Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands

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Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands

Contemporary Visual Arts Network for the East Midlands. We work alongside CVAN National 8 other regi

We celebrate and support arts and culture in the region, working to champion artists and foster an inclusive long-term future for the sector. CVAN EM is a catalyst for conversation and collaborative action, emphasising equity and access for all arts workers. CVAN EM nurtures regional and cross-regional connectivity and engagement through participation, working in partnership with organisations and

creatives across the East Midlands to build sustainable infrastructures, present opportunities and deliver artist development activity.

10/06/2026

Better Together #17: From Survival to Strategy | Building Stronger, More Sustainable Arts Organisations

Join Katy Morrison for a practical session on writing stronger funding applications while thinking more strategically about income diversification and organisational sustainability.

📅 Tuesday 30 June, 1PM–2PM
📍 Online, booking essential: https://bit.ly/4g5L6G8

Topics include:
• Stronger funding applications
• Income diversification & sustainability
• Public benefit & organisational fit
• Partnerships, impact & delivery capacity
• Trusts & foundations
• Local authority & Arts Council England funding
• Earned income, consultancy & international opportunities

Drawing on her experience as Director of PINK, an artist-led gallery, studio and event space in Stockport, Katy will explore how arts organisations can build clearer funding narratives while developing mixed-income models for long-term resilience.

This session is aimed at arts workers, directors, producers, trustees, programme leads and freelancers working with organisations.

Expect practical advice, common pitfalls and space for live questions around funding, income and sustainability.

Hosted by CVAN EM & CVAN WM as part of the Better Together series, bi-monthly sessions exploring urgent topics relevant to the arts and culture sector.

Access: Closed captions will be available during the session. Please note the session will not be recorded.

08/06/2026

Join us for Making Things Move, a free hands-on robotics workshop for artists, makers and the curious. Learn how to bring movement to your artwork using motors, servos and microcontrollers. No coding experience needed.

📅 Friday 7 August, 10AM–4PM�
📍 Coventry University, Delia Derbyshire Building�
🎟 Free workshop. Booking essential: https://bit.ly/4oektkp

In this practical workshop, you’ll explore how movement can create emotion, humour and intention in objects through subtle gestures like twitching, tilting, spinning or breathing.

Together we will:
* Learn how servos, sensors and microcontrollers work
* Experiment with materials to explore movement
* Create a kinetic prototype to take home
* Explore inspiring examples of contemporary robotic and kinetic art

Who’s it for?�→ Artists and makers interested in sculpture, installation or moving objects�→ Educators and community artists exploring approachable STEAM activities�→ Curious learners and hobbyists who love making, tinkering and experimenting

Making Things Move is delivered by . It is supported by Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands and Contemporary Visual Arts Network West Midlands as part of Ode to the Midlands. The programme invests in artists, organisations, and audiences across the Midlands, strengthening regional connections and expanding access to digital visual arts.

This event forms part of a wider series of Ode to the Midlands workshops, generously supported by universities and partners across the East and West Midlands. All workshops are free and open to the public, offering opportunities to develop digital skills, encourage experimentation, and build confidence across the sector.

Ode to the Midlands is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England ().

04/06/2026

OPEN CALL: CVAN EM’s Bigger Bursary x QUAD

For emerging lens-based artists in the East Midlands 
- £2,500 CVAN EM bursary
- £2,000 support from QUAD (travel, accommodation & curatorial support)
- A solo exhibition as part of QUAD’s Montage Gallery programme 
This opportunity is for artists working in everything from traditional photography and archives to mobile phone imagery, film, AI-generated images, and immersive installations.

📅 Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026, 10am 📩 Responses: Friday 10 July 2026, 5pm
🔗 Link in bio for application info & pack

CVAN EM’s Bigger Bursary, delivered in partnership with QUAD, builds on the success of last year’s round and responds directly to feedback gathered from our 2024/25 & 2025/26 bursary recipients. This next iteration reflects a commitment to strengthening support for artists and arts workers in the region.

About QUAD: QUAD () is Derby’s cultural hub and home to FORMAT International Photography Festival and Derby Film Festival. Montage Gallery supports emerging artists through exhibitions, collaborations, and community engagement.

About CVAN EM: CVAN EM () is the free-to-access Contemporary Visual Arts Networks for the East Midlands, supporting artists, arts workers, and organisations through paid opportunities, critical programming, and partnership working, while driving policy change to ensure a sustainable and vibrant sector.

Image credit: Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Awards. Credit by Charlotte Jopling

29/05/2026

Free public workshops for artists & creatives across the Midlands…

Ode to the Midlands (OttM) is partnering with universities & creative organisations across the region to deliver a series of free public workshops designed to build digital skills, confidence and sustainable creative careers.

📢 Already announced & free to book (links in bios):

Introduction to VR for Visual Arts 📍 Barbican Creative Hub, Lincoln 📅 Friday 12 June, 1-2:30PM 
Curious about VR but don’t know where to start? Explore professional VR equipment, see how immersive tech can support your practice, and try it out in a relaxed, no-pressure environment. No jargon, no experience needed.

