HOW TO
ENTER THE
ART WORLD

Online, Everywhere

Courses and Classes

Contemporary Art Academy
Affordable online art courses, including a Crit Programme, a variety of development courses and online talks.  
contemporaryartacademy.com

Drawing is Free
Created in 2013 by artist Chloe Briggs in Paris. Among other things, Drawing is Free offers live online portrait drawing sessions, usually on Monday mornings and evenings which are free and open to all.
drawingisfree.org

Rise & Repaint
Based in Canada and accessible internationally, R&R is an online community platform dedicated to advancing the careers of women and non-binary visual artists. They offer daily artist community support, weekly peer to peer networking, monthly gallery connections and annual exhibition opportunities.
riseandrepaint.com

Work Show Grow 
Based in Margate but working internationally – an educational online community for creatives from all levels, stages and entry points, which supports your growth through school membership, mentorship, workshops and events. Work Show Grow was founded in 2018 by Natasha Caruana, an award-winning and internationally recognised artist and educator. 
workshowgrow.com

Professional Associations

Cartoonist Cooperative
Member-run organization that aims to improve and protect the careers of comics workers globally. We are artists, letterers, colorists, writers. We are online, we are in your local comics shop, we are in your library- we’re everywhere. Cartoonists and other sequential arts industry workers are often treated as disposable by the companies that employ us and publish our work. We’re forced into unhealthy and unsustainable schedules, strong armed into terrible rates, and rarely ever receive future returns on our hard work. For our medium to continue growing, this needs to stop.
cartoonist.coop

IllustrationLadies
A growing creative network for professional illustrators hosted in cities around the globe. We want to support women and encourage conversations in a field, where it’s often every (wo)man for themselves. By fostering contacts and sharing information within the network, we help individuals succeed in their business. Our network celebrates the diversity of our illustrators and creates visibility for the profession.
illustrationladies.com

Directories of International Residencies

ArtConnect
Search platform for residencies, open calls, grants, exhibitions, awards and other professional opportunities. 
artconnect.com

Artist Communities Alliance
International association of artist residencies. Lists organisations, residency programs and open calls.
artistcommunities.org

On The Move
Resources for artists and culture professionals who want to work internationally, including funding guides, grant schemes and open calls.
on-the-move.org

Res Artis
Member organisation for international arts residencies field featuring over 700 vetted residencies in over 85 countries. Great site to use if you’re looking for an artist residency.
resartis.org

TransArtists
Dutch organisation listing 1400 artist residencies worldwide, as well as dozens of residencies in the Netherlands. They also offer support – such as workshops – for artists thinking of applying to a residency.
transartists.org

UK

Artists Associations and Support

a-n The Artists Information Company
Guided by our members and advised by our Artists Council, we campaign on crucial issues, from fair pay to intellectual property, ensuring that artists’ voices are heard and shaping policy at the highest level. Open to every artist, our inclusive, open-minded community connects members to the services and opportunities they need to thrive, empowering them to make change for the better.
a-n.co.uk

Artists Futures Fund 
Supports talented individuals facing significant barriers to building sustainable futures in the arts. Prioritises emerging artists experiencing economic hardship, disability and mental-health challenges. Support includes place-based fellowships, bursaries, mentoring, exhibitions, networking and professional development. 
artistsfuturesfund.org

Artist Union England
Artists' Union England is the trade union for visual, applied and socially engaged artists in England. A membership to Artists’ Union England gets you professional support and access to resources, including: Public and Products Liability (PPL) insurance; 30 minutes free legal advice; Access to resources about artists’ issues; free training and study opportunities; free tax advice for artists. Their page outlining recommended rates of pay for artists is an invaluable resource.
artistsunionengland.org.uk

Artquest
Artquest works inside and outside the arts to help make the art world more equitable for all artists. Free, online resources cover every aspect of a visual artist’s practice: from contracts and copyright, commissions and internships, avoiding burnout and selling work. The Artquest Exchange network puts you in contact with artists around the corner or around the world.
artquest.org.uk

