DIY Educate: a new brand of ART education at Core Gallery

Deptford,  London- January 12th  2011 - Core Gallery and Cor Blimey Arts is proud to launch DIY Educate; a contemporary education programme run by artists, curators and other art professionals to encourage artistic development for those seeking to further their career in art.

From peer-led and one to one critiques, professional practice workshops as well as a number of artist’s and curator lectures, DIY Educate provides opportunities to learn, network, share ideas and knowledge, providing impetus for artists to develop their practice.  DIY Educate also gives practical guides and resources to help artists survive in an unstable and competitive climate, making the most of their skills.  

Jane Boyer, artist and one of the DIY Educators says this about the program, “we are firmly situated in the heart of artistic practice,  we are taking our practice and careers into our own hands.  We have developed DIY Educate to address issues we have faced ourselves.  DIY Educate picks up where art school leaves off.  There can be a gap in arts education in terms of professional practice which can leave artists ill-equipped or unaware of the realities of being a successful artist.  We are attempting to bridge that gap.”

DIY Educate was also developed to assist practicing artists who are perhaps working in isolation and artists recently moved to London who may have no real support networks .  DIY Educate will help these artist to connect with other artists to network and get feedback on their work through peer critiques and tutorials.  “It is seven years since I had a one-to-one crit, ( which I had courtesy of Core Gallery ) with someone who was prepared to look at my work and tell me, honestly, what they saw. The connections, sparks, observations that arrived out of that hour will nourish me for a long while yet,” says Annabel Tilley, artist and last year’s Deptford X Fringe Award winner for her piece entitled Drawing the likeness of a brick.

All our workshops and talks will be led by professional established artists, curators and arts practitioners, in cooperation with other arts organizations such as a-n, AIR and Artquest.  Artists involved include Graham Crowley, Rosalind Davis, Elizabeth Murton, Nick Kaplony, Andrew Bryant, Jane Boyer, Annabel Tilley, Arnold Borgerth and Rob Turner, amongst others.

The DIY Educate program offers five areas of instruction.  They are as follows:

Nuts and Bolts Talks/ Workshops
The stuff they don’t teach you at art school….

A range of workshops designed to develop professional practice; whether it be writing an artist statement, applying for an exhibition, selling work, approaching galleries or increasing an artistic profile. The workshops will also focus on the practical side of surviving as an artist; whether through an arts related job, funding applications, private/public commissions, being a lecturer or delivering creative workshops.

Individual Tutorials   

Opportunities to get critical feedback on artwork with established artists or curators. Tutorials will be led by Graham Crowley, one of the most distinguished living painters in the UK today, amongst others.  These individual tutorials will help guide participants to consider issues of current critical debate which may have bearing on an art practice.

Engine ChatChat - art critique

Enging ChatChat started in 2007 in the kitchen of Cor Blimey artist and DIY co-founder, Elizabeth Murton, as an informal place to discuss work and get feedback from other artists. It is an opportunity for artists of any discipline to focus on the ideas, content and context of their work.

Curators and Artist Talks

Opportunities to listen learn and take part in discussions about artistic and curatorial processes and concepts.  These talks are by established artists and curators from the RCA, Goldsmiths, Wimbledon and Chelsea College of Art as well as International Artists from Paraguay and Brazil.

Practical Workshops
Cor Blimey studio artists run a variety of workshops throughout the year, including photography and painting from Lecturers from the University of Arts London and Goldsmiths.

Education Programme launches in Spring 2011 with 3x Taster Events which are free for all:
Saturday February 26th 2011Engine ChatChat ( peer crit ) 12-3pm
Artists and Curators in Dialogue 3.30-5pmTuesday 1st March 2011, 6.30-8.30pmNuts and Bolts Workshops :
Practical Guide to being an Artist

DIY Educate Membership is just £18 per year and allows access to all of these DIY workshops and talks for free or at a concessionary rate, with more opportunities throughout the year.  Membership is not required to attend our workshops and talks but members will receive discounted rates on workshop fees and also a reduced rate on our Core Open Submission later in the year.  Email educate@coregallery.co.uk for more information concerning membership.  

Cor Blimey Arts, established in 1995, is a registered charity and rents affordable studio space to artists.  Core Gallery was established last year in the Cor Blimey Arts studio complex and since its inception has worked with around 100 emerging and established, international and UK artists and curators.

" In the 12 months since its inception, Core Gallery has mounted a series of diverse and intelligent exhibitions of contemporary art. Core Gallery has established itself as an important venue...."  Graham Crowley

Contact:
Rosalind Davis
info@coregallery.co.uk
C101 Faircharm Trading Estate
8-12 Creekside, Deptford
London SE8 3DX
Tel: 0208 692 2783