Postgraduate Opportunities for Art Students
How to make the most of Leeds, Liverpool or Manchester as an art graduate? That is the question
Art school is often described as a safe environment for experimentation, where you're coddled and protected from the cruel realities of the 'real' art world – but the fact is that not only will engaging with the scene in your city give your own art practice an edge, the prospect of graduating is far less intimidating if you've already put down roots.
Plus, the realities of the art world needn't be cruel; on the whole, those a step further on than you are keen to help and enthusiastic about new ideas – so long as you are too.
In each of the major cities in the North, as well as many of the smaller towns and cities, you'll find contemporary art agencies and studio groups that are eager to foster a sense of community and criticality among emerging artists, as well as independent galleries and artist-led spaces that will be glad of a hand with invigilating and installing.
In Leeds, check out &Model and the gallery and event spaces at Wharf Chambers; in Manchester, look out for the open studios at Rogue or Mirabel, and events at Islington Mill. With the Biennial, Liverpool offers plenty of volunteering opportunities, but keep an eye on The Royal Standard and associated galleries too.
Both East Street Arts in Leeds and Castlefield Gallery in Manchester offer memberships, whereby for a fee you get access to mentorship and residency opportunities (and in the case of the latter's CG Associates scheme, the chance to curate a funded exhibition in the gallery). These kinds of schemes are good for when you're trying to find your feet right after graduation, and are a decent investment for the dregs of your student loan.
The Royal Standard in Liverpool, on the other hand, has a rolling voluntary directorship, with the studios, exhibition and residency spaces run by a committee of up to six directors that change biennially. A significant number of these directors have gone on to found art spaces and publications in the city and further afield.
As a student it might feel a little premature to be focusing in earnest on professional development, and indeed these opportunities are more suited to graduates, but each of the above organisations also run volunteering schemes. During your degree, a few hours per week spent working alongside the directors, curators and artists that you admire is valuable in helping you to work out what you want (or don't want!) to devote your time and creativity to in the long run.
It is of course always a good idea to sign up to as many local, national and international arts mailing lists as you can handle, but specific to the North are Axisweb and CuratorSpace, two online resources that, for a very small or no fee, offer exposure through a profile and first dibs on opportunities.
However, as useful as it is to be searchable, the importance of being present can't be stressed enough. You'll undoubtedly have been told to go to previews, but you need to talk to people as well – and if noisy, boozy group situations aren't where you do your highest quality conversing, you can always invite the people you want to speak to out for a coffee and a chat, or even interview them for a local publication – like this one, YAC (Young Artists in Conversation), Corridor8 or The Double Negative.
This could all seem to come down to the old adage, 'it's who you know' – but the point is that, with a little creativity, you can get to know the artists, curators, writers and organisers that are making exciting things happen in your city, on your own terms.