Arts Emergency
An alternative ‘old boy network’ for young people who need it most. Provides mentoring, community action, contacts and professional opportunities across diverse artforms.
arts-emergency.org

AXIS
A platform for contemporary visual arts. Supports practice, visibility, and community to help artists develop, connect, and keep going. Axis offers curated showcases, digital platforms, artist resources & opportunities, public programmes and collaborations with organisations and communities.
axisweb.org

Contemporary British Painting (CBP)
Founded in 2013, Contemporary British Painting is an artist-led organisation which explores and promotes current trends in British painting through group exhibitions, talks, publications, and other activities. The group is run entirely by volunteers from within the membership.
contemporarybritishpainting.com

Contemporary British Portrait Painters
A non-profit collective run by, and for, its members, who share a common interest in exploring fresh, contemporary perspectives on what it means to represent people in art. Aims to promote diversity, accessibility and inclusion amongst sitters, painters and viewers. Holds regular group exhibitions. 
thecbpp.org

Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS)
Founded in 1984, DACS is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to championing, protecting and managing the rights of artists, and maximising their royalties. Through our services we: collect and distribute royalties; provide information on visual art copyright; set up licensing agreements; support art market professionals.
dacs.org.uk

Digital Culture Network
Run by Arts Council England (ACE), a resource to help artists and arts organisations develop and increase their digital skills through one-to-one support, events, webinars and resources. England only.
digitalculturenetwork.org.uk

Engage
Support and advocacy organisation for engagement and participation in the visual arts, promote inclusive access to the visual arts for the benefit of broad and diverse audiences. Among other things, Engage supports visual artists that work in community settings.
engage.org

FRANK Fair Artists Pay
A not-for-profit fighting for fair practice in the arts, by providing applicable tools to build fair, transparent and equitable collaborations within the arts sector. FRANK focusses on fair practice in the arts, specifically in the UK and underlines the specific role that economic parity plays in ensuring these principles that unite all public and private art institutions and funding bodies today. Resources on the website include a fair pay calculator and project production budget template.
frankfairartistpay.com

Hugo Burge Foundation 
Independent charity based in the Scottish borders, dedicated to supporting the arts and crafts across the United Kingdom. Offers grants, prizes, residencies and studio spaces to artists and craftspeople, provide funding to arts organisations, community groups and major public art projects, and work closely with educational institutions and charities to improve access to creative learning. 
hugoburgefoundation.org

Institute of International Visual Arts (iniva) 
Charity based in Pimlico, London. Founded to challenge inequalities in the visual arts, since1994 they have created spaces for Black and Global Majority artists and communities, nurturing creative practices and expanding the ways we understand art, culture and society. 
iniva.org

International Curators Forum (ICF)
ICF supports and champions the work of creative and cultural practitioners from underrepresented backgrounds, with a particular focus on emerging artists and curators. Based in London, ICF has conceived and produced projects with artists, curators and thinkers across the UK, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. 
internationalcuratorsforum.org

Metal 
Working deeply within communities and on a national and international scale, Metal currently has sites in Liverpool, Peterborough and Southend-on-Sea. They support artists, produce art events, convene networks, support new creative programmes, initiatives or organisations to get off the ground; and create opportunities for people to have a say in art and culture where they live.
metalculture.com

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust
Charity funding training and education for makers in the UK’s craft sector.
qest.org.uk

Scottish Artists Union 
Union for all visual and applied artists living and working in Scotland. Membership benefits include free product and public liability insurance, free professional indemnity cover, 30 mins free legal advice, free access to workshops and training events, discounts on art materials at many art retail outlets throughout Scotland. Access to a network of advice, guidance and support on all aspects of professional art practice, including payment disputes and contract negotiations.
artistsunion.scot

SHEROES COLLECTIVE 
An arts organisation based in London that uses art to raise awareness about gender-based violence and to challenge how women are represented in our visual culture. Through the universal language of art, we spark vital conversations and inspire action towards gender equality.
whoisyourshero.com