Developing A Sustainable (Creative) Career with Ceri Hand () 📍 Nottingham Trent University 📅 Thursday 25 June, 5-7:30PM

Join creative coach, speaker and Extraordinary Creatives podcast host Ceri Hand for an energising session exploring the five pillars of a thriving creative career: Create, Collateral, Community, Confidence & Cash.

More workshops to be announced soon….

Sessions will be delivered in partnership with Barbican Creative Hub (), Collective (), Coventry University (), Hereford College of Art (), Nottingham Trent University (), University of Lincoln (), University of Nottingham (), and University of Wolverhampton ().

Delivered through CVAN EM and CVAN WM as part of Ode to the Midlands. Generously supported by universities and partners across the East and West Midlands.

Ode to the Midlands invests in artists, organisations, and audiences across the Midlands, strengthening regional connections and expanding access to digital visual arts. Funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England ().

22/05/2026

OPEN CALL: CVAN EM’s Bigger Bursary x QUAD
For emerging lens-based artists in the East Midlands 
- £2,500 CVAN EM bursary
- £2,000 support from QUAD (travel, accommodation & curatorial support)
- A solo exhibition as part of QUAD’s Montage Gallery programme 
This opportunity is for artists working in everything from traditional photography and archives to mobile phone imagery, film, AI-generated images, and immersive installations.

📅 Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026, 10am 📩 Responses: Friday 10 July 2026, 5pm
🔗 Link in bio for application info & pack

CVAN EM’s Bigger Bursary, delivered in partnership with QUAD, builds on the success of last year’s round and responds directly to feedback gathered from our 2024/25 & 2025/26 bursary recipients. This next iteration reflects a commitment to strengthening support for artists and arts workers in the region.

About QUAD: QUAD () is Derby’s cultural hub and home to FORMAT International Photography Festival and Derby Film Festival. Montage Gallery supports emerging artists through exhibitions, collaborations, and community engagement.

About CVAN EM: CVAN EM () is the free-to-access Contemporary Visual Arts Networks for the East Midlands, supporting artists, arts workers, and organisations through paid opportunities, critical programming, and partnership working, while driving policy change to ensure a sustainable and vibrant sector.

19/05/2026

Introducing the six commissioned artists for Ode to the Midlands, a new cross-regional digital arts programme supporting ambitious new commissions with partners across the Midlands.

⚡ Aisling Ward () × British Ceramics Biennial () ⚡ Andy Harper ()× Meadow Arts () ⚡ Kim Thompson (.art) × Herefordshire Museums & Galleries ⚡ Antonio Roberts () × Film and Video Umbrella () ⚡ Marley Starskey Butler () × Arts Collective () ⚡ Natasha Taheem (.Taheem) × Hub ()

Artists will develop new works (May 2026 – March 2027) exploring the cultural, historic, and geographical identities of the Midlands through a wide range of digital practices. The OttM commissioning model pairs artists with organisations from neighbouring Midlands regions, encouraging collaboration, exchange, and new relationships across the sector.

Artists were selected with the OttM Advisory Group, a group of Midlands-based artists, arts workers, and audience representatives whose insight and lived experience helped shape an equitable and artist-centred selection process.

A huge thank you to Advisory Group members Amrit Doll, Christopher Samuel, Nahashon Kimata, Tierra Davis, Ayesha Jones, Farwa Moledina, Kevin Hunt and Tanya Raabe-Webber for their care, generosity, and commitment. Conversations have been supported by facilitator Ania Bas.

The programme is led collaboratively by CVAN EM () & CVAN WM (), hosted respectively by New Art Exchange (new_art_exchange) and DASH ().

Ode to the Midlands is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England ().

Images credits: 1) Aisling Ward by Jazz Swali; 2) Andy Harper by AJH Wandsworth; 3) Kim Thompson by Jazz Swali; 4) Antonio Roberts, Tate, Tate Modern Lates, photography Sophie Shaw; 5) Marley Starskey Butler by Ashley Carr; & 6) Natasha Taheem by Sarah Ali.

14/05/2026

Join creative coach and arts insider Ceri Hand () for Developing A Sustainable (Creative) Career, a free workshop packed with practical advice, tools and inspiration for artists and creatives.

📅 Thursday 25 June, 5–7:30PM
📍 Nottingham Trent University, delivered by Collective
🎟 Free, book here: https://bit.ly/3R89PiF

We will explore the five key pillars of success:
- Create
- Collateral
- Community
- Confidence
- Cash

This session will help you build confidence and momentum in your creative career. Through practical tips, formulas, case studies and actionable advice, you’ll learn how to:
- Create your best work
- Communicate and promote it effectively
- Build meaningful networks and champions
- Earn more doing what you love

Ceri Hand is a creative coach, founder of Ceri Hand, host of the Extraordinary Creatives podcast and has supported thousands of creatives to make an impact with their work and earn more money doing what they love.

Developing A Sustainable (Creative) Career is delivered by Collective (), connecting the creative, digital & tech economy of the East Midlands. It is supported by Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands and Contemporary Visual Arts Network West Midlands as part of Ode to the Midlands. The programme invests in artists, organisations, and audiences across the Midlands, strengthening regional connections and expanding access to digital visual arts.

