ActionSpace joined the inaugural symposium Humanising the Arts hosted by Outside In
18 – 19 January 2024
Fabrica, Brighton and Hove Museum of Creativity
ActionSpace’s Artistic Director & CEO, Sheryll Catto was invited to speak at the inaugural symposium Humanising the Arts, hosted by Outside In. The symposium focused on how we can create a more humane art world and human approach to supporting artists and examined the changes needed in the arts infrastructure in order to create lasting change. International delegates included Madeleine Haddon (V&A East), Frances Christie (formerly Sotheby’s) and Thomas Röske (Prinzhorn Collection).
The event was chaired by Outside In’s founder and director Marc Steene and had two areas of focus, Supporting Artists and Changing the Art World for Good.
Supporting Artists focused on how best to support artists in creating their work, developing their own style without undue influence and to find the means and techniques best suited to them. It considered the skill and nuance needed when working with artists in need of support and how to avoid the pitfalls of defaulting to conventional methods and thinking as to what art is and how it is made. Panellists included representatives from leading supported studios across the UK: Amanda Sutton (Venture Arts, Manchester), Martin Swan (Project Art Works), Sheryll Catto (ActionSpace), Laurence Ward (Community Art Project, Darlington) and Elizabeth Gibson (Project Ability, Glasgow).
Changing the Art World for Good focused on how to create lasting change in the art world and exactly what needs to change, debating the language, terminology and methodology used in the art world. It also examined rethinking art world structures and the need for coming up with new terms and systems that work for a wider community of creators and audiences. Panellists included artist Dannielle Hodson, Madeleine Haddon, Hans Looijen and Thomas Roeske and was chaired by Frances Christie.