Society of Scottish Artists
Largest artist-led organisation in Scotland, with 1800 members based all over the world. Welcomes artists of all disciplines and backgrounds, at every stage of their careers. 
s-s-a.org

The White Pube 
Alongside their iconoclastic reviews and podcasts, The White Pube’s website hosts a library of successful funding applications which is invaluable for anyone wishing to know what they should be aiming for in writing their own. They also award a monthly grant to working class artists. 
thewhitepube.co.uk

Welsh Group 
Artists' collective, with the purpose of exhibiting and "giving a voice" to the visual arts in Wales.
thewelshgroup-art.com

Working Class Creatives (WCC)
Arts organisation confronting class-based issues within creative industries. Putting working-class creatives at the forefront and creating a space for conversation, connections, and sharing of opportunities, skills, and knowledge.
workingclasscreativesdatabase.co.uk

Alternative Art Schools

Apollo Painting School 
Independent, non-profit intensive programme for emerging painters, founded in 2023 by Alice Amati, Louise Giovanelli, and Ian Hartshorne. The programme offers a three-month summer experience combining online sessions, in-person teaching in Manchester (UK), and a residency in Latina (Italy). The programme is committed to widening access and supporting artists from diverse personal and professional circumstances, including candidates who require financial assistance through tiered support options.
apollopaintingschool.com

The Essential School of Painting (ESOP) 
An alternative art school based in Wood Green, London, specialising in year long and short courses taught by leading contemporary artists. Classes are available for all levels of experience. Established in 2004, by Alison Harper and Andrew Wamae, ESOP has over 20 years experience of offering flexible, high quality art education. Our courses range from our Masters level 2 year Advanced Painting course to our year-long advanced and post graduate programmes at BA, Foundation and beginner levels.
theessentialschoolofpainting.com

Islington Mill Art Academy
Free peer-led art school, open to anyone who wants to be an artist. Learning activity (workshops, crits, coaching, group residencies and projects) is shared and led by the energy and ideas of the current student-members. The Academy is not formally accredited; students choose to graduate when they feel ready to work more independently as artists.
islingtonmill.com/about-us/islington-mill-art-academy

Mass
From the team that started Turps, Mass offers an off-site sculpture program, mentoring and correspondence course, run by sculptors for sculptors.
masseducation.co.uk

Open School East 
Free, independent art school and community space in Margate, Kent, that focuses on collective learning through the arts. Supports cultural practitioners to develop and sustain their practice; enables adults and young people to learn new and transferable skills, and to shape their creative voice by becoming active learners and co-producers of OSE’s programmes. Free, informal and welcoming learning environment for people from all walks of life.
openschooleast.org

Royal Drawing School
Artist-led, not-for-profit, home of observational drawing. Offers over 350 drawing and printmaking courses each year from one year in-person and online courses to short drop in life drawing sessions. Concessions offered for primary and secondary school art teachers, art tutors, NHS workers, over 60s, Jobseekers and recipients of disability benefits.
royaldrawingschool.org

School of the Damned (SotD) 
An arts and educational platform. Re-forming on an annual basis, each cohort has the opportunity to define the agenda and produce work and events individually and collectively. SotD has no tuition fees, is student led and peer supported. We use our collective resources and networks to make the things we want to happen, happen. 
@schoolofthedamned

The Other MA (TOMA)
An artist-run education model founded on a belief in life-long and life-wide learning.
We’re based in Southend-on-Sea and are open to all, while prioritising those who have faced barriers to participating in traditional arts education.
toma-art.com

Turps
In a climate where there is growing disquiet about the quality of painting tuition, inadequate tutorial input and isolation in traditional studio set ups, Turps was founded as an artist-led painting programme.  They offer a one-year studio program, an off-site mentoring program for artists in London, Margate and East Sussex, a correspondence course, and a variety of short courses and group crits.
turpsbanana.com