This event forms part of a wider series of Ode to the Midlands workshops, generously supported by universities and partners across the East and West Midlands. All workshops are free and open to the public, offering opportunities to develop digital skills, encourage experimentation, and build confidence across the sector.

Ode to the Midlands is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England ().

11/05/2026

Curious about VR but not sure where to start?

Join us for Introduction to VR for Visual Arts, a free, hands-on workshop exploring how virtual reality can support and expand creative practice.

📅 Friday 12 June, 1–2:30PM�
📍 The Cube, Barbican Creative Hub, Lincoln
🎟 Free, booking: https://bit.ly/4tYXR9v

In this 90-minute workshop, you’ll:
- Explore professional VR equipment
- See how VR can enhance artistic practice
- Try the technology for yourself in a supportive, no-pressure environment
- Learn how to continue accessing the kit through Barbican membership
- Enjoy the opportunity to try co-working afterwards for free if you haven’t before�

No prior experience needed. A practical first step into new creative possibilities.�

Introduction to VR for Visual Arts is delivered by Barbican Creative Hub, a space for Lincolnshire’s creative and cultural industries. It is supported by Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands and Contemporary Visual Arts Network West Midlands as part of Ode to the Midlands (OttM). The programme invests in artists, organisations, and audiences across the Midlands, strengthening regional connections and expanding access to digital visual arts.

This event forms part of a wider series of Ode to the Midlands workshops, generously supported by universities and partners across the East and West Midlands. All workshops are free and open to the public, offering opportunities to develop digital skills, encourage experimentation, and build confidence across the sector.�

Funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

📸 Podcasting. Stephan Sorkin.

29/04/2026

After four jam packed years of generosity, insight and support, we’re saying thank you and goodbye to CVAN EM Steering Group members Harriet Plewis (), Harry Freestone (), Ismail Khokon, Lucy Lumb () & Saziso Phiri () as they step down in July, having each done a full term! 💛✨

Their collective knowledge, skills, passion, energy and commitment has helped shape priorities, influence direction and strengthen a network that champions a more equitable and sustainable visual arts sector across the East Midlands. The Steering Group’s advise and advocacy informs how CVAN EM supports artists, builds connections and contributes to a stronger, more visible regional ecology.

—

As we say goodbye, we’re also looking ahead. CVAN EM is recruiting new Steering Group members to join at an exciting moment of growth, investment and regional development.

We’re looking for artists and arts workers based in the East Midlands who are passionate about equity, access and building a stronger, more representative sector.

📍 Open to East Midlands–based artists & arts workers 🗓️ 4 meetings per year + 1 development day 💸 2 sponsored roles (£200 per meeting + development day) + 2–3 organisational representatives 🗓️ Deadline: Monday 11 May, 10am 🚀 Start: October 2026 (with July handover)

This is a chance to gain experience, connect with peers regionally and nationally, and directly shape the future of the visual arts sector.

🔗 Find out more + apply via the link in bio

27/04/2026

A monthly round up of opportunities, jobs & funding for artists, arts workers & organisations in the East Midlands.

For further details and links to application information join our mailing list via the CVAN EM website or the link in our bio!

Our newsletter arrives in your mailbox on the first of each month📨⬇️.  Doddington Young Sculptor Exhibition 2026 - Call for Submissions Deadline Sunday 3 May  LCB Depot: Craft 2026 Submissions Deadline Sunday 3 May   CIMAM Travel Grant: International Open Call Deadline Monday 4 May
 Attenborough Arts Centre: Freelance Project Manager: The City Classroom Leicester’s Local Cultural Education Partnership Deadline Tuesday 5 May   Nottingham Contemporary: Curatorial Admin Assistant  Deadline Tuesday 5 May  Attenborough Arts Centre: Gallery Assistant Facilitator Deadline Wednesday 6 May  Visual Storytelling: The Story of George Shaw in Birmingham Deadline Friday 8 May
 Arts Catalyst: Audience and Engagement Assistant Deadline Monday 11 May  Cavendish Arts Science Fellowship  Deadline Saturday 16 May  Portland Inn Projects: Studio Manager Deadline Monday 18 May  Syllabus IX Artist Applications Open Call Deadline Tuesday 19 May   Tarpey Gallery Open: Call for Submissions Deadline Wednesday 20 May  Writing East Midlands: Chief Executive Officer Deadline Sunday 24 May   Creative Black Country: Walsall Beyond, Digital Commission Deadline Monday 25 May   Fruit Market Sculpture Public Art Commission Deadline Tuesday 26 May

Primary: Collaborative Programme Curator
Deadline Sunday 31 May

Primary: Deputy Director
Deadline Sunday 31 May  
Fluxus Art Project Magnetic 5 Residencies Deadline Tuesday 2 June  QEST: 2026 Rising Star Craft Award Deadline Friday 5 June   The Harley Open 2026 Deadline Sunday 19 July

Address

Leicester
LE11QG

Website

http://www.cvaneastmidlands.co.uk/

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