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Spike Island Associates

Spike Island Associates

Spike Island Associates is a professional development network for artists, curators, designers, writers and producers at all stages of their careers. Members span multiple disciplines and share a common interest in collaboration, experimentation and a desire to learn new skills.

We programme a year-round calendar of events for Associates, including:  

  • One-to-one meetings and group crits with artists, curators, writers and critics from across the world 
  • Reading and discussion groups 
  • Skills workshops: pricing and selling your work, fundraising, bookkeeping and finances, digital and practical skills 
  • Talks and study sessions related to contemporary art practice 
  • Away days to galleries and artist-led spaces  

Join a wider creative network

Associates members learn from experts in the creative industries. Recent guests include:

Marwa Arsanios, Pio Abad, Larry Achiampong, Amy Budd, Lucrezia Calabrò Visconti, Leah Capaldi, Cairo Clarke, Eoin Dara, Amrita Dhallu, Sean Edwards, Seán Elder, Leyla Fakhr,  Ceri Hand, Louise Hobson, Kabir Jhala, Taylor Le Melle, Kim McAleese, Jade Monserrat, Harold Offeh, Shy Bairns, Lucy Stein, Lillian Wilkie, Eliel Jones, Rianna Jade Parker, John Eng Kiet Bloomfield, Angela YT Chan, Alice Theobald, Clara Jo, Adham Faramawy, Hannah Wallis, Tako Taal, Alice Channer, Olivia Sterling and Alberta Whittle.

Associates can also connect with communities outside of Bristol through our membership of the Kaleidoscope Networka collaboration with Eastside Projects, Birmingham; Primary, Nottingham; and The NewBridge Project, Newcastle. 

Join today

Join today

What's on for Spike Island Associates

Become a member to take advantage of this program

Date
Location
A UK road sign indicating a diversion, which has been adapted by the artist

Group Crit: ‘On Playful Resistance’ with José García Oliva

Join multidisciplinary, research-based artist José García Oliva for a group crit on playful resistance.
16 April 2024
6–8pm
Location: Associates Space
A woman smiling with long ginger hair, cream trousers and a coulourful blouse, standing in front of a colourful wall.

Associates X UWE Bristol Fine Art Networking Event with Art & People

Associates and UWE MA Fine Art students come together for a morning of networking facilitated by Art & People founder, Claudia Kennaugh.
27 March 2024
10am–12.30pm
Location: Associates Space

Online Talk: WOTTA WITTA?

Art writer Lizzie Lloyd and artist Kit Poulson explore artist writing through UWE Bristol's WITTA (Writing In / To / Through Art) research initiative.
25 March 2024
6–7.30pm
Location: Online

Go West: Bristol Away Day

A collective Away Day to Bristol in partnership with Eastside Projects (Birmingham) and G39 (Cardiff).
21 March 2024
11am–7pm
Location: Bristol
A photo of curator Beatriz Lobo Britto

One-to-ones: Beatriz Lobo Britto

Beatriz Lobo Britto is a museologist and researcher, and is currently Curator at the Institute of International Visual Arts (iniva).
18 March 2024
10am–3pm
Location: Online
Image of multiple people in Young In Hong's gallery at Spike Island's Open Studios

Associates Exhibition Tours and Social

A tour of Spike Island's new exhibtions with Curator Carmen Juliá, followed by a chance to discuss and meet other Associates.
15 March 2024
11am–12pm
Location: Spike Island Gallery
A photo of a seaside shelter with benches

Open Sandwich: Carol Laidler

An informal lunchtime talk by artist and Spike Island studio holder Carol Laidler, considering different ways stories are received.
29 February 2024
1–2pm
Location: Associates Space
A photo of artist Alia Farid's sculptural work.

Away Day: Artes Mundi 10 / Cardiff

An away day to Cardiff to see a selection of artworks from Artes Mundi 10.
21 February 2024
11am–5pm
Location: Cardiff

Current Spike Island Associates

Join an active network of 300 creative practitioners

“Spike Island Associates is a great opportunity to be part of a large diverse dynamic group giving me the chance to meet and expand my network of contacts ”

“It gives me sense of belonging and the opportunity to interact with likeminded people in the art world… there’s a good varied lot of speakers [that help] expand ones view of art”

“The Associates programme has been essential in helping me ‘find my feet’ after relocating to Bristol from a very rural area. And the one-to-ones are invaluable in terms of Continuing Professional Development”

Spike Island Associates is supported by UWE Bristol. Spike Island and UWE Bristol work in partnership to deliver sector-leading support, facilities and opportunities for early-career artists and arts professionals to develop their skills and knowledge. The partnership incudes the provision of resources, arts research, joined-up learning opportunities for creative students, as well as shared public events.