Agile Structures (2020-2025) was an artist-led project by artists Sovay Berriman and Sara Bowler.
Interested in trade, exchange and fair pay, we initiated projects that reconsidered visual art’s practices, responsibilities and behaviours whilst supporting artists to flex and respond to the changing landscape of the arts sector.
Agile Structures offered an alternative route for practitioners to learn by participating in, organising and developing exchanges, events, exhibitions, publications, seminars and symposia.
Agile Structures was shaped in the wake of the UK's exit from the European Union, amid a climate of uncertainty surrounding identity, culture, family and the pathways that connect them. We sought to shape activity through building relationships with open dialogues and practical outcomes.
We identified three strands to our aims:
- siting (and citing) Cornwall as the central axis from which to pivot
- advancing & embedding practice-led learning and research
- elevating action and dialogue amongst visual arts practitioners
Agile Structures is archived here in loving memory of Sara Bowler who died in spring 2024.
Images from AS Symposium L-R: Ceri Hand presenting Negotiating Skills for Artists and Creatives, Sara Bowler hosting a workshop, 2020 symposium timetable, Bridgette Ashton presenting a studio talk
Projects
Agile Structures Symposium (2020) - A symposium across four days to re-vision art practice and behaviour in the shadow of the Corona Virus pandemic and towards an inclusive and environmentally low-impact future.
Contributors: Dave Beech; Bridgette Ashton; Simon Bayliss with Ilker Cinarel and Senara Wilson Hodges; James Fergusson; Ceri Hand; Shama Khanna; Cinzia Mutigli & Holly Davey. Delivered in partnership with Cultivator and supported by the European Regional Development Fund, HM Government, Arts Council England, Cornwall Council and CAMP.
Cornish language help was provided by An Kylgh Kernewek (The Cornish Language Circle) www.learncornishdreckly.org.uk and The Cornish Language Team at Cornwall Council. Many thanks also to Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek www.cornish-language.org
Negotiating Skills for Artists and Creatives (2020) - A short course led by Ceri Hand in associate with Agile Structures supporting artists to develop key negotiation skills. Delivered in partnership with Cultivator and supported by the European Regional Development Fund, HM Government, Arts Council England and Cornwall Council.
Realisation, or Hatching Plans (2020) - A workshop aimed at supporting practitioners wanting to build skills, knowledge and confidence to self-organise projects.
A four-hour, online workshop aimed at practitioners who have a project they would like to self-organise and direct. It was delivered for CAMP (Contemporary Art Membership Plymouth) a member-led network for the creative and visual arts community in Devon and Cornwall, including artists, producers, curators and arts writers. Join CAMP and get more information at www.camp-plymouth.org.
Agile Structures Instagram (2020-2025) - an active Instagram account that sought to share, profile & celebrate visual arts activity in Cornwall.
Images L-R: Sara Bowler, Goonhilly Village Green
Sara Bowler was an artist based in Cornwall. She regularly collaborated with artists, curators and producers to make things happen at places she found interesting. Tapping into all kinds of knowledge held by specialists, local residents, archaeological records, archives, folklore and direct experience, she investigated the palimpsest of place, drawing on this material to make temporary interventions at selected sites. Latterly, she was experimenting with soundscapes presented in situ, including presenting Thresholds at Goonhilly Village Green, an experimental cross-disciplinary project devised in conjunction with artist, Elizabeth Masterton and co-produced with curators Field Notes and Amy Brocklehurst.