Advisors and Coaches

Ceri Hand
Creative coaching, mentoring, online courses, and community for contemporary artists and arts professionals. Members receive a guide to writing proposals as well as access to articles offering insights into selling and promoting your work. Founder Ceri Hand is the presenter of the long-running Extraordinary Creatives podcast.
cerihand.com

Funding with Mina
Guidance and support with funding applications for UK-based creatives. Mina shares info on upcoming funding opportunities and offers tips and masterclasses on writing budgets and applications.
@fundingwithmina

SEEN
Founded by Carrie Scott, Seen is a consultancy that works with both artists and collectors. Offers unvarnished insights on the art world through mentoring, newsletters, and video content with art world insiders. Also offer nifty stuff like a downloadable template that helps you to organise, track and manage your inventory.
seen.art

Medium-Specific Resources and Associations

AGITATE 
An artist-run photography collective based in Edinburgh. Our goal is to provide opportunities, nurture artist development, and support photographers to make things happen. Members gain access to our making space, members’ events, Patreon platform, and more.
agitate.scot

Clay Commons 
National membership programme connecting creative professionals working in clay. Our mission is to build an accessible, resilient and creative network of ceramic activity across the UK, challenging systemic issues in the field and reframing clay as a catalyst for societal change.
theclaycommons.org

Computer Arts Society (CAS) 
Founded in 1968 to promote an understanding of the role of digital and electronic media in the arts. As it has developed over time, a key aim has become to ensure that the long history of the computer arts is recognised by contemporary artists, technologists, audiences and collectors. The society currently organises talks, events, exhibitions and performances, and uses social media to highlight the ways that digital and electronic technologies can be of value to the creative sector. 
computer-arts-society.com

Digital Archive of Artists’ Publishing (DAAP) 
Interactive, user-driven, searchable database of artists’ books and publications, that acts as a hub to engage with others, built by artists, publishers and a community of creative practitioners in contemporary artists’ publishing, 
daap.network

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
Subsidised studios, open access to affordable workspaces and specialist facilities as well as training and professional development. Commission new work, provide funding through a year-round programme of residencies and employ artists across all areas of activity.
edinburghsculpture.org

Glasgow Sculpture Studios (GSS)
Studio space and community of artists working in sculpture. Largest art production facility in Scotland, with specialist workshops in metalwork, woodwork, plaster, resin, ceramics and digital fabrication. GSS has a technical team who provide support to workshop users and run a specialist fabrication service. As well as providing affordable access to specialist skills and production space for professional artists and makers, GSS share facilities and creative and technical skills with wider groups of people through their learning and engagement programme. 
glasgowsculpturestudios.org

Pangaea Sculptors’ Centre (PSC)
Supports artists, communities and the wider sector to make sculpture that transforms places and society. PSC offers training and skills development, offers opportunities including exhibitions, commissions and sector support; and provides art fabrication services and technical mentoring to realise ambitious sculptural work.
pangaeasculptorscentre.com

POST Photo Collective
A supportive collective of artist photographers, who are also mothers, from across the U.K. and beyond. POST was formed during Lockdown in 2021 as a way of supporting each other to maintain a practice during the intensity of homeschooling, giving birth during the pandemic and other family responsibilities. POST continues to meet on a monthly basis and has become a valuable support group for its members.
postphotocollective.co.uk

Scottish Sculpture Workshop
Sculpture centre in Aberdeenshire offering a range of facilities for artists, makers and individuals to use, including a metal fabrication workshop, ceramics studio, plaster room, yard with areas for stone carving and forging, communal studio space with a library and a community making space. Offers courses and a residency program.
ssw.org.uk

The Good Ship Illustration
Online courses and content to help illustrators and image-makers navigate a creative career. Free workshops, templates, audio drawing guides, podcasts and a live Art Club on Instagram where we do timed drawings on different themes. 
thegoodshipillustration.com

UK Black Female Photographers Community (UKBFTOG)
UKBFTOG is an award-winning community created to help Black women connect and thrive in the photography industry. In a field still dominated by men, finding others who share our experiences as Black women was once a challenge. Being the only Black female photographer in the room often felt isolating — but not anymore. UKBFTOG was built so we no longer have to navigate this industry alone. Here, we grow, support, and uplift one another.
ukbftog.com

