Measuring success across the Turning Point Network...

One of the many questions that are emerging from the notes of last week's Turning Point Network event, is that of how we will know if the Turning Point Network has been successful: what are the indicators of success? How will we measure the impacts?

To help us to identify some answers we have commissioned Annabel Jackson Associates to develop an evaluation framework for the pilot phase, through to March 2012.

Annabel and her team will be a resource that any and all of the visual arts groups can draw on. In her words:

"The role of the evaluator will be to help regional groups and the national coordinator with conceptualising and reflection; to carry out surveys that will help to embody and share knowledge across the network; and to provide an overall judgement of the success of the network, including value for money.

Success will be defined taking account of the intangibles (development of a networks and partnerships) as well as the tangibles (delivery of projects and outcomes [within each of the groups])."

A summary of the evaluation framework is available to download now. The full framework is in development, but will require close consultation with people in each of the groups over the coming weeks.

One aspect of the framework I'm particularly interested in is the 'network analysis'. This will allow us to collect and visualise data about relationships in, across and extending out of the network.

I hope that this evaluation will help everyone involved to make an informed choice about whether they think continued commitment to the network is of value post March 2011. Please do get involved!

Over the summit...

DELEGATES AT THE BALTIC, DEEP IN CONVERSATION

This post follows a really brilliant (for me certainly, but I hope for others too) few days in the North East for the first Turning Point Network event.

This is also my first post using a new mobile application, so fingers crossed it works!

Incredibly 110 people cleared space in their diaries and, in many cases, made long journies up to BALTIC, in Gateshed. Generousity and a willingness to engage really created a positive atmosphere in which a wide range of discussions were held around 11 tables.

This first event was about starting conversations that will, I hope, now find their way back into the various regional groups. Put another way, there was nothing conclusive about the day - no answers were found. Rather, the key issues facing us were discussed and debated in an attempt to 'define the moment' we find ourselves in, together.

I've collected over 100 post-it notes, each home to an idea, thought, provocation or point of action raised on the day. My job over the next few days (half way through now) will be to distill these down into something coherent that can be shared with everyone.

Once we've gathered some feedback on that first piece of work, Julia Bell and I hope to commission some pieces of writing that will extend thinking in key areas.

Thanks to the Archive team at BALTIC we have some bits of video footage from the day, which I will be uploading soon.

If you would like to be notified when the videos are ready, the best thing to do it subscribe to my blog now... hint, hint.

The first Turning Point Network Summit

MAKING CONNECTIONS | Image by Johnny Magee © 2007

A date has been set for the first national Turning Point Network event.

Hosted by BALTIC and Turning Point North East on 06 November 2009 this will be the first opportunity for the wide range of people involved in the various Turning Point groups to come together. It will be a day of provocation and debate, and of informal discussion and networking. It will also be a key opportunity to share learning across the groups, and to agree solutions to some practical issues like how we make the most of our resources to create the online tools the groups need.

For this first event we will bring together representatives of Steering Groups and Working Parties from all the groups, which include artists, independents and leaders of all types and scales of organisation. We anticipate around 8 people will attend from each group.

I’ve already been asked a few times why we are not extending this to include representatives from national agencies. It’s a good question, and indeed Turning Point South East are already planning an event for 2010 that will invite people from all national organisations, representative bodies and the other arts councils too. However, we (the other coordinators and I) feel that a chance to meet, for those who are leading the development of these groups now, is needed to consolidate what we have. Like any network, Turning Point needs to build capacity / bandwidth in stages. It will be stronger for all in the long-term as a result.

The archive team at BALTIC will be recording everything on the day, and as ever I’ll be posting links to the material once it’s live.

Mapping the network

Finally got around to updating my map of the Turning Point Network!

I've had a busy few days meeting people in order to discuss the role national agencies can play in the network, and how the network might best connect to existing campaigns and groups. I need to take stock before posting anything, but my head is buzzing from all the possibilities for partnership.

Mother's Meeting

Fully booked at the Great Peter Street office, this month’s Visual Arts Practice Group (Arts Council England’s internal meeting of Visual Arts colleagues from across the organisation) took place over the road, at the Mothers’ Union.

I gave a brief update on progress across the Turning Point Network, as follows:

East: first meeting held, click here for more detail.

South East: three projects had been taken to the Venice Biennale this year from South East England, and this was the result of work undertaken by the Turning Point South East group: Ulrike and Eamon Compliant (Blast Theory & De Le Warr Pavilion), James Lee Byars (Milton Keynes Gallery) and New Forest Pavilion (ArtSway). The project had received very positive feedback. A more detailed update on progress in the South East can be downloaded here.

East Midlands: a detailed plan for the groups activity had been drawn together, and formed the basis of an application to Grants for the arts. A version of this will be posted on this blog in the coming days. Subscribe to the RSS feed to ensure you get updates.

Yorkshire: an Interim Steering Group had been formed with Roddy Hunter (Head of Contemporary Fine Art Practice, York St. John) as Chair. The group had outlined a programme of activities that aim to foster conversations across the region, about ways the sector can develop together, which will lead to the publication of a full strategy in December 2009. An invitation for the first region-wide event has now been sent: click here to review the invitation.

North East: a region-wide meeting had been held at Baltic Mill with a wide range of stakeholders in attendance including artists, artist-led organisations, public and commercial galleries etc. The discussion focussed on areas of shared concern and Julia Bell (the Baltic based Manager of Turning Point North East) has distilled the conversation down into a draft response, which has been circulated to all those who attended. Around 40 people have put their names forward to form a group for the North East, and a Steering Group is now being formed.

North West: an first meeting had been held between Visual Arts in Liverpool (VAiL) and Contemporary Visual Arts Manchester (CVAM) to discuss ways they could support and learn from one and other. VAiL has been operating for four years and CVAM is a fairly recent development but it was still apparent that their would be mutual benefit in a continued dialogue. One area for immediate action grew out of a discussion about how Marketing Departments from the two cities could work together to build on the success of Artupdate, a printed map with gallery listings published by VAiL. A next job is for me to make contact with the NorthxNorthWest group, covering Lancashire and Cumbria.

West Midlands: still awaiting dates for the groups next meeting. A detailed update will be posted once this has happened. Subscribe to the RSS feed to ensure you get updates.

South West: Audiences South West have been commissioned by Arts Council England, to scope the opportunities for visual arts development across the region with a focus on audience development, professional development and advocacy. The research is currently being collated and findings are due back soon. Click here for more information.

London: Progress with assessing the feasibility of a group for London had been slow. Simon was meeting with Ralph Rugoff at the Hayward Gallery the next day to discuss ways forward. An initial meeting, with high-level staff from a number of London's key organisations had been scheduled for 02 July 2009. A detailed update will be posted once this has happened. Subscribe to the RSS feed to ensure you get updates