Artist Development Programmes
Castlefield Gallery’s purpose, mission, vision and values have been focused on artist development for over 40 years. We are an artist-facing organisation and a home for artists and independent creatives.
Our activities provide exhibition, commission, practice and career development opportunities for artists and independent creatives, particularly those living and working in Greater Manchester, the North West and North of England. Our national and international activities focus on facilitating connections and artist exchange.
We are concerned with the promise and power of an artist’s work, aiming to create long-lasting impacts through our engagement with artists and independent creatives. We take a long-term view, supporting artists over extended periods as their practice evolves, and at different stages of their careers and lives.
Castlefield Gallery provides a range of artist support activities, from Castlefield Gallery Associates to more person-centred, bespoke programmes accessed by application. These can change over time, evolving to respond to needs and demands. This can mean not all programmes are available year to year and year-round. Here is a sample of some of our artist development programmes and opportunities:
Castlefield Gallery Associates
We engage more than 300 Castlefield Gallery Associates, most based in the North West and North of England, some nationally and internationally. To join it costs £5 per month. For more information on Castlefield Gallery Associates see here
SPARK
Castlefield Gallery provides communications and coordination support to SPARK, an open-access artist network set up by Castlefield Gallery in 2022, to facilitate a Greater Manchester/North West-based network of artists wanting to intervene in the climate crisis. We initiated SPARK as a response to the high demand for places on our 2021/22 SUSTAIN programme focussed on low-carbon art-making and working.
Salford Scholars
Castlefield Gallery’s annual 18-month artist graduate support programme, developed and delivered with the University of Salford Art Collection at the University of Salford and partners Hot Bed Press, Islington Mill, and Paradise Works. In 2024 we marked 10 years of Salford Scholars.
Manchester School of Art Mentees
Castlefield Gallery’s annual 12-month artist graduate support programme for students graduating from Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Manchester Open Awardees
Every two years we partner with HOME, selecting from around 2000 applications to the Manchester Open. This leads to the Manchester Open, normally housing around 400 works by artists and creatives living and working in Greater Manchester. We make three to four awards each year to participating artists, awardees accessing a bespoke artist development programme developed and delivered by Castlefield Gallery.
SUSTAIN
This programme was conceived and launched with our partners in Denmark, Aarhus Center for Visual Art. SUSTAIN in its first iteration was a two-year programme of professional development and artist exchange focussed on developing low-carbon and ecologically aware ways of producing and experiencing art, as well as international working. The programme coalesced around digital exchange and slow travel artist exchange residencies. The first round of SUSTAIN has been completed. We are working towards being able to launch a second phase.
bOlder
This artist development programme is aimed at artists aged 50+ years. It is for artists working at any career stage with a practice that demonstrates an engagement with contemporary visual arts. The programme does not run annually, so look out for future news about the next bOlder.
PIVOT
PIVOT has been developed with Bluecoat (Liverpool). It is a programme focused on support for mid-career artists. The first round of PIVOT has been completed. The programme does not run annually, so look out for future news about the next bOlder.
Castlefield Gallery works with a range of partners to provide artist development opportunities, for example, Co-Labs / Conversations Series with Venture Arts or CRITS and Creative Spaces with Creative Industries Trafford. Some are delivered more regularly than others, so it is a good idea to keep an eye on our opportunities and social media.