Neurodiversity and Disability Support Organisations

Outside In 
A platform for artists who encounter significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance, or isolation. Outside In provides a digital platform for artists to show their work and three programmes of activity: artist development, exhibitions, and training. Outside In aims to create a fairer art world by supporting artists, creating opportunities, and influencing arts organisations.
outsidein.org.uk

Shape Arts
Disability-led arts organisation which works to improve access to culture for disabled people by providing opportunities for disabled creatives, training cultural institutions to be more open to disabled people, and through running participatory arts and development programmes. 
shapearts.org.uk

University of Atypical
Based in Belfast, an organisation led by disabled people, to support and promote work by d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in Northern Ireland and beyond. The Atypical Gallery delivers a year-round programme of exhibitions. As well as offering artist support programmes, training programmes, and employment opportunities, University of Atypical administers the Arts and Disability Access Awards, a support and accreditation scheme in accessibility best practice for arts organisations.
universityofatypical.org

Unlimited
Headquartered in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Unlimited commissions, funds and promotes disabled-led work, and collaborates with disabled artists throughout the UK to support and further their work and career. 
weareunlimited.org.uk

Studio Providers

ACAVA Arts
Leading arts education charity founded in the early 1970s. Progressive affordable studio and workspace providers with spaces in London, Essex and Stoke on Trent. ACAVA provides workspace for 400 visual artists and creative practitioners as well as professional development programmes.
acava.org

ACME
Charity based in London which provides affordable studios, work/live space and a programme of residencies and awards.
acme.org.uk

Bomb Factory Art Foundation
A charitable arts organisation that transforms vacant buildings across London into vibrant cultural hubs. Over the last decade, we have provided affordable studios for artists, presented exhibitions that challenge the status quo, and run free public programmes that make art accessible to the communities we serve.
bombfactory.org.uk

Hypha Studios
Since 2021, this arts charity has opened up empty commercial spaces across the UK as free studio and exhibition spaces for artists. All opportunities are through free-to-apply open calls. Over 2,700 artists have already been awarded free space to show & make art.
hyphastudios.com

Islington Mill 
Established in Salford in 2000, now home to over 100 resident artists and collectives. Also operates studios in the adjacent Regents Trading Estate, plus event spaces and a community garden. The Mill is a vibrant and resourceful cross-disciplinary creative network fostering connections, collaboration and co-creation. A focal point for the north-west’s arts community, as well as visiting international artists and exchanges.
islingtonmill.com

Mother House Studios
The first and only artists studio model with integrated childcare, based in Lewisham, London. Founded by Procreate Project, MHS is a pioneering model based on integration, offering a working space, a dedicated and open-plan laboratory for artists to work, and an interconnected, inspiring space, dedicated to children who have the freedom to move between the two rooms.
motherhousestudios.com

Mothership Studio
A creative studio space with inbuilt radical childcare provision, dedicated to supporting mothers and primary caregivers in balancing their artistic practice with family life. Our studios are part of the wider Stryx community, offering an inclusive and collaborative environment tailored to your needs.
stryx.co.uk/Mothership-Studio

Stryx 
Artist led studio, project and exhibition space based Birmingham with
Galleries in Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter. Support artists through residencies, exhibitions, mentoring, workshops and peer sessions, helping creatives connect, develop their practice and access training opportunities. Also run Mothership Studio, supporting creative mothers continuing their art careers. 
stryx.co.uk

Regional Artist Associations 

Birmingham: Luna
A grassroots network for women, women-identifying and non-binary people working with photography who are based in Birmingham and the West Midlands. We offer a supportive space to share work, build creative confidence, collaborate with peers and develop skills. 
sites.google.com/view/lunaphoto/about

