Cardiff gallery, g39, plays an important role in Welsh art through bringing together work by established and emerging artists.
In 2004, g39 became the first artist-run space to be supported by a revenue agreement with the Arts Council Wales (ACW) and has since received 60% of its funding from the charitable body.
A spokesperson for ACW said, “The role of g39 in the visual arts sector cannot be underplayed and makes it a vital contributor to the contemporary visual arts in Wales.”
Curators and artists at g39 are working hard to improve the quality of visual arts in South Wales.Through the Wales Artist Resource Programme (WARP), g39 encourage critical dialogue and debate between artists. As a result, they are able to work with artists one to one and so build strong relationships within Cardiff’s thriving art community.
Using an approach which the ACW has described as “pioneering”, g39 works in a holistic way to support artists through a wide and varied network.
They currently offer open access to resources ranging from technical software to an extensive art library. This programme serves a dual purpose as WARP is comprised of both physical resources and peer to peer sessions.
According to Cinzia Mutigli at g39, such sessions provide the opportunity for critical assessment and discussion that is rarely found beyond art colleges.
Through WARP, g39 aim to engage with emerging artists in a way that is different from the usual gallery experience. WARP’s approach to building relationships has proved successful.
Many artists who have used these sessions go on to very successful careers which have included national and international shows as well as exhibitions at g39.
Cinzia explains that one to one meetings are relaxed but vital, saying, “It is hard for artists to who have just emerged from college to get that kind of support. We bridge that gap.”