Axisweb Research Validation beyond the gallery | Page 8

Interviews with
producers and
commissioners
4

Existing research about artists working outside of
galleries takes two main approaches. The first comes
from an academic and art historical tradition that
questions the conceptual underpinnings of nongallery artwork, critiquing its histories, theories and
practices. Important exponents of this approach are
Grant Kester (2004, 2011) and Claire Bishop (2012,
2004) whose work provides the beginnings of a
critical discourse around art practice taking place
outside of galleries.
The second approach takes a broadly ‘arts policy’
perspective. Typically commissioned by charitable
trusts or small arts organizations, the research in
this strand specifically related to this report, seeks
to better understand the conditions in which nongallery artwork is made, to establish the value of
this way of working and to advocate for training
and better infrastructure to improve the quality and
experience of the work. This second approach usually
seeks to influence policy in response to its findings.
For example, ArtWorks, Reflections on developing
practice in participatory settings (Burns, 2015) reports
on a large four year programme funded by Paul
Hamlyn Foundation (PHF), with additional funding
from ACE and the Arts and Humanities Research
Council (AHRC), that set out to support partnership
working across the sector, to ensure that training
and continuing professional development (CPD) are
embedded in participatory work; to support better
understanding of quality and more sharing of best
practice; and to disseminate compelling information
of positive impact. The programme was based on the
premise that:
…artists involved in this evolving practice
lacked the strategic support they needed to
respond to the rapidly developing range of
practices and opportunities that were opening
up. We wanted to fill this gap with ArtWorks
(Ibid:12).

Research to come out of ArtWorks comprises the
largest UK study to date looking at how artists are
supported to produce quality work in participatory
settings