Virtual Creatives Meetup

During these isolating times, we are hosting a series of Virtual Meetups, to bring you closer to each other and share advice.

We will update all of the resources shared in each meeting as we feel it is important to be a sharing space of information, opportunity and support at this time.

If there’s anything you’ve come across or would like to add please get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you at the next one

RESOURCES SHARED DURING Meetup with Bruton Correspondence School: 27th May

We were joined by The Bruton Correspondence School a slow art project established by Chris Roberts and Rebecca McClelland, partly in response to the impact of the worldwide lockdown and their attempt to connect with a wider audience on the most basic and meditative level.

What’s the Idea?

Artists, designers, photographers and other practitioners are invited to engage in an exchange of ideas and collaborate on miniature artworks through a mail art project inspired by the great Ray Johnson.

If you don’t know much about Ray Johnson, or the correspondence/mail art movement have a look at this excellent documentary which details the life and a times of this elusive artist.

Chris joined us to talk more about the project and is encouraging people to get involved by sending a request [or initiate work] to: Bruton Correspondence School, The Old Pharmacy, 3 High Street, Bruton, BA10 0AB.

We learnt how @brutoncorrespondenceschool featured in the isolation art school Sunday Best [alongside meet attendee Ann Diment!] How the project was influenced by time spent in the Printed Matter bookshop in New York and an interest in Kurt Schwitters. The Tate recently highlighted the mail art movement and how there has been a growing interest in this during lockdown. Chris talked about the time he spent in residence at Merzbarn

We heard from Nina at ACE Arts in Somerton

BBC 6 Music is hosting Art is Everywhere: Lockdown Special – you can share the work you have been making during lockdown using #6MusicArt on Twitter or on instagram

We also had discussions around what Clayhill can be offering you as we move out of lockdown and would love to hear your thoughts on whether an online crit club for sharing your work and gaining feedback would be helpful?

RESOURCES SHARED DURING Yeshen Venema: 13th May

Here’s a recording of the meet up, and a link to the presentation that was used:

Let Yeshen know if you found this information helpful. You can also find him on instagram @yeshen.uk

Yeshen’s top tips:

Send your product files over to info@saivionindia.com they can cut them out for you saving you time and money on photoshop

Confused about dpi and image sizes? This blog post is really helpful

After Yeshen’s talk there was some time spent sharing recent work with one another.

During that, the following was shared:

A recent resurfacing of the Mail Art Movement during lockdown and a local initiative in Somerset, the Bruton Correspondencce School

Hit Record is a collaborative creative platform, has been in existence prior to lockdown, but still going strong at this time

Chris Wallbank has been drawing bird sounds during Lockdown – responding to Amanda Lynch’s recent work

Alison Jacobs is talking about The Stolford Weather Report on 27th May with Ignite Somerset

RESOURCES SHARED DURING Money Matters: 29th April

Free Teaching Online training course offered by Open University

This is a great crib sheet to help answer questions about being self-employed and where you stand with your finances

You can print at home postage through the Royal Mail

Parcelforce will accept artworks for posting (DPD don’t)

An Open Resource Document detailing information, online events, support groups and opportunities across the UK has been developed to help you through the current crisis (and beyond)

The Artist Survival Guide by a space arts, is being regularly updated with information to help you

There is a South West Artists Impact Fund available

The Design Trust has a wealth of training and advice for online teaching, planning during a crisis and mental well being as a creative

A pay what you feel online course for Social Media Film-making is coming up

We also spoke about Print on Demand as a Passive Income Stream and have developed an additional resource about that here