New Work Network has been investing and developing a strand of its membership as key artistic Activators since 2007 – developing leaders who, in association with delivering their own artistic practice, act as enablers, facilitators and producers for others.

We are pleased to announce that our current Activator is artist & NWN member Caroline Wright. www.carolinewright.com

NWN and Colchester Arts Centre are supporting Caroline to design and deliver a 2 year programme of professional development activity for artists and arts professionals in the East region. It’s aim is to lessen the impact that the region’s geography has on the development of artists by advancing peer support, networks and dialogue across the region.

This forms part of a commissioned programme of activity created by Caroline Wright on behalf of New Work Network’s national Activator programme and Colchester Arts Centre’s Escalator: Live Art.

Six tea parties are planned for 2011/12, each taking places across the eastern region in each of the counties of Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Bedfordshire. An invited guest will lead each tea party, presenting their work and illustrating ways that artists can develop their practices. Each tea party will offer artists the opportunity to network and learn about the local arts infrastructure alongside tea and cakes.

A mentoring scheme entitled Information Highway will be launched in early 2011 for artists at all career stages from the eastern region.

Activator is supported by Arts Council England