Takeover post from: Katy Richardson
When I attended Jamboree, I’d been back in the SW for just a couple of years, and was re-igniting my art practice. I’d lived in other countries and other parts of the UK for about 20 years before returning to the area where I grew up, and had very few contacts here. Jamboree came at a time when I really needed to connect with other practitioners, both from the point of view of my own practice and the interest I was beginning to develop in artist-led activity. Conversations had already begun about setting up an artist-led network after the loss of PAC Home, but I hadn’t yet found a way in to them. It was through the inspiringly relaxed, welcoming, non-hierarchical and accepting atmosphere of Jamboree that I found myself wanting more of that kind of thing to exist, and feeling that I’d like to be part of making it happen.
CAMP launched its inaugural two-year programme in November 2019, and membership has already grown to double what we thought might be expected at this point. Artists, art writers, curators and producers living anywhere in Devon and Cornwall are eligible to join, and the network provides professional development opportunities such as funding advice, crits with visiting practitioners, mentoring and coaching; a programme of talks, masterclasses and meet-ups; and paid opportunities such as residencies. It is run by and for its members, with 6-8 co-directors (who are also members) overseeing the activity for 18-24 months before stepping down to make way for new co-directors.
In turn, through being involved with CAMP and the many fantastic practitioners it has introduced me to both in the SW and further afield, I have gained a huge amount of confidence in my own practice, and feel supported and in a position to offer support to others. As I reach the end of my period of CAMP co-directorship, I will be proud to hand over to whoever will step in to the role next, and will remain an active member as well as an advocate of artist-led activity more generally. Artists know best what artists need!
—
@c.a.m.plymouth, @katyrichardson.co.uk
Previous and current co-directors of CAMP:
@hannahmaryrose, @racheldobbs1, @carlyseller, @elenabrake, @lucystellarollins, @vickie.fear, @rhys_m, @closeremote, @paulhillon, @oho_co, @kittyhillier, @molly.erh
Other people in the images:
@muirsmuirs, @jathron, @sovayberriman
Image 1: CAMP co-directors (left to right) Paul Hillon, Carly Seller, Hannah Rose, Lucy Rollins, Sophie Mellor, Katy Richardson, Elena Brake and Rachel Dobbs at the CAMP inaugural programme launch in November 2019.
Image 2: CAMP members visiting CAST, Cornwall. Winter 2019.
Image 3: CAMP’s Gathering Resources group meeting online for the first time. Spring 2020.
Image 4: Telling stories around the CAMP Camping campfire, summer 2019
Image 5: From the series ‘13 Amberley Drive’ (2020), as seen on CAMP’s Members’ Gallery page, Nov 2020.
Image 6: Carly Seller sporting a selection of CAMP Camping badges, summer 2019
Image 1: CAMP co-directors (left to right) Paul Hillon (@paulhillon), Carly Seller (@carlyseller), Hannah Rose (@hannahmaryrose), Lucy Rollins (@lucystellarollins), Sophie Mellor (@closeremote), Katy Richardson, Elena Brake (@elenabrake) and Rachel Dobbs (@racheldobbs1) at the CAMP inaugural programme launch in November 2019.
Previous and current co-directors of CAMP not pictured: @vickie.fear, @rhys_m, @oho_co, @kittyhillier, @molly.erh
Image 2: CAMP members visiting CAST, Cornwall. Winter 2019. Including @jathron, @sovayberriman
Image 3: CAMP’s Gathering Resources group meeting online for the first time. Spring 2020.
Image 4: Telling stories around the CAMP Camping campfire, summer 2019. Including @muirsmuirs
Image 5: From the series ‘13 Amberley Drive’ (2020), as seen on CAMP’s Members’ Gallery page, Nov 2020.
Image 6: Carly Seller (@carlyseller) sporting a selection of CAMP Camping badges, summer 2019
@katyrichardson
www.katyrichardson.co.uk