Artist Development and Training

darts Artists

darts has been building and developing strong relationships with artists since its inception in 1990. Through collaborative working, innovative programmes, new opportunities, training, mentoring or shadowing opportunities, we are committed to strengthening skills and capacity in participatory practice, improving our local and national creative infrastructure.

Our approach has developed over time, and we currently work with artists in several different ways – employing Core, Freelance, Trainee and Support Artists, and providing volunteering opportunities for those wishing to enhance or progress their careers. We are committed to professional development and skill sharing at all stages of artists’ careers and will continue to build long-term relationships with practitioners across all artforms.

In developing our artist team, we will focus on diversity; attracting those from under-represented communities and finding inclusive and appropriate ways to offer the broadest access to improve the quality, reach and impact of creative activity.

Centre of Excellence

darts – operating from its home, The Point – is a Centre of Excellence for the development of participatory arts practice. We have a proven Trainee Programmes and clear talent development pathway for artists, and those who wish to work in the creative sector, to experience hands-on learning within a safe and supported environment.

The need and our ability to meet it

The value of participatory creative practice has never been more accepted as a way of improving physical and mental health and education. The All Party Parliamentary Group Creative Health report created momentum, whilst the creation of the Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance, the national Creativity & Wellbeing Week, the celebrity-promoted Music for Dementia, and the Government-advocated Social Prescribing Alliance all built awareness. This increased demand will need an increase in the supply of skilled practitioners who understand the specialism and are able to deliver high quality, safe and effective participatory activity. This is a significant opportunity which requires action now: we are passionate about embracing it.

darts is a leader in this field, with over 30 years of expertise, proven approaches and successful models that can be delivered at scale. We have a deserved reputation for delivering high quality creative activity that responds to immediate need, with positive impact for those who are least engaged in the arts. We have a clear understanding of the ingredients and qualities that make both an excellent artist facilitator, and an impactful participatory approach.

We are adept at negotiating change within the public sector; building place-based partnerships in collaboration with creative, community, health and education sectors that genuinely make a difference. We are a trusted partner, able to adapt to changing conditions and participants’ needs. We have a strong track record of enabling staff to grow and excel, pursuing areas of work that feed their passions, whilst strengthening delivery against core purpose.

Core Artists

darts employs Core Artists with permanent contracts for between 3 and 5 days per week. We look ahead at our secure, funded programmes and ensure that we have a team that will enable us to deliver planned work at the highest quality, with the most impact, offering the best possible experience for our participants. Dancers, drama practitioners and musicians currently make up the team – all of whom have a broad experience and track record in excellent participatory arts delivery.

Freelance Artists

darts has a trusted pool of experienced Freelance Artists, all of whom are both experts in their individual artistic practice, and skilled facilitators with diverse groups of people with varying needs. We build relationships with artists who love to collaborate, help us develop our work and improve our offer. In return we offer opportunities to try new things, to develop areas of practice and to achieve bigger things together. We offer Artist Lab opportunities to share good practice and encourage a collaborative way of working.

Trainee Artists

We have rich experience in training and professional development for artists and administrators across our 30+ years. Our Training Handbook and paid Training courses have provided the frameworks to support successive generations of new entrants to the workforce. Embedded training and professional development for staff and artists enables career progression and talent development.

We establish conditions that support artists and practitioners to work in challenging contexts safely and successfully, with effective safeguards for their own health and wellbeing. Most Recently, we have been running Expanding Horizons paid training programmes for emerging and early career artists, and Tuneful Chatter paid training programmes for more experienced artists wishing to develop their practice in early years settings.

Support Artists

Our Talent Development Pathway offers numerous ways of developing creative practice at different stages of an artist’s career. Whether you are a recent graduate, a practising artist with limited experience of delivering participatory work, a skilled participatory artist who wants to develop their skills with a different group or a recent trainee, acting as a paid Support Artist allows you to gain valuable skills and experience within a safe and supported environment. darts will ensure that several of our programmes have the opportunity for a Support Artist to work alongside a Lead Artist. Core and Freelance Artists may be asked to act as a Support Artist dependent on the programme needs.

Volunteer Artists

Those who are passionate about participatory arts practice can volunteer on darts programmes. Our volunteers might be those who have been recommended, or who approach us directly. They may be practising artists whose practice would benefit from seeing how other experienced artists deliver within a certain group or art form. They may be studying a subject related to participatory arts or working elsewhere within the cultural sector and wish to expand their skill set, whether as an artist, administrator or manager.

We see volunteers as a vital element of our talent development framework, strengthening the regional creative workforce, engaging in hands-on learning and being part of a skilled and experienced team.