Blog kindly provided by Wendy Mason.
AA2A Ltd is a Sector Support Organisation funded by Arts Council England.
All schemes are subsidised by the financial support provided by ACE.
In response to the need to deliver a more digital curriculum in 2020-21, AA2A has taken the core elements of their scheme (which has been centred around artists’ residencies and employability support) to put together a new offer – ‘AA2A Digital’ https://aa2a.biz/pages/video1
AA2A Digital is designed to help students develop their careers as creative practitioners, without the requirement to provide workshop and studio spaces for artists next year when pressure on space is at a premium.
The full student employability support package is open to all HEIs and includes a comprehensive package of talks, web profiles, seminars, videos and information packs, designed to fit into the curriculum. New and returning host HEIs can also choose to host a slimmed down introductory package.
• As an incentive to sign up to the full package before 1st September AA2A is offering two prize challenges for the host HEI’s students.
Full student employability support package – £1,400
Self-employment support
o Self-employment presentations https://aa2a.biz/students/employability – three 40 min videos with live Q&As afterwards and a questionnaire to test students’ knowledge
o ‘Making it out there’ https://aa2a.biz/resources/gradpack – digital pack for students and graduates, with tailored local info and suggestions to integrate the pack into the curriculum.
o Support to set up a Social media support group for students and graduates who are interested in self-employment – AA2A will post topics monthly
o Specialist self-employment seminars – places for two students or recent graduates to join national, monthly video meetings
Access to AA2A artists
o Series of scheduled video talks, open to students, featuring at least five AA2A artists and designer-makers, focussing on different aspects of their careers after graduation e.g. working with agents and galleries, copyright and licensing
o Option to record talks and host these on your VLE
Profiling students o Professional profiles https://aa2a.biz/network/user?usertype=artist on the AA2A website for 4 students, to encourage them to document and promote their work online in preparation for graduation
o * 2 prize challenges for each HEI’s students, which can be linked to the curriculum. Winners will be featured on AA2A’s website and receive £40 art vouchers.
The AA2A project provides placements for visual artists and designer-makers in Higher and Further Education institutions across England. In 2019-2020 we have AA2A schemes in 12 host institutions, providing around 50 placements nationally. In the last 20 years, around 1,940 participants have realised projects and researched techniques using workshops and supporting facilities in participating fine art and design departments.