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 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: Jason Pay, courtesy of Turner Contemporary.

Steering Group

Paul Hobson, Modern Art Oxford, Oxford (Chair)

Joanne Bushnell, Aspex, Portsmouth (Deputy Chair)

Joseph Young, Brighton (Artist on the Steering Group)

Stewart Drew, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea

Liz Whitehead, Fabrica, Brighton

Alli Beddoes, Lighthouse, Brighton

Shoair Mavlian, Photoworks, Brighton

Kate Adams, Project Art Works, Hastings

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 and Facebook

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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