THERE are two artist professional support organisations you can join that can offer help and advice specifically for visual artists and insurance cover comes included with the membership. One is Visual Artists Ireland, the all Ireland support agency.
The other option is Artists Newsletter AN, the UK-wide artists support organisation, which gives professional insurance and access to UK-wide opportunities. On applying to be an artists representative on their board, I was asked the question "How will you bring more members to our organisation if you get on our board?" The reply I gave was, if you want more members you will have to do more locally as one time I asked if a certain artists' development programme could be available locally and the reply I received 'if you can find us some funding then we could look into it' isn't an answer I suspect they give to people in England. However during lockdown AN did administer a Covid recovery grant for artists in the region, so there we are stuck betwix and between.
This week Artist's Newsletter is coming to Belfast for a three-day event called ironically 'Assembly Belfast: Who cares about artists visibility aspirations and support – or the lack there of – in Northern Ireland?' Registeration for the Assembly is free and will be a rare opportunity to spend time time with other visual artists.
As the nights draw in, we move into peak Autumn festival season and www.cinemagic.org.uk has started this week. It's an International film and television festival for young people running most of October. The Arabic community are taking over 2 Royal Avenue 6-8 October with Fonoon Festival of Arab Arts and Culture 11-4 each day with everything from Calligraphy and Cookery demonstrations to fashion shows and Henna. With many inventions coming from the Islamic Golden age there is an exhibition and film focusing on this.
Over at the University of Atypical it's Bounce central, the annual celebration of art created by d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse creatives regionally. The new Ledger studio feels like you're in a much larger space with it's dramatic floor to ceiling black out curtains. Open Arts are taking over the Crescent Art Centre where and I have always been surprised by something in the festival, be it a drag artist, x-rated comedy act or a play about what it's like not to have a say over your day-to-day activities, many acts are free or pay what you like and you will always be entertained.
Last but not least, it's late night art on Thursday 5th October so why not come and visit some of the galleries opening late in the city to marvel at our creativity and develop your inner critic. Do not, however, go in search of the Golden Thread Gallery as it is closed due to an impending re location. All of its outreach activities have moved to the Naughton Gallery at Queen's.
