Art X-UK 2023–24

Joanne Coates, Passage To The Past, Masters Shop, Gang Mines 2022 (Part of the series Lie of the Land), 2022

It’s amazing to be representing the North East in the Government Art Collection. The North East is one of the most exciting places for the arts in the UK and it’s really wonderful to see my region being recognised for its talent.

The North East is huge, so sometimes I do think, where do I fit within that and am I representing the issues that people care about? But I think because my work is class-based, there is that connection. More UK art collections should look to the North East.

— Joanne Coates, artist

CVAN England
Operating across nine regions of England, the Contemporary Visual Art Network is a sector support and advocacy organisation, working regionally and nationally since 2012. A network that advocates for and represents a diverse community of artists, creative practitioners, arts organisations, institutions and art galleries across the whole of England’s visual arts sector. Regions: South West, South East, London, East, East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire, North East, North West.

This year, we worked with Art Network North East, focusing on artists based in the North East.

Every year, a CVAN region in England undertakes a thorough process to nominate and select artists for the Government Art Collection. The selection panels are composed of diverse representatives from the local visual arts community. What I find remarkable about this process is its democratic nature, which offers the Collection a broader perspective on artists who might otherwise be overlooked. This platform is crucial for artists seeking recognition and new opportunities. With increasing challenges for regional artists to access London and its networks, this partnership and the Art X-UK project help dismantle those barriers.

– Paula Orrell, CVAN England, National Director

Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN)
Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) connects and champions Scotland’s contemporary art community. 297 organisational and individual members work at the heart of communities from Shetland to the Scottish Borders and from East Lothian to the Western Isles. They include Scotland’s leading galleries, artists’ studios, workshops and production facilities and a highly skilled workforce of artists, art workers and creative thinkers. They sustain a network of free at the point of access galleries and venues, responsive and flexible institutions that anchor local communities and open their doors to their neighbours and visitors alike.

We’re thrilled that artworks by Leo Robinson, Ashanti Harris, Ilana Halperin, Iman Tajik and Matthew Arthur Williams will be seen and shared in public buildings throughout the UK and across the world. These artists from Scotland tell complex individual stories and give voice to their communities, through artworks that are rich, complex and also very, very beautiful. At SCAN we believe that art can sit at the heart of public life and artists can be central to the way we see the world, so we’re delighted to partner with the Government Art Collection.

– Moira Jeffrey, Director, Scottish Contemporary Art Network