Introduction to alias

alias' advisory service is an artist run scheme in the South West that aims to provide support and advice for artists and craft-worker groups in the region.
A core team of artist contacts scattered right across the area (Gloucestershire, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon and Avon) work with large numbers of artists groups in order to identify professional and creative concerns, development issues and insight into the individual artists' needs within the group. alias offers a meeting place for artist to artist and actively encourages dialogue and discussion about best strategies for successful art practice. By matching an alias contact carefully with artist-led practitioners and groups, the consultation sessions put a particular emphasis on issues related to good practice and communication, professional development and current opportunities.

The initial contact between the alias advisor and the artist led group consists of a diagnostic meeting. This meeting clarifies what the group wants from the scheme and the contact then works with the group to identify an action plan. Since no two groups are the same, the work program for each group is a bespoke affair. The support is always informal and respects the needs of each group, avoiding creating more unnecessary paperwork than is required.

A programme of seminars for artists are also run each year, organised by the advisors in direct response to the needs of artists in the alias scheme. Artists groups such as ProtoAcademy and the Leeds 14 have presented the work they do as part of the seminar program. Annabel Other organised aShed Summit in North Devon, where the idea of small flexible creative spaces was the theme of the weekend. Often artists groups have a core of members who initiate activities and support the rest of the group. An artist advisor can provide support for those who have sustained organisational duties over long periods of time, as well as encourage those who may have taken on less responsibility to be more pro-active. alias supports artists groups in ways that allow artists to reflect on their achievements and work towards realistic goals, using imaginative methods and broadening their professional status in sustainable ways.

Specialist advisors are recruited on a daily rate that may have expertise in, for example, legal matters and leases. In such cases, visits can be made to the groups and information passed on directly. Further email communication is encouraged as and when necessary. alias pays for this work, so the group are spared the expense of a weighty consultancy fee. For example, I worked as a curator for Jamaica Street Studios during a city-wide exhibition of their work in alternative spaces. Other contacts, with appropriate experience, have worked with the same group on their organisational structure and legal status in keeping the building in the hands of the artists. In another consultation, an alias advisor heard how a group of printmakers had the perception that they needed to fund raise for ownership of an empty building/studio space. It became clear that the group had conflicting views and no real impetus to initiate or sustain the plan. In fact, the group needed to engage in a more reflective process and communicate more clearly with each other. As a result of the meetings, the group has become much more focussed in its aims as a co-operative flexible workshop facility.

Common issues alias' advisors are often called up on provide support include the following:

• Why or how to advance multi skilled working practices.
• How an artists sense of well being rises in tandem with prosperity.
• Advice in terms of curriculum vitae, self-employment, fundraising, marketing, exhibiting, curation etc.
• Advice linked to artist’s specific practice. Introducing artists to each other.
• Exploring alternative contexts for artists that are specific to their region.
• Encouraging artists to become part of a national network. Organising social and educational events.
• To identify a correlation between an artists aspirations and their practice.
• Identifying the benefits of working in rural areas and socially engaged practices and generating funds to support those activities.
• Sustained support through the gallery/commissioning agency system.
• Exploring artists ‘best practice’ models. How the expansion of alias into mentoring aims to enable each artist to profile their own practical approach in the particularities and peculiarities of working as an artist within a group.
• How one’s work functions within an artist led initiative.
• Group dynamics, organisational structure.
• Finding new contexts to work in and adapting to change. Audiences and the way they are informed of the group’s activities is an important consideration.
• Sustaining artists own possibly chaotic creativity whilst being professional.
• Motivation and dealing with disappointment. Defining success.
• Criticism (give and take).
• Clarification of aims and agendas, how to deliver them.
• Identifying perceived needs with the group.
• Challenging competitive behaviour, building on co-operation and sharing.
• The positive and negative aspects of being an artist.
• Eliciting the right partnerships with business.

It is intended that this website will promote alias and its activities nationally. A national alias scheme would widen the network, opening up the possibility of generating reciprocal projects, promoting collaborations and cross-fertilisation of artists practice across the country and creating further opportunities to network. alias and the National Artists Network (see [an] magazine website for further information) could fund travel to other regions to research art practices and meet with other artist’s initiatives. Increasingly artists are working in the regions (possibly for financial reasons) avoiding urban ‘cultural centres’ and the London talent drain. It is an issue that affects artists profoundly in terms of where cultural activity is seen to be valued. In the South West there is a need to question why isolation exists and how it can be rectified.

There are already effective self-employment government and professional development schemes in place and no shortage of information about prescribed career development. alias attempts to respond to the real purpose and idiosyncrasies of artists groups- to initiate dialogue, challenge, network, innovate, exchange information and develop artists as critical and reflective practitioners. Collaborative practice, group power and partnerships need to be nurtured in the arts. By working together as artists, we will positively improve the public’s perception and appreciation of art and endow it with the respect and support it most certainly deserves.