Shape Arts

Last updated

Shape Arts
Formation1976
Registration no.279184
Legal statusCharity
HeadquartersBuckinghamshire New University
Location
  • High Wycombe, UK
Revenue£2,063,770 [1] (2021)
Staff8 (2021)
Website https://www.shapearts.org.uk/

Shape Arts or Shape is a British arts charity, working across the UK and internationally, funded by Arts Council England. [2] It provides opportunities for disabled individuals wanting to work in the arts and cultural sector. It trains participants and runs arts and development programmes across all of the creative arts: visual arts, music, dance, writing and acting.

Contents

History

Shape was founded by Gina Levete MBE in 1976 with project funding from the Gulbenkian Foundation. [3] Tony Heaton OBE was CEO from 2008-2017, the current CEO is David Hevey. [4]

Shape was informed by the political activism of the 1960s. Disability arts grew out of the disability rights movement, and the wider struggle by disabled people for equality and the right to participate in all aspects of society. [3]

Activities

Shape Arts arranges exhibitions, [7] awards bursaries to promising disabled artists [8] and provides training in media and marketing skills. [9] From December 2012 - Spring 2013, a pop-up exhibition entitled 'Shape in the City' was presented in the centre of the City of London. [10] Shape had a temporary exhibition space for two years at Westfield Stratford City [11] from 2012 - 2014.

In 2024, Shape Arts exhibited Crip Arte Spazio, The DAM in Venice during the Venice Biennale with Arts Council England funding. [12]

Notable artists

Financial Support

Renowned British contemporary artists have donated artworks to Shape to raise money for the charity through an auction at Bonhams. Funds raised from the sale were matched by the Arts Council’s Catalyst Arts Fund and went towards supporting new arts activities and opportunities for disabled people. Works by Jake and Dinos Chapman, Mat Collishaw, Angela de la Cruz, Tacita Dean, Sir Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn and David Shrigley were auctioned at Bonhams London on 4 March 2014. [17]

In 2016, an online auction at Paddle8 included donations of twenty-five artworks from a range of internationally acclaimed artists including Jeremy Deller, Julie Umerle, Candida Hofer, Ragnar Kjartansson, Hito Steyerl, Grayson Perry and Hans Op de Beeck in support of Shape Arts' 40th anniversary and the continued importance of the organisation's work. [18] [19]

Adam Reynolds' Memorial Bursary

The Adam Reynolds Award, formerly the Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary, [20] was inaugurated in 2008 in memory of the sculptor Adam Reynolds(1959-2005). It is one of the most significant opportunities for disabled visual artists in the UK, offering an opportunity to engage in a three-month residency at a high-profile gallery. Venues that have hosted the residencies include the V & A, Camden Arts Centre, Spike Island, The Baltic, the Bluecoat Gallery [21] and New Art Gallery Walsall. [22]

Artist James Lake who was the awardee in 2023, produced in collaboration with Hot Knife Digital Media the short animated film 'Another Day'.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Charity Overview, SHAPE LONDON - 279184". Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Browse: National portfolio organisations". Arts Council. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Shape at a glance". Shape Arts. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Evans, Kim (15 March 2011). "Tony Heaton: joining the national network". Cultural Leadership Programme. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "About Emergent programme".
  6. ↑ "The history of Unlimited". Unlimited.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ disabilityhorizons (16 February 2012). "Calling all disabled artists | Disability and art". Disabilityhorizons.com. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "News: Shape Arts announces winner of the Adam Reynolds Bursary 2012". disability arts online. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  9. ↑ "Foundation for Community Dance :: Online Training Events – Creative Steps – Shape Arts". Communitydance.org.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Shape Arts Pop-up Gallery in The City". London Pop-ups. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Visit Shape Gallery". Shape Arts. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  12. ↑ Frieze. DAM in Venice. Retrieved 13 June 2024
  13. ↑ "An artist with a lot of bottle — Disability Now". Disabilitynow.org.uk. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  14. ↑ "Shape Open exhibition Patron Announced" . Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Yinka Shonibare MBE Announces Winner of Shape Open 2013" . Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Unique music". ccskills.org.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Blog | Shape's Inaugural Contemporary Art Fundraiser". Shape Arts. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "Shape Benefit Art Auction & Exhibition". Shape Arts. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  19. ↑ Jack Hutchinson (26 April 2016). "Shape Arts 40th anniversary auction raises £27,000 « a-n The Artists Information Company". A-n.co.uk. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  20. ↑ "Adam Reynolds Award". Shape Arts. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  21. ↑ "Recipient of Shape's Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary for a…". Bluecoat. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  22. ↑ "Discussion: John O'Donoghue gives an overview of the Shape's Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary: The First Four". disability arts online. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
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