As the starting point for RouteMap, ESA focused on Delineate, a professional exhibition curated on behalf of the organisation by Lara Eggleton and Nichola Pemberton. Delineate was a group show that took place in early 2007 over two sites showcasing a diverse range of contemporary visual art by practitioners based in the UK. Visit the Public Programme section to find out more about the Delineate exhibition.

Using the process and components of delivering the exhibition Delineate ESA identified and explored relevant issues that would prepare and position the Routemap artists artists within a professional environment. Open submission calls, preparing proposals, presenting work, understanding the role of the curator, group dynamics and networking, project management, self employment and audience development are some of the areas that ESA identified as the drivers for the RouteMap programme.

The artists involved in the programme; Liz Neylan, Lorna Barrowclough, Alexa Holloway, Richard Wilson and Suna Xie are all at different stages of their careers but identified that they needed to move their practice forward. They worked together as a group over a 10 month period regularly attending training/development sessions, networking meetings, putting on group show, Springboard, running education workshops in schools, and preparing a publication and public talk.

The RouteMap programme has been supported through the use of technology and new media. For artists to survive in the 21st Century they must be adept at using the tools around them to make and present their work. Artists are required to develop IT skills across a number of platforms and applications, including word processing, image editing and organisational software. At each stage of the programme they were challenged to develop their technical skills alongside their artistic practice.

The five artists have been guided through the RouteMap programme and related events by Nichola Pemberton. Nichola, an artist based at Patrick Studios and project manager for the programme, graduated from Leeds Met University three years ago and is becoming a recognised artist, showing work nationally and developing a specialism in educational workshops.

The RouteMap publication (2008) aims to present a snapshot of the artists' experience. It maps out: who has been involved and in what capacity; the context of the programme; the participants and their work and recommendations for the future.

Click here to see more images of the Springboard exhibition.