Cambridgeshire: Neotists
We are a community of creative professionals in the St Neots and Huntingdon area. Founded in 2014 to bring designers, artists, illustrators and photographers together to kick-start a dormant creative community in St Neots, we now have almost 350 members. We work with other non-profit organisations, local government, schools, businesses, creative professionals and the public to provide opportunities for local creatives to meet, share ideas, collaborate on projects and run workshops and events for the community.
neotists.co.uk

Cumbria Arts & Culture Network
We bring the arts and cultural sector together across Cumbria. We do this by hosting regular online and in-person meetings enabling people to connect, share ideas and develop projects, helping people communicate effectively and reducing duplication.
cacn.co.uk

East Anglia: Movement Connects
Community of 70 members from across East Anglia. Conduct weekly Open Practice sessions, providing a consistent space for practitioners to refine their skills and connect with peers. Monthly professional classes, continued professional development (CPD) events, and member showcases
movementconnects.org.uk

East Anglia: Outpost
Artist-led charity based in Norwich based around the OUTPOST Gallery on Wensum Street, Tombland.  Programming and community activity is coordinated by a volunteer-based steering committee formed of local creatives. The charity operates a membership scheme which is open to anyone to join and offers an annual members exhibition and other member only opportunities. 
norwichoutpost.org

London: Collective Ending
Artist-led initiative that supports emerging artists by providing them with opportunities to explore and develop their practices in ambitious and experimental settings Collective Ending HQ is a collectively run studio and gallery complex in Deptford, South East London.
collectivending.com

London Art Services
Artist run gallery, studios and creative writing platform based in Deptford.
LAS hosts ongoing opportunities and open calls for exhibitions, public commissions, and collaborations with external organisations and artists.
londonartservices.com

London: Assemblage Collective
An arts collective based in London specialising in hands-on artistic workshops with an emphasis on papercrafting and creativity as a tool for bringing people together. Assemblage is in residence at the Foundling Museum, hosting 10 workshops a year for young adults, and also delivers a range of art workshops at different venues across London.
assemblagecollective.wordpress.com

London: Conditions 
Based in Croydon, Conditions is a low-cost studio programme for artists. It gives studio space and structured critical conversations to develop each artist’s work, as well as encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and collective work. Conditions offers participating artists a programme of talks, support and workshops from a wide range of Associates comprising artists, writers, musicians, performers, curators and educators.
conditions.studio

London: Kindred Studios
Artist studios, ceramics workshop and community hub in North Kensington, London. Free programme of professional development, peer to peer crits, artist talks and art sales. 280 artists on site, 24/7 access.
kindredstudios.co.uk

London: Kingsgate Workshops / Kingsgate Project Space
Multi-use art space housed within a labyrinthine Victorian factory, providing affordable workspace for an exciting mix of artists, makers and designers. Kingsgate Workshops’ Public Programme encourages experimentation, production and critical discourse.  We support a crossover between disciplines, an exchange of skills and the development of critical and timely conversations about process, image making and object making. Our Project Space aims to profile a diverse range of contemporary national and international artists with a focus on emerging talent.
kingsgateworkshops.org.uk

London: Metroland Cultures
Studio and arts organisation in a former health clinic behind Kilburn Market in Brent, North West London. Runs a free, year-round public programme including exhibitions, events, workshops, studio residencies, artist development initiatives, and a biennial festival across the neighbourhood.
metrolandcultures.com

London: Other Cinemas 
Artist-led project that uses film to bring people together to imagine and build just futures for Black and non-white communities. Offers community screenings, a film school and film production. Based in Metroland Cultures in Brent.
othercinemas.co.uk

London: RuptureXIBIT
An inclusive, artist-run space/art incubator located in Hampton Wick, London. Home to art mentoring and writing mentoring, workshops, intensive immersive residencies and experimental exhibitions.
rupturexibit.com

London: Sarabande
The late designer Lee Alexander McQueen established Sarabande as a charitable foundation with the ambition to support the most creatively fearless minds of the future. Located in Haggerston, London, Sarabande has nurtured more than 320 artists and designers, and supported tens of thousands more through a pioneering public programme of events. Sarabande’s support is offered in three core ways – scholarships to study at top level institutions in London, a subsidised studio programme with bespoke mentoring, and a public programme of on-site events for the wider creatives industries.
sarabandefoundation.org

