to find out about more/other projects in their local area.

*Participants feel upset when projects move on. Artists also find it hard when projects end because they invest a lot in the relationships with participants; artists would like this to be considered when establishing projects.

*Participants value the reputation of the organisation delivering a participatory project when choosing whether to participate.

*Recommendations so far…

* Develop mentoring schemes for early career artists.* Can a system be set up?

* Funding?

* Match mentors and mentees?

* Develop CPD opportunities for artists – * what CPD do artists want?

* Develop provision for Welsh language training (beyond scope of our project?).

* Work with FE/HE to make information on skills provision more explicit and less difficult to find.

* Develop an online network to enable participants to find projects.

* Develop an online network to reduce isolation amongst practitioners.

* Any scope for developing opportunities for artists to meet face to face?

* Bi-annual conference to celebrate and recognise good practice?

* Look to address issues of commissioning - more research would be needed.

* Investigate how we measure the process, and quality, of a project.

*What’s Next?

*ArtWorks Cymru research projects – 5 different participatory projects in Wales

*Learning Groups around each project, asking the creative teams specific questions

*Further consultation with artists and Higher and Further Education

*Final report to give recommendations for future actions

*Final symposium in Spring 2014 – how can the sector make it happen?

*Join in the debate

*Follow the project at www.artworksphf.co.uk

*Post your project on our ArtWorks Cymru group on Facebook and share your thoughts

*Follow us on Twitter @ArtWorksCymru