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About Us

We are a network of organisations across the visual arts sector in the South East region of England.

CVAN South East is one of the nine regional networks in England that make up CVAN (the Contemporary Visual Arts Network).

CVAN South East is a partnership initiative managed by Modern Art Oxford. It aims to be an effective network for the sector in this region by working in partnership on strategic projects and programmes, and by sharing learning and information to maximise expertise and creative thinking.

The network is concerned with developing critically engaged art practice, and dedicated to promoting a visual arts ecology that thrives on the inter-dependence of many stakeholders, including artists and art professionals, local government, higher education, not-for-profit and commercial sectors.

A major element of our programme is the Platform Graduate Award that we have managed since 2012. CVAN South East is supported by Arts Council England.

Photo: ©Miles Umney

Team

  • Oliver Sumner (Manager)
  • Sophie Almond (Communications & Events)

Steering Group

  • Kate Adams, Project Art Works (Chair)
  • Lucy Day, A Woman’s Place Projects
  • Fiona Venables, Milton Keynes Arts Centre
  • Paul Hobson, Modern Art Oxford
  • Susanne Clausen, Reading International
  • Joe Hill, Towner Eastbourne
  • Sarah Martin, Turner Contemporary
  • Nadia Thondrayen, John Hansard Gallery
  • Sonia Boué, Artist
  • Lindsay Seers, Artist
  • Sonia Barrett, Artist

Opportunities in your area

  • Find live jobs and opportunities in the South East region here
  • Sign up to the Arts Council Arts Jobs alerts here

How to get involved

We are always interested to hear from artists and organisations. You don’t have to be a member to get involved. Wherever you are in the region, and whatever your connection to the visual arts, you can:

  • Follow the latest news, events, jobs and opportunities from the region, on this website, and in our monthly newsletter. Subscribe here
  • Keep updated via our social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
  • Take part in our events for the visual arts sector, which will be listed in our news section
  • Submit your stories, events listings and opportunities here
  • Subscribe for regular national updates via the CVAN newsletter here
  • Get in touch with us. We welcome your feedback and ideas contact us

For more comprehensive listings of visual arts exhibitions and events around the region we recommend:

Our History

CVAN South East was formerly Turning Point South East (TPSE), the first regional network to be established by Arts Council England in response to the publication in 2006 of Turning Point, the first ever major review of the visual arts in England.

The review gave a mandate to assume a broader leadership role for the contemporary visual arts and to make the case for integrated planning and investment to underpin the sustainability and growth of the visual arts.

In 2010 the Turning Point network gave birth to the Contemporary Visual Arts Network (CVAN) tasked with providing the integrated planning, support, and facilitation to CVAN’s nine autonomous regional networks. Each regional network develops programmes of activity that are specific to their regional needs.

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