Caroline Jackman

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I title myself an artist and event organiser. Since 2000 I have developed a website 20firstcenturyart.com and ran an annual exhibition at my parents working farm for the 7 years. For two weeks of the year the farm buildings were turned into a unique gallery space, where invited artists exhibited new work, ranging from paintings, mixed media to textiles and sculpture. In 2004 I completed a 2 year public project (which I instigated) titled The Wey Valley Rural Art Project, to raise the profile of the farming industry through visual arts. This project involved many aspects, including fundraising, public exhibition, workshops, and creation and installation of the sculpture ‘Farm Talk’ (sited just outside Guildford). Since this project, I have continued to source funding to run creative workshops and other opportunities for children, young people and emerging artists (including recent graduates) and incorporate them in my annual exhibition or at other appropriate venues & arts opportunities.

Since 2002 I have been involved in Surrey Artists Open Studios (SAOS). In 2005 Surrey Arts appointed me the position of SAOS Coordinator. My role was to run the project and research in this events’ development. In February 2006 I gained Arts Council funding to run a South East Open Studio Best Practice Forum. I was one of the key note speakers at this event and I have instigated a focus group, from this group a South East Open Studio best practice publication was produced and launched in May 2007. In 2008 I was invited to join the Open Studios Network Steering group and since have been a key note speaker at the conferences at Warwick University in April and December 2008, and my responsibilities have been to research into other open studio events and to liaise with the network on ideas and consultation in taking the network through to 2010. I am continually developing SAOS amongst artists & our audience, our event has grown from average 200 participating artists with 12,000 visitors to nearly 400 artists and 19,000 visitors.

I am Visual Arts Officer (job share) for Surrey Arts since 2005. With a limited budget I provide new opportunities for higher level school/college students & recent graduates, these have included Cream of the Crop & Art Start exhibitions, professional development training and also to engage new audiences and sustain current audiences.

In 2002 I became a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers, where in 2006 I was invited to join the committee of the Painters Fine Art Society, working to develop their annual exhibition, whilst remaining faithful to the corporation of Livery companies in the City, and their traditions.

In 2007 I was asked by Guildford Borough Council Recycling Department to help coordinate a new project titled Recycled by Design. The responsibilities involved were to raise sufficient funding, creating a steering group, liaising with other districts and boroughs, liaising with Guildford House Gallery & The Lightbox in Woking to provide exhibition space, to source artists to showcase work and provide opportunities for artists and recent graduates to work with local communities all based on the theme reduce, reuse, recycle. Amongst funds raised, this included 10k from Arts Council England, South East. The community projects took place Summer – Autumn 2008, the exhibition took place at Guildford House Gallery in September and there are a series of temporary installations at The Lightbox from September 2008 – May 2009.

In 2008 I have been asked and have joined the Public Arts Steering group for Guildford Borough Council and the executive committee of Guildford Arts to focus on youth collaborations, marketing & audience development and sponsorship opportunities.