Artists Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) 2008/09

Over the summer 32 colleges in England will be recruiting artists and designer makers for 2008/09 Artists Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) schemes. The schemes will begin in October 2008 and run until April 2009.

Application Packs are ONLY available directly from the colleges. These should be available by the end of July. Application deadlines also vary but none are before 1st September 2008

Click here for the new updated college list for AA2A 2008/09. It includes 10 new colleges taking part from October

 

Background

 

Artists Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) is a project run by CHEAD (Council for Higher Education in Art and Design), and funded by the Arts Council England through the National Lottery Grants for the Arts.

 

The AA2A project is a national set of schemes, providing visual artists and designer makers with the opportunity to undertake a period of research or realise a project, using workshop and supporting facilities in fine art and design departments of Higher and Further Education institutions. This gives participating artists and makers the opportunity to use equipment which otherwise might not be available to them, as well as benefiting the institution by bringing in ideas and techniques which may not otherwise enter the college environment.

 

There are currently 32 colleges in England hosting AA2A schemes. Each participating institution offers places to four artists or makers. Typical supporting facilities available to artists/makers include college lending libraries, access to lecture programmes, life rooms, etc. Each artist/maker has at least 100 hours access, which they can use over a period of at least 17 weeks, between October and April. A grant of £220 is available for materials or travel (if the distance between home and college is more than 30 miles).

 

Eligibility

  • Artists must not have been engaged in full or part time study at an art college or similar institution in the last year
  • Artists must have their own place of work and be able to work with minimal technical support (unless specific training is offered by the college)
  • Artists who were on AA2A schemes run from 2005 to 2006 or before, can now reapply i.e. artists may only apply every three years

 

Application procedure

  • Contact the college to get an information pack and application form
  • If applying to more than one college, applicants may take only one place. Applicants may be offered a place and asked to make a decision before having received an offer from a second college.
  • Relevant staff from the college and an independent panel member will meet to assess the suitability of the applications
  • Selected artists will be invited to the college to discuss their proposal with relevant staff and technicians with the aim of negotiating an access agreement which suits both parties
  • Firm offers will be made to those artists whose proposals can be accommodated

 

Further information about Artists Access to Art Colleges can be found on www.AA2A.org