APD Members

UK and international information and advocacy organisation. Publications include www.a-n.co.uk,  a-n Magazine,  Code of Practice for the Visual Arts and Signpost, relevant to art and design students, visual artists at all career stages, educationalists and artists’ trainers and advisers. The AIR (Artists' Interaction & Representation) scheme launched in 2006 provides enhanced benefits and support for practising artists.  

AA2A is a national project currently operating in 20 visual art and design departments in art colleges and universities across England. Run by the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design, AA2A offers artists & designer-makers the opportunity to undertake a period of research or realise a project using the college's facilities such as workshops, lending library and lecture programme. Each year over 70 artists and makers are given at least 100 hours access to facilities free of charge plus £200 towards materials costs. Their work is also featured on the AA2A website.

London studio provider running professional practice and enterprise training programme, digital arts courses for London-based artists and First Base scheme – offering new graduates free studio for a year with professional and technical support.

Alias is a platform built by artists for artists for the support and development of artist led groups, at any stage of their development, in the South West of England (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire).

Initiated by Chrysalis Arts, supports creative businesses in visual arts, crafts and public arts sectors in North Yorkshire. Provides information, advice, marketing and networking opportunities and targeted support through business clustering initiative.

Artquest is London's advice and information service for visual artists and craftspeople, covering all aspects of practitioner's careers at all levels of experience.

Runs advisory service and bursary scheme for artists working in live art, time-based media and interdisciplinary practice. Offers help, information and advice on professional and creative development including bursaries, production, distribution, networking, funding, promotion, training and administration, with access to rehearsal space and video resources. Publishes free weekly opportunities and information e-digest.

Launched in September 2003 to provide information, guidance and support for artists. Aims to develop a strong network of artists and encourage the sharing of information and ideas through a programme of one-to-one surgeries, professional development seminars, networking events, critique groups and higher skills training. The Artists' Resource Centre expanded in 2007 to include all creative practitioners in Portsmouth and South East England.

Aune Head Arts (AHA) is a rurally-based contemporary arts organisation, which commissions work, provides workshops and training (CPD), and works closely with communities in and around Dartmoor National Park, Devon. We are committed to offering support and professional development opportunities to artists and are passionate about engaging with people (as well as engaging them with the work our artists make); we work with artists from across the UK.

Axis is the leading online guide to artists practising in the UK today. As a national umbrella organisation for the visual arts, Axis provides a unique information service presenting new artists, new work and new trends. Helping artists and those who seek to engage with artists, it aims to increase awareness, understanding and stimulate interaction with visual arts practice. Axis has been the leading national information service about contemporary artists since 1991. In 1999 it launched an online service and now hosts the most comprehensive national database of UK artists.

An organisation for the development of Live Art, experimental theatre and performance in the South East region.

Public art commissioning and consulting agency working in Yorkshire and beyond. Aims to improve capacity for high-quality development by linking communities, artists and design professionals. Offers integrated programme of workshops, seminars, site visits, skills exchange, residencies, virtual and print publications, exhibitions and research.

Artist-run gallery providing professional development support and advice to North West England artists and designers. Includes monthly artists' forum for presentation and exchange of ideas and publication of a free Artist's Information Pack with details of studios, galleries and support organisations.

The Creative Industries Business Advisory Service

CIBAS supports artists and creative businesses in setting-up and developing by providing one-to-one creative business advice, professional development training, events and opportunities.

Services are available free to Portsmouth and South East Hampshire-based creatives, thanks to the support of Portsmouth & South East Hampshire Partnership, SEEDA, Arts Council England South East, and the University of Portsmouth.

Provides advice and development support for creative practitioners, freelance artists and micro-businesses in Yorkshire and Humber region.

Programme offers access to mentoring, specialist training in business and presentation skills, advice surgeries, networking opportunities and export forums. Runs Creative Industries Helpline and Creative Portal online resource centre.

CIDA - The Cultural Development Agency is a specialist business support organisation which champions the development of the creative and cultural industries in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Newham. CIDA offers free support to individuals and organisations in the following areas:
ADVICE - marketing and business growth
TRAINING - project management and support
INVESTMENT - project development and fundraising
PROMOTION - events marketing initiatives
LINKS and NETWORKING - signposting and projects

Cockpit Arts supports and promotes the work of artist designer-makers and product designers through all stages of their business development – from first beginnings through to international commercial success.  It is the largest creative hub for designer-makers in the UK, housing a total of 165 creative businesses working in a number of disciplines, including fashion, jewellery and interior products. 

Commissions East is the visual arts development agency for the East of England, providing an advisory and management service for commissioners, a programme of special projects addressing new areas of visual arts practice and a range of services for artists. This includes Escalator Visual Arts, artist mentoring, seminars and debates.

The Toolkit website (http://www.apd-network.info) is an online resource for individuals and groups who are developing creative enterprises and community arts projects in Manchester. It contains up-to-date information on organisations, networks, training and funding. The site is simple to use and includes information on arts and creative sectors, development agencies, networks, training, unions and festivals, as well health and safety, and child protection.

The Crafts Council is the UK's national organisation for Contemporary Crafts. Through a programme of events, exhibitions and education projects, the Crafts Council provides opportunities for makers to sell, promote and develop their practice. Current resources and schemes include: the  Development Award to assist new and emerging craft businesses; Next Move a residency scheme for new applied arts and 3-d design graduates, Photostore, a digital database of selected makers, now on line; and the National Register of Makers.

The Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS) works to help new and established creative businesses in Greater Manchester, whilst also taking a strategic overview of the sector – developing projects in response to industry needs.

CreativePeople is a national network providing information, advice and guidance to support all those who work in arts and craft industries in making the most of their careers.

EU-funded project to support development of individual skills for practitioners from creative industries in Cornwall. Offers free information and advice, Training Needs Analysis service, business support, training courses and funding for individual development programmes.

Small voluntary organisation and charity providing studio space, exhibitions and educational activities since 1979. Facilities are a gallery offering opportunities for local, national and international artists, subsidised studios and open-access workshop facilities, professional development support and training for artists across the Borough, including hands-on opportunities for professional development in curatorial, gallery management and arts education.

Support service for cultural sector micro-businesses in Wales. Business mentors provide individual advice and information to artists and makers planning a business or needing specialist advice on funding, marketing, training or management issues. Publishes free weekly e-bulletin listing latest cultural industries news, opportunities and events.

Cultural Enterprise Office is a business support initiative for Scotland's creative industry practitioners and businesses. We offer advice, information, and training for freelance arts practitioners and micro-businesses across visual arts, performing arts, writing, publishing , design, film and multimedia. We deliver free seminars, courses and networking events and have an extensive online business information resource. The service currently operates in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, although there are plans to expand the service in other regions in the near future.

A visual arts organisation set up to support artists' career development, ESA provides managed workspaces, development programmes, opportunities to make and show new work, bespoke training sessions and networking and advocacy development. Patrick Studios is a bespoke building that houses; IT/information resources, production facilities, studios, equipment provision and project space.

UK-wide association for arts professionals and visual artists involved in gallery education and audience development initiatives. Organises projects and research programmes and offers access to advice, training, networking events and other professional development opportunities.

ECCA (Enterprise Centre for the Creative Arts) offers one-to-one advice on setting up and running your own business including:  assistance with funding / sponsorship proposals, business planning, financial guidance, selling and promotion project-, business- and self-management.

ETA (empowering the artist), an art development and production agency based in SE England, made this announcement in January 2007: "Following the sad death of Deborah Rawson, Executive Director, ETA's planned Seminar and Mentoring Programmes for 2007 have been put on hold, pending an organisational review by the Board of Trustees and Arts Council England South East.  ETA would like to extend grateful thanks to all artists and arts professionals who have worked with us over the past 12 years. Further announcements will be made on the ETA website in due course".

Runs the Artist Resource, a free drop-in information centre, events and one-to-one advice programme to support professional development of visual artists, arts managers and educators in South East England. Library resources include information on self-employment, studio set-up, exhibition venues, funding sources, artists' networks, post-graduate study and training.

Farnham Maltings has as its ambition ‘to encourage and provide for people to be creative’. One of the ways in which we set out to achieve this is through supporting individual artists, craft makers, new and emergent companies and networks. Longer term we are exploring how we attract new resources, share ideas and skills, training and development opportunities all with the ambition of developing the Maltings as a factory for new creative work.

Supports photography, video and digital arts across North West England. Operates gallery programme and organises commissions and outreach projects for photography, new media and video art. Supports artists' development through regional and artform networks, access to production and training facilities, film and video screenings, forums and discussion. Publishes weekly e-newsletter with opportunities and programme updates.

Leading development agency for Live Art in the UK. Runs a portfolio of services, schemes and initiatives for the support and development of Live Art in London and beyond. Works in partnership with practitioners, organisations and institutions on curatorial initiatives; develops strategies for increasing popular and critical awareness; provides practical information and advice; and offers opportunities for dialogue, debate, research and training.

Professional development scheme for visual artists in Suffolk. Opportunities include: critical interchange, training and networking days; one-to-one advice and support for emerging artists; mentoring for selected practitioners and schemes. Expenses available for participating artists claiming benefits or with special access needs.

Professional development organisation creating networks, events and opportunities for visual artists across West Midlands to develop their careers. Includes organised research-based visits enabling selected artists to gain insights into various cultural environments and to build collaborative exchange-based projects. This project was completed in March 2008.

New Media Scotland supports experimentation by practitioners in art and technology. Based in Edinburgh, we look forward to the future as the agency in Scotland committed to evolving and enhancing the opportunities available for artists working at the intersection of art, technology and science. Through working with and supporting the presentation of work by artists in this field, we hope to foster greater public understanding of the role that technology is playing in contemporary culture.

Membership organisation bringing together artists, producers and venues working in live art, new media, installation and video for professional development and critical debate. Its vision is to create a national network relevant to the needs of the artists in the sector. Provides opportunities for advocacy, critical debate, professional development, information, ideas and skills exchange.

ncsp is a membership based organisation with over 1,000 members drawn from the arts and heritage sectors in the north east of England

We work collaboratively to make things happen, building partnerships with Arts Council NE, MLA, HE, FE, the Regional Development Agency, Sector Skills Councils, Business Links and the LSC to match provision to the sector's skills needs.

Concentrates on live art and technology and works with public and private agencies. Aims to activate and support the research, production and distribution of new art arising out of interdisciplinary practice and the use of creative technologies. Working with partner organisations regionally, nationally and internationally, offers opportunities for critical engagement and practical support through residencies and commissions, collaborative projects, courses, bespoke training and technical facilities.