CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 66
RECOMMENDATIONS
Eight recommendations emerge from consideration of the
interviews, survey work and pilot commissioning programme.
1. The production of a journal and forum
specifically for social practice (the
exemplar produced during the research
is available in hard copy and as an
online pdf here https://www.axisweb.
org/models-of-validation/content/
social-works/2018/social-works-open/
2. Social library / centre, offering
resources and live project
opportunities to social practice
artists and other stakeholders
3. Directory of social practice artists
for use by funders, commissioners,
participants and artists
4. Training / skills and other kinds
of artist development specifically
relevant to social practice
5. Research programme looking at social
practice systems & communities,
with particular reference to the
funding landscape
6. Identifying, mapping and strengthening
communities of practice
7. Partnership building between
communities of practice and gatekeeper
organizations
8. A social practice meshwork able to
support and promote social practice art,
involving stakeholders in an accessible,
horizontal exchange structure
Brief notes on each of these are provided below, followed
by an overview of three strategic options for future action
9. Journal that provides forum for
critical debate and exchange: this
builds on the pilot journal (online /
offline) ‘Social Works? Open’ which
gave social practice artists from UK
and beyond a voice for the first time
through competitive funded writing
commissions. To develop this, establish
publishing ‘home’ for the journal as
lively forum for wide-ranging views and
ideas, develop business case and secure
funding to become self-supporting,
increase print run and sales
accordingly. (Challenges addressed as
a result: external roles and awareness;
internal support and resources).
10. Social Library / centre: an online and
offline library and living archive of
social practice, offering resources
and project opportunities to social
practice artists and other stakeholders.
(Challenges addressed as a result:
external roles and awareness; internal
support and resources).
11. Directory of artists and social art
projects: this builds on and extends
existing Axisweb provision, with a
more comprehensive national presence.
Over a 3 year development period this
would develop provision for a growing
social artist membership, accommodating
the specificity of social art practice,
locations, commissioners and funders’
requirements. (Challenges addressed
as a result: external commissioning
& participation; internal capacity
building).
12. Training, skills and bespoke artist’s
development for social practice:
artist-led education programmes for
commissioners and funders, co-producing
best practice guidelines; integrated,
non-overlapping artists’ development
provision, underpinned by artistled
evaluation of existing and newly
proposed opportunities (Challenges
addressed as a result: external
commissioning & participation;
internal capacity building).
13. Growing communities of practice and
community building: continuing to
grow connections that emerged during
the research via reciprocal exchanges
between existing individuals and
groups becoming a connected community
of practice able to contribute to
validating social practice artists.
Linking regional to national to
international communities of practice.
Activities might include an annual
festival(s), international meet-ups,
online webinars to debate topical
questions, bespoke events for partners
members and associates. (Challenges
addressed as a result: internal
support and resources; internal
capacity building).
14. Partnership building with national
organizations representing artworld
and non-artworld stakeholders: this
recognizes that social practice is
not an island, rather it has many
links with existing programmes and
organizations: not only in the cultural
domain but including health, education,
regeneration, community development,
digital economy and so on. (Challenges
addressed as a result: external roles &
awareness; internal capacity building).
15. Strategic research on social practice
activities & communities: this aims
to take forward the current (modest