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ISAN Conferences

Time To Connect Winchester, December 2005

The Time to Connect was a two day national conference for promoters and presenters of Street Arts. The Conference was organised and produced by ISAN and supported by a Grant for the Arts from Arts Council, London. The Conference focused on partnership working and the artist/promoter relationship.

Following the Next Step Forward conference, the ISAN project manager had requested more input into the development of the conference themes and, to this end, a steering group was set up involving experienced promoters: Frank Wilson (Director of Event International), Maggie Clarke (X.trax Arts), Simon Chatterton (Elemental Arts, Director of Out There Festival) and Katy Fuller (Independent, ISAN Project Manager) were on the steering group, which was also attended by the ISAN coordinator, Julian Rudd.

The theme of the first day of the conference was partnership working – ISAN wanted to create an environment for discussion, debate and exchange of information that would encourage the renewing of old, and the establishment of new, partnerships between promoters. Successful touring and commissioning partnerships are the essential frameworks for the development of new and existing work, the very building blocks of the street arts sector.

The second day of the conference focused on the artist/promoter relationship. In a development from the feedback from the 2003 ISAN Conference, the artists who attended the Ideas Summit late on Friday were invited to participate in the programme all day. There had been crucial developments in the relationships between artist and promoters, with the establishment of the UK street artists’ network (USAN which became NASA in January 2006) and ISAN included a breakout session to discuss the relationship between themselves and USAN. Other breakouts included the subjects of creative frameworks, partnerships, diversity, site specific work and the artist-led festival. It was a reflection of the growing reputation of street arts, as an important and developing sector, that ISAN were able to attract very experienced speakers with international reputations.

Jude Kelly, the artistic director of the building-based South Bank, felt that it was important to engage with the street arts sector. Arjen Anker, co artistic director of Vis a Vis joined us as our international key note, with John Fox – for many one the most important figures in the development of celebratory, outdoor spectacle in the UK and Europe bar none – finishing proceedings on the first day.

Feedback from a Cultural Diversity Advocacy Delegate

“I had a great time - a whole new world was opened up for me and I may never want to work indoors again. Everyone was very open and relaxed - a change from a lot of theatre conferences...”

Feedback from Time To Connect delegate

“the best conference I've ever attended ever. Best organised, right mix of information sharing, networking and debate. I had a useful 2 days. Very inspirational. Thank you very much.”

Next Step Forward

Liverpool, November 2003

The Next Step Forward was a two day national conference produced by the Independent Street Arts Network (ISAN) for promoters and presenters of Street Arts. It took place in November 2003 in Liverpool. The Conference focused on developing mid to large scale UK-produced work, with a particular focus on enabling the early and continuing investment by promoters in the development of artists’ creative ideas, and on increasing the number of promoters able to promote large scale work.

The Conference forms part of a larger professional development programme of events and publications, The Next Step Forward, initiated by ISAN and supported by a RALP grant from Arts Council, London.

Feedback from Next Step Forward delegate

“The whole thing was one of the most stimulating and well thought through conferences I’ve been to.”