On networks

Last week's Visual Arts South West (VASW) regional meeting at RAMM Exeter was a great opportunity to connect with new people and organisations and to catch up with contacts. It was also a timely reminder of just how much VASW (formerly Turning Point SW) has managed to achieve. In particular, they have offered a range of brilliant opportunities to individual practitioners - such as travel bursaries and mentoring for commercial representation - and are about to launch a critical writing programme.

The keynote speech, by Demos Associate John Holden, was on networks. He made some interesting points about real networks versus clubs (exclusive groups),  pubs (social groups) and hubs (almost-networks built around a central point), and how they need to take care of their most fragile components. Based on his definitions, VASW is still a hub and therefore not as resilient or adaptable as it could be. As a temporary initiative to give a boost to the SW arts ecology, VASW works for now.  Let's hope it continues to evolve into something more sustainable.

http://gabriellehoad.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/turning-point-or-just-more-of-same.html

www.vasw.org.uk