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DEVELOPING VIRTUAL SESSIONS FOR STUDENTS
We've been helping artists and unis develop 'virtual' sessions to support students while they work from home. Its been great to see our community of current and alumni AA2A Engage artists, recording sessions and talking live to groups of students about their practice, self-employment and how to get established after graduation. The image above shows Emma Grzonkowski presenting, as part of a recent online talk given by current AA2A artists for Chester Uni students.
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AA2A RESIDENCIES SUPPORT EMPLOYABILITY
We are now inviting approaches from new unis and colleges interested in joining our current list of hosts. HEIs can now host up to six artists and designer-makers as part of AA2A's £1,400 'Employability package'. Next year one of the placements can be offered to a graduating student wanting to go self-employed, allowing other students to follow their journey into self-employment. Although 47% of creative graduates go self-employed, they often lack the confidence to register on graduation. AA2A increases student knowledge of self-employment by providing digital packs, presentations and social media support groups.
A £950 'Introductory package' is also available for new host HEIs, with just two artists or designer-makers for the first year.
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STILL CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF AA2A
We are currently working with Axisweb to create a content rich digital celebration of AA2A, featuring the work of some of the 2,000 artists, designer-makers and students who've benefitted from taking part at host Unis around the country. Also, in this newsletter, we're continuing to feature past AA2A artists in 'Where are they now ?...'
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 Hetain Patel
Hetain was on AA2A 15 years ago. During his residency at Derby Uni, he produced large-scale photographic prints as part of ACE's 'Decibel' award. Working as a visual artist and performance maker, Hetain is interested in connecting marginalised identities with the mainstream in an effort to destabilise notions of authenticity and promote personal freedom. His work often explores fantasy through a DIY domestic lens. He has performed at venues as diverse as the Royal Opera House and the Edinburgh Festival and has toured internationally. Since 2013 his TED talk has had over 2.5 million views, and in 2019 he won the Film London Jarman Award.
Image: sculpture entitled 'Letter to Peter Parker' 2015
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 Kathryn Poole
Kathryn was an AA2A Student Rep at Uni of Central Lancs 6 years ago. Of her time as a Rep she says... "The AA2A experience has been invaluable to me and I am incredibly happy to have been a part of it". She still works with AA2A artists and students, as after graduating with an MA in 2016, she became a print technician at the Uni. Kathryn continues her practice using observational drawings, printmaking and bookbinding to explore the natural history collections in museums. Currently experimenting with watercolour and ceramics she is working on a series of bird paintings from the Liverpool World Museum. Winning many prizes for her work, she was a finalist in the 'Signature Art Prize' in 2019, and recently completed a commission for the Harris, celebrating Preston's shared heritage with Courtauld's textiles. Image: 'Red Scar II' , commissioned by Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library, Preston
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Emma was an AA2A artist eight years ago at Chelsea College of Art & Design. She graduated from the RCA with a PhD in textiles in 2000. A painter and installation artist, her work explores the relationship between abuse;and escapism using colour, form and spontaneous mark-making. Using work made while on AA2A she was selected for the Young Masters’ Art Prize exhibition in 2012. Emma has gone on to another residency more recently in Los Angeles.
Emma says... “Hand on heart, my AA2A experience, the project itself and the students I worked with, led directly to me working in Los Angeles with some of the most important people in the art world today.”
Emma is a founding director of the 'Textiles Hub London' and its offshoot, the 'Slow Textiles' group, which promotes sustainable practice.
image: 'Symmetries & repeats' 2017 photo: Cristina Schek
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'ON A POSITIVE NOTE...'
We've started a new feature on our social media channels called 'On a positive note'. It highlights what our artists have been doing to continue making work and stay connected to the creative community while at home. Our thanks so far to artists Alex Roberts, Sue Rowland, Flora Malpas, Liz Harrington, Tod Jones, John A. Blythe and AA2A Student Rep Christine Stones (image above) for their contributions. AA2A Artists and Reps can share their ideas by uploading them to their AA2A webpage or emailing them to us. |
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USEFUL ADVICE...
SELF-EMPLOYED or FREELANCE? - we're trying to clarify terms which are often used either wrongly or in a confusing way. Check out our new Useful Advice webpage to see why we're promoting the use of the term 'Self-employed' rather than 'Freelancer'. |
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Copyright © 2020 AA2A Ltd, all rights reserved
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