London: studio1.1 
An artist-run, not for profit space began in April 2003 with no particular battle-plan. We have evolved with a range of shows as diverse as possible, presenting artists at any stage of their career, from any country, in any discipline. Our commitment is to the work itself, and to fostering the three-way relationship between artist, artwork, and viewer. Artist members have access to crits and exhibition projects.
studio1-1.co.uk

North East: The Auxiliary 
Artist-led organisation and community based in an 11,000sq ft creative complex in the heart of Middlesbrough. Home to 25 studios, an exhibition space, an experimental music venue, a community programme and two annual festivals.
theauxiliary.co.uk

North East: The NewBridge Project 
Artist-led community in Newcastle upon Tyne, supporting the development of artists, curators and communities through the provision of space for creative practice, curatorial opportunities and an ambitious artist-led programme of exhibitions, projects, artist development and events.
thenewbridgeproject.com

North West: Castlefield Gallery
Contemporary art gallery and artist development organisation in Manchester, also working off-site, online and in the public realm.
castlefieldgallery.co.uk

Scotland: Creative Arts Business Network
Supports the professional creative sector in the Scottish Borders, with a focus on creative micro-businesses across all art forms. We also engage with, and provide support to sectoral organisations and community groups, and work with a range of partners to develop further opportunities. CABN supports primarily through its core function as a Network - providing information relevant to the creative sector through the CABN website, monthly e-bulletin and social media. 
cabn.info

Scotland: Applied Arts Scotland 
Membership organisation run by makers for makers delivering events, projects and discussions, building skills and encouraging self-sufficiency and confidence. Members are located across Scotland.
appliedartsscotland.org.uk

Scotland: New Media Scotland 
National development agency fostering artist and audience engagement with all forms of new media practice. 
mediascot.org

Scotland: Edinburgh Tool Library
Tool Library from which you can borrow from an inventory of thousands of items. Members share skills and knowledge through classes and open sessions.
edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk

Scotland: Craft Scotland 
National development agency supporting makers and promoting craft.
craftscotland.org

South East: Amici Studios
Multi-use creative space in Hastings, East Sussex, delivering collaborative exhibitions, events and learning activity for artists, creative practitioners and local communities including a regular “Crit Club” meet ups and focused sessions with guest artists and art-world figures.
amici.art

South East: Chapel Arts Studios (CAS)
Socially engaged contemporary visual arts charity based in Andover, Hampshire. We develop and nurture artists of all ages to maximise their potential and inspire our communities by sharing high quality art with them. CAS Associate Artist program provides learning and professional development opportunities to a local network of artists.
chapelartsstudios.co.uk

South East: Blue Monkey Network 
Aims to provide opportunities for networking and professional creative development for East Sussex artists. Supported by Towner Eastbourne, Blue Monkey Network runs regular monthly events aimed at promoting the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge between artists, curators, and arts organisations.
bluemonkeynet.org

South West: FORM-ica
Situated in a former factory, FORM-ica is an Independent Collective of Artists.
form-ica.com

South West: Artful Collective 
Community of independent artists and makers in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset who come together to celebrate creativity in all its forms.  Our Artists Directory features the work of our members. We provide a space for emerging talent as well as established artists, giving our audience access to unique art that can’t be found anywhere else.
artfulcollective.co.uk

South West: Somerset Art Works 
A dynamic charity dedicated to connecting people with creativity and developing visual arts across Somerset. Collaborating with a wide range of partners, SAW enable ambitious projects, support artistic development, and create inclusive and sustainable opportunities for artists and communities to come together and spark positive change.
somersetartworks.org.uk

South West: Contemporary Art Membership Platform (CAMP Membership CIC) 
Member-led support and professional development network for artists, arts workers, and other creatives. CAMP collectively promotes and supports doing, making, and sharing contemporary art across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
camp-membership.org

