Artists Futures Fund Announces New Advisory Group
Artists Futures Fund (AFF) is delighted to announce the formation of its Advisory Group, bringing together artists, curators, educators and cultural leaders to help shape the charity’s future development.
Established to provide informed, experience-based guidance, the Advisory Group will support the ongoing evolution of AFF’s programmes, including the Breakthrough Artist Fellowship, Annual Showcase and wider artist development initiatives. Members will contribute sector insight, perspective and constructive challenge, helping to ensure AFF’s work remains artist-centred, relevant and responsive to the realities facing emerging visual artists today.
Artists Futures Fund supports emerging visual artists to reduce barriers and build sustainable creative futures. The charity prioritises artists experiencing significant socio-economic hardship, disability and mental health challenges, providing artist fellowships including studio space, bursaries, mentoring, professional development and opportunities to connect with new audiences. At its heart, AFF exists to ensure that talent—not circumstance—determines who gets to build a future in the arts.
The inaugural Artists Futures Fund Advisory Group brings together a range of perspectives from across the contemporary arts sector.
Members include artist, writer and curator Seren Metcalfe, founder of The Working Class Creatives Database; artist, writer and arts advocate Russell Martin of Artquest; curator Hannah Wallis, Co-Programme Director of Grand Union and Chair of a-n The Artists Information Company; AFF alumni Joshua Donkor and Delphi Campbell; and artist Matthew Collins, AFF Trustee.
Collectively, the group brings expertise spanning artistic practice, artist development, curatorial practice, research, advocacy, governance and cultural leadership.
By bringing together sector professionals alongside artists who have experienced AFF’s support first-hand, the Advisory Group ensures that lived experience remains central to the charity’s future development, helping to shape programmes that are relevant, responsive and artist-centred.
The creation of the Advisory Group comes at an exciting moment for the organisation as it continues to expand its support for artists and prepares to mark the bicentenary of its Royal Charter in 2027.
Olivia Mason, Director of Artists Futures Fund, said:
"As we look towards our bicentenary year and the next phase of AFF’s development, it is vital that artists and sector voices remain at the heart of our thinking. The Advisory Group brings together an extraordinary combination of artistic, curatorial and sector expertise, alongside the invaluable perspectives of AFF alumni and trustees. Their insight will help us continue to evolve our programmes, challenge our thinking and ensure that artists remain at the heart of everything we do."
Further information about the Advisory Group and its members can be found on the Artists Futures Fund website.