Creative Connections

The Art Workers’ Guild is launching a new year-long outreach programme in September 2023 for creative people * just beginning to establish themselves professionally. Creative Connections aims to create space to meet and connect with Guild members, build supportive networks and develop professional practice.

It will include hands-on workshops, talks, discussions and social events - to share insights and ideas, encourage each other and navigate the challenges of sustaining a career.

* Our definition of creative people includes (but is not limited to): makers, architects, designers, art historians, curators, crafts people, artists. Please take a look at the Guild’s membership page to get a sense of the very wide variety of disciplines within our membership; you’ll see the Guild takes a broad approach to creativity.

Who can apply?

• Any creative person up to 5 years post-graduation (BA or MA) or
• up to 5 years post-apprenticeship / training or
• who has set up their own professional practice / business in the past 5 years

And who is:

• committed to developing their practice / career and
• interested in forging supportive connections with people in other creative fields.

There is no age threshold or limit.

Students nearing the end of their studies are welcome to apply to join the programme in September 2023 after they have graduated.

What Creative Connections offers

The £30 one-year programme of events will introduce you to other emerging creatives and more established practitioners, offering opportunities to learn new skills, discuss professional knowledge and experience, and develop a supportive, friendly network.

The Art Workers’ Guild has some 400 members from a very wide range of disciplines and professional fields, many of whom will contribute to the programme. However, Creative Connections is not about matching you with someone in the same field – it is about finding common ground and unexpected connections with people in other disciplines. It is about discovering insights that will help you consider the goals you want to set yourself, collaborations you hope to establish, values you want your work to embody. It is this kind of cross-pollination that makes the Guild a unique place and it is why we’d like to invite you to join the conversation.

What is expected of you

Places will be limited so we hope those selected will commit to attending as many programme events as possible; the aim is to build networks that we hope will extend beyond the year of the programme and to get to know each other’s work and ambitions. We hope taking part will benefit your professional development, and that your skills, insights and perspective will enrich other participants’ experience, too.