The Visual Arts Alliance was formed during the pandemic to offer direct and urgent support for the sector. A group of support organisations from across the UK came together to ensure that the value and importance of artists, art workers and the sector as a whole was recognised and protected at a time of national crisis. To date, the Alliance has generated the following programmes of work:
- The continuation of the Museums Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief.
- Specific investment for individual artists and independent art workers.
- Art Is Essential Campaign that brought the sector together to reveal our value online and create collective support.
Proposed Mission and Values
- Protect and promote the visual arts’ value and push for dedicated support for the artists, makers, creators, and freelancers who make art happen.
- Instigate systemic change within the sector addressing inequalities by dismantling institutionally negative attitudes to class, race and sexuality.
- Continue our urgent shift to environmentally sustainable practices, supporting our communities by sourcing skills, fabrication, and materials locally.
- Work towards a circular economy where artists, organisations and institutions are a significant and sustainable contributor to our commonwealth.
Sector objectives
- Ensure an unwavering, long-term commitment to social and climate justice across all levels of the national ecology of artists, artist-led initiatives, small-to-medium organisations and institutions.
- Set standards / promote art world best practices around payment, commissioning, and valuing artists and their rights.
External objectives
- Advocate for the importance and value of the visual arts and artists.
- Campaign for sustained public investment in the sector and artists.
- Develop and communicate policy ideas that are beneficial for the sector and artists.
Members (to date)
a-n The Artists Information Company; Artquest; Axis Web; Black Curators Collective; CHEAD Council for Higher Education Art & Design; Creative Space Network; Curator Space; Nine CVAN regions; ENGAGE DACS; Guild, Easy St Arts; International Curators Forum; IXIA Public Art; Plus Tate; Migrants In Culture; SCAN Scottish Contemporary Art Network; Visual Artists Ireland; Visual Arts Group Wales; We Shall Not Be Removed; RED EYE Photography Network
If you wish to join the Alliance, please email info@cvan.art