Global Discussions

The Future Now Symposium illustrates Aesthetica’s commitment to promoting emerging artists, particularly through offering portfolio review sessions with influential figures and organisations as well as practical advice on gaining funding and exposure. Many of the discussion sessions taking place across the two-day event reflect these themes of personal and career development for artists, helping them to navigate today’s marketplace. For example, on Thursday 25 May (12:30-13:45) a session on Funding and Commissioning: Career Support, brings together Denise Fahmy (Arts Council), Alice Carey (Wellcome Trust), Seva Philips and Fran Sanderson (NESTA) and Visual Arts South West to consider the different funding avenues which are opening up and talk about how to approach a range of organisations for bursaries in order to develop and promote your practice in a highly competitive sector.

Other events address the changing face of the public art gallery, and the influence of funding models on the work of curators. Having identified creative ways to promote long-established collections alongside fresh and innovative commissions, Sarah Philp (Art Fund) and representatives from Museum of the Year 2016 finalists Jupiter Artland (John Heffernan) and York Art Gallery will speak about the challenges of curating in the 21st century (Friday 26 May, 10:30 – 11:45). The importance of competitions and art prizes in career development and the trends amongst recent winning works will also come under scrutiny in a further session. Those attending the symposium will also get the first chance to see the shortlisted works for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2017 at a Private View to be held at York Art Gallery on Thursday 25 May from 18:30 – 20:30 at York Art Gallery.

Other topics addressed across the two days will include Innovation in the Making: Technology, Design and Digital; Regeneration: Metropolitan Architecture and The Future of Art Journalism. Those taking part will include representatives of, among others: Artangel, Arts Council England, Edinburgh Art Festival, Glasgow School of Art, Hiscox, Leeds College of Art, London College of Communication, Magnum Photos, Max Mara Art Prize for Women, Tate Liverpool, University of York, Wellcome Trust, Whitechapel Gallery, World Photography Organisation and Zabludowicz Collection.

The Future Now Symposium will take place at York St John University. All sessions are hosted on the university campus. You must register in advance for any session you wish to attend. A one-day (£24) pass will admit you to up to four sessions on the day you attend. A two-day pass (£36) will admit you to up to four sessions on each day of the Symposium. Lunch, and a mid-morning coffee break is included with your pass.

For more information: www.aestheticamagazine.com/art-prize/symposium-2017

Credits:
1. Jeremy Underwood, Human Debris. Courtesy of the artist.