South West: Visual Arts South West 
Founded in 2012 to advocate for the region, supporting independent artists, art workers and organisations in the visual arts. Spans the whole of the South West of England, from Cornwall to the Cotswolds and the Isle of Wight.
vasw.org.uk

South West: Creative Kernow Associates
A membership and support programme for the creative and cultural sectors in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Offers resources, opportunities, events and one-to-one support for artists.
associates.creativekernow.org.uk

South West: Newlyn Society of Artists
Professional contemporary artists working across all disciplines living in or strongly connected to Cornwall. The NSA is run by an annually elected committee promoting two regular exhibitions each year in partnership with the Tremeneere Gallery, a new, purpose-built, contemporary gallery space. The Society organises other occasional exhibitions and events and continues to seek new opportunities for the membership.
nsanewlyn.com

South West: Newlyn School of Art
Art school situated in the artistic colony of Newlyn in Cornwall. Provides a range of in person and online short courses, year-long courses, part time courses and mentoring.
newlynartschool.co.uk

Yorkshire: Artist Professional Support (APS) 
Artist led organisation in Leeds focused on artist support, mentoring, and community led creative practice. Work across all forms of art to support people to make work, build confidence, and stay connected through mentoring, peer programmes, exhibitions, and practical professional support. APS exists to reduce barriers in the arts and to create space for artists to grow without needing to justify who they are or how they work.
aireplacestudios.com

Yorkshire: Bradford Producing Hub
BPH supports creatives and arts organisations through funding, mentoring, training, development, and networking opportunities to platform Bradford as a district that nurtures and celebrates homegrown talent.
bdproducinghub.co.uk

Yorkshire: YSI Sculpture Network
Yorkshire Sculpture International’s joint professional development programme focuses on nourishing creative practice and pathways in Yorkshire. Since 2020, they’ve supported more than sixty artists working across expanded and interdisciplinary approaches to sculpture.
henry-moore.org/what-we-do/about-us/yorkshire-sculpture-international/

For Artist Parents

The Art Working Parents Alliance (AWP)
Support network and advocacy group for all parents in the visual arts. AWP offers mentoring, resources and access to local groups around the UK. Further links to artist-parent friendly organisations on the AWP website. Sign up for regular newsletters, in-person and online events.
artworkingparents.com

Mother Who Make
M/Others Who Make is an international initiative connecting and supporting women and non-binary people to thrive in their creative paths, alongside sustaining their caring roles, of self and others. We aim to enrich our community through peer support, mentorship, events, scratch work sharings, and creative opportunities. Visit the website to find hubs around the UK.
motherswhomake.org

Mother House Studios
The first and only artists studio model with integrated childcare, based in Lewisham, London. Founded by Procreate Project, MHS is a pioneering model based on integration, offering a working space, a dedicated and open-plan laboratory for artists to work, and an interconnected, inspiring space, dedicated to children who have the freedom to move between the two rooms.
motherhousestudios.com

Mothership Studio
A creative studio space with inbuilt radical childcare provision, dedicated to supporting mothers and primary caregivers in balancing their artistic practice with family life. Our studios are part of the wider Stryx community, offering an inclusive and collaborative environment tailored to your needs.
stryx.co.uk/Mothership-Studio

POST Photo Collective
A supportive collective of artist photographers, who are also mothers, from across the U.K. and beyond. POST was formed during Lockdown in 2021 as a way of supporting each other to maintain a practice during the intensity of homeschooling, giving birth during the pandemic and other family responsibilities. POST continues to meet on a monthly basis and has become a valuable support group for its members.
postphotocollective.co.uk

The Daylight Collective, Exeter
Curate art and culture experiences to support parents to connect to their identity and each other. Through support circles, artist workshops and our daytime performance programme ‘Daylight Sessions’, our work aims to develop connected, creative and empowered communities of parents. We model parent-friendly spaces, where children are welcome too, and advocate for parent accessible audiences. We create employment and career development opportunities for artist parents.
lizzyhumber.com/daylightcollective

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