'Turning Point’ is the Arts Council’s 10-year strategy for strengthening the visual arts in England, in partnership with the visual arts sector. As part of this process people working in the visual arts across the country have been coming together to form regional steering groups with a view to defining and delivering a shared vision for growth and change. A national network of these groups is currently being established.

In Yorkshire, an Interim Steering Group is guiding the initial exploratory phase of the Turning Point initiative in the region, including research and a programme of activities. Beam has been commissioned to support the Group, coordinate activities and, with associate Sue Ball (MAAP) to deliver some activities and produce a framework report at the end of this year. Three regional curators - Anna Reid (Pavilion), Clare Lilley (Yorkshire Sculpture Park) and Sarah Brown are also commissioned to deliver activities to inform the initiative. A Draft Strategy will be released for consultation in February 2010, with a final Strategy produced in May.

Background

Turning Point (2006) is the Arts Council’s 10 year strategy for strengthening the visual arts in England. In Yorkshire, Arts Council England (ACE) hosted two sectoral meetings in the winter of 2008-9 which established 5 themes or work areas for the Turning Point initiative in the region:

1. Coordination and governance of the initiative

2. ‘Interchange 1’: to devise and begin implementing a programme of visits and exchanges to inform the Strategy, and build relationships within the sector

3. ‘Interchange 2’: to devise and begin implementing a programme of events that enable discussion and collaboration with key organisations and agencies from other sectors

4. ‘Learning Ecology’: identification of options for a programme to address skills, career development, and leadership, and identify connections with complementary initiatives and the Higher Education sector.

5. ‘A Yorkshire Project’: Exploration of options as to how a major collaborative regional project or projects might help to strengthen and raise the profile of the sector.

In March, responding to a brief from ACE Yorkshire, several regional agencies and individuals were commissioned to undertake work covering the 5 themes in an initial exploratory phase of the Turning Point initiative from April to December 2009. Beam, in collaboration with MAAP, undertook themes 1 and 3-5. Three curators --- Anna Reid (Pavilion), Clare Lilley (Yorkshire Sculpture Park), and Sarah Brown, undertook theme 2.

The Turning Point Interim Steering Group (ISG)

Following the sectoral meetings organised by ACE Yorkshire in winter 2008-9, an Interim Steering Group was drawn on a voluntary basis from the sector to guide activity in the initial phase. Its role is to reflect the interests of visual artists, organisations and audiences in overseeing the production of the new Strategy. The Group has been meeting monthly in venues around the region since April 2009.

Steering group members involved in Turning Point:
Roddy Hunter (chair) - York St John University
Karen Watson (vice chair) – East Street Arts
Lucy Dusgate – Lumen
Rick Faulkner – Chrysalis Arts
Anne Wallis/ Adrian Friedli – ACE Yorkshire
Janet Jennings – Lovebytes
Caroline Krzesinska – Museums Sheffield
Simon Wallis – The Hepworth
Anne McNeil – Impressions Gallery

Commissioned members (non-voting):
Anna Reid – Pavilion
Clare Lilley – Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Sarah Brown – Curator
Sue Ball – MAAP
Robert Powell – Beam

Observer:
Simon Zimmerman – National coordinator Turning Point

The ‘Turning Points’ Events Programme

A programme of activities, branded ‘Turning Points’ and designed to inform the Strategy and explore possible future activities and methods, has been delivered over the summer and autumn. The programme has taken the form of ‘Sector Forum’ events open to everyone, smaller themed discussions for targeted groups of participants, and combinations of the two approaches. All have acted to consult on and feed into the development of the Strategy, stimulating ideas and providing opportunities for exchange between Interim Steering Group members, the visual arts sector, and colleagues from other sectors within and outside the arts.

15 June 2009, Base Space, Huddersfield
‘Turning Points’
Learning Ecology round table discussion
A round table discussion involving invited Education Institutions, artist and studio groups, funders and policy developers to explore the ‘experimental space’; emerging digital media/social networking practice; the practitioner as learner; organisational and sector learning; learning as exemplar.

16 July 2009, Round Foundry Media Centre, Leeds
‘Turning Points’
A Yorkshire Project?
An open forum exploration of whether a major collaborative regional project or projects might help strengthen and raise the profile of the visual arts sector. With guest speakers: Paul Domela, Liverpool Biennale; Jean Cameron, creative producer of Glasgow International; Peter Jenkinson, Cultural Broker and Channel 4 ‘Big Art’ presenter.

1&2 October 2009
'Turning Points'
Yorkshire expedition
A two-day journey through Yorkshire, offering an insight into the region’s culture, geography, economy and environment. A unique opportunity for the visual arts sector and colleagues drawn from other sectors to converge, learn together, and engage in meaningful dialogue.

2 November 2009
'Turning Points'
21st Century Gallery and Museum
A one-day seminar encouraging critical debate in the visual arts sector by to exploring the concept of the 21st century Gallery/Museum, with speakers Peter Jenkinson, Mark Waugh, Jonathan Watkins, and Nima Poovaya Smith

26 November, 2009, York St John University
‘Turning Points’
The Experimental Space
An open practice-based workshop for the visual arts and academic sectors to galvanise the Learning Ecology in Yorkshire and the Humber. With keynote speaker Venu Dhupa.

2 December 2009
'Turning Points'
Can we have faith in art to change the world?
A filmed event and discussion to probe some of the outstanding ideologies, aspirations and strategies for the visual arts in relation to context and audience, including on a local level. With speakers Dave Beech, Andrew Brown, Matthew Kieran, and Carey Young.

Turning Point Consultation

All the events in the ‘Turning Points’ programme have had a consultation aspect, capturing views via film, feedback forms, and questionnaires. The Interim Steering Group has also issued a ‘Challenge Paper’ to gather opinion across Turning Point key themes. This can be accessed here.

Please take 5-10 minutes to take up the challenge!

Further opportunities for involvement and consultation will follow in the New Year.

More information on Turning Point can be found on the Arts Council website and on the Turning Point Yorkshire & Humber website