a-n The Artists Information Company, the largest artists’ membership organisation in the UK with more than 29,000 members, has announced new appointments to its Board and Artists Council. Launched in 1980 as a grassroots artist-run newsletter, a-n celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020 as a professional membership organisation championing, campaigning for and supporting visual artists. 

a-n Board appointments: Artist and founding director of Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop Stacie McCormick (Chair) and artist Jerome Ince-Mitchell (Vice Chair). The a-n Board plays a pivotal role in determining policy and setting the strategic direction of the organisation. 

a-n Artist Council appointments: Artists Clémentine Bedos (Chair) and Jenny Mc Namara (Vice Chair). The a-n Artists Council is a representative group of a-n members acting as a sounding-board on issues faced by artists, with a focus on the development of a-n’s research, advocacy, programme and services.

a-n’s mission is to support and inspire contemporary visual arts practice and affirm the value of artists in society. To achieve this, a-n helps artists and those who work with them in many practical ways, acting on behalf of its membership and the visual arts sector to improve artists’ livelihoods. This includes providing professional insurance and legal and tax advice as well as distributing bursaries and offering general drop-in sessions with useful tips, tools, and training to aid the development of members’ art practice.

Through its advocacy work, a-n has built up a reputation for providing compelling insights that both influence and inform cultural policy. a-n’s ‘Paying Artists Campaign’ launched in 2014 has been a leading force in the push to secure fairer payment for artists who exhibit in publicly funded galleries, whilst a-n’s ‘Exhibition Payment Guide’ is the go-to reference point for establishing and agreeing exhibition payments in the sector.

Julie Lomax, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be announcing these new appointments to the a-n Board and Artists Council at a pivotal time for the organisation with ambitious ideas, programmes, and a critical role to play in championing, campaigning for and supporting visual artists. The working life of an artist can be precarious and we see our role as standing up for our members, advocating for them on a national and international stage whilst also providing them with the skills and tools to negotiate better outcomes on a daily basis.”

Stacie McCormick, Chair of a-n, said: “I’m very proud to be appointed as the first artist Chair of a-n. It’s incredibly important that as an organisation we continue to place the needs of artists at the very heart of what we do, and an artist-led Board is a further important step in our evolution.”