Judith Knight, co-founder of the independent organization ArtsAdmin, which supports independent art in the United Kingdom, talks about her career path from 1979 until today, coinciding with the 40-year journey of the organization. Judith and Artsadmin or vice versa have radically changed artistic scene by introducing new models of artistic production and redefining the concept of what a producer is. Artsadmin carries out its own productions and creates the conditions for their viability by various means (participation in international cultural networks, tours, scholarships, training programs), while at the same time enhancing emerging artists. The vision, however, of creating an organization that provides stability to collaborating artists was radical and it involved the risk intrinsic in experimenting with things that have not been tried before. Judith’s personal journey is the story of the ups and downs of four decades, of laughter and tears in equal quantities, but it also of the solid foundations the organization has built, necessary to cope with the modern work environment. Greece, of course, is not the United Kingdom, but the United Kingdom of the 1970s is not the United Kingdom of today, it was not in the technological and communication age we are in. Starting Artsadmin was not easy. There was only the passion of the two founders, and over the decades it was a privilege to work with visionaries and people who inspire and change not only our work but also our lives -and the lives of many people, we hope-, the artists, who can actually make a difference.
Keynote speech
Artsadmin – 40 years of history: Empowering the independent art scene
Judith Knight