National Evaluator, Annabel Jackson

The National Contemporary Visual Arts Network (CVAN) welcomes the recent findings of their independent national evaluation undertaken by Annabel Jackson Associates.

What is clear from the report is that commitment to the Contemporary Visual Arts Network (formerly Turning Point Network) remains strong. 

• 73% of steering group members who joined more than a year ago have spent more or the same amount of time on the network that in earlier years and have described this contact as positive. 
• 91% of respondents felt that Knowledge Sharing is a strong element of CVAN’s appeal. 
• 93% of Steering Group members plan to continue their involvement with CVAN in the future. 
• 97% of Steering Group of members said that partnerships like CVAN are more or as relevant given the spending cuts that the sector continues to face and the relationship with ACE is becoming clearer as the Network develops. 

Steering Group members also said that the visual arts sector is less dependent on ACE to take the strategic lead as a result of the Contemporary Visual Arts Network which is slowly reducing fragmentation and increasing resilience and is moving to, communicating core messages about the value of and interconnectivity of the contemporary visual arts sector.

Godfrey Worsdale, Director of Baltic and Chair of North East Contemporary Visual Arts Network commented:

There are clearly more challenges ahead for the future of cultural provision, but it is apparent that those of us working across contemporary visual art see the immense value of collaboration and the exchange of new ideas. The findings of the most recent  evaluation of the Contemporary Visual Arts Network strongly demonstrate that these benefits are regarded as being an integral part of the sector’s sustainability.

Keith Jeffries, CEO of QUAD and Chair of East Midlands Visual Arts Network added:

This evaluation demonstrates the growing importance of CVAN to the sector. It shows just how successful the network has become in an incredibly short period of time. These are difficult times for all the arts but the visual arts in particular. Its reassuring to see that these networks are being used effectively to deal with the ever growing challenges for artists and organisations alike.

The National Chairs group value this feedback as it helps inform their work over the next 12 months, they also acknowledge there is always room for improvement, therefore CVAN plan to:

• Continue to articulate and circulate at regional and national level CVAN’s mission, vision and values document that details what the Network’s role and function is
• Improve our national linking up of our regional networks better by sharing news regularly through a newly created national newsletter that goes direct to not just our Steering group members but also the wider visual arts sector so that the work of the network is clearer to all. 
• Ensure strategic consensus across the network nationally that can have purpose in the regions by sourcing input and feedback from our members when working at national level so that we can create a collective voice – creating an effective voice for the visual arts. 
• We will work regionally and nationally to advocate for the value of the Contemporary Visual Arts using the Network as a platform. 

Click here to download the full report...