Arts Development UK Membership and Benefits
Arts Development UK
AD:uk is one of the largest national organisations representing the interests of those working in arts development for
local communities. We are a registered charity with a membership representing nearly 400 organisations and individuals
working in the arts and communities. Our strap-line is working locally, delivering nationally. We provide an effective
networking and professional development service to our members, advocate and influence policy makers and funders,
and have a key role in training, developing and representing our profession regionally and nationally. Organisational
membership is open to all cultural organisations and local authorities (including organisations providing a contracted out
local authority arts service) in the UK. Arts Development UK also offers personal membership to a growing number of
individual consultants and artists and others working in related cultural professions.
Our Vision & Mission
Our aim is the universal provision of high quality, effective local arts services that meet and reflect local needs and
issues. Arts Development UK’s vision is to ensure that the arts thrive in all our communities, meeting local needs,
challenges and ambitions. Our mission is to equip our members to make this happen.
Our Objectives
Arts Development UK is the leading professional association for all those working for local arts and creative industries
development. It is a founder member of the National Culture Forum and represents the sector’s interests at local,
regional and national levels (and has recently taken over the national administration of the Forum). We intend Arts
Development UK to be the leading body that raises the profile and reputation of the work of its members. We will have
influence with policy makers and funders and a key role in training, developing and representing professionals working
in the cultural and creative industries.
We have three top-level objectives:
 Member services: to equip our members through formal and informal training and learning with the skills and
knowledge to deliver high quality, effective arts services.
 Research and Advocacy: to inform and represent our members and their work at national and regional level.
 Operations: to ensure that the association is a sustainable and effective organisation.
Annual Membership
 Standard Organisational Membership is just £175 + VAT (£210) for organisations through a named officer
 We have introduced a new Group Organisational Membership, offering larger organisations between 2 and 5
and 6 and 10 individual memberships. Group membership for up to 5 named officers is £275 + VAT (£330) and
for up to 10 individual contacts is £300 + VAT (£360)
 Personal Membership is £80+ VAT (£96) for individuals working in the arts & cultural sector.
 Personal Student/Unemployed Membership is available at £42 + VAT (£50.40) for students and those who
are between jobs.
Facts and figures
As a member you are part of a nationwide network made up over 400 individuals, local authorities, cultural and arts
organisations from across the UK. We are the largest organisation in the UK representing local arts interests. Around
85% of all local authorities with an arts or culturally related service are members of Arts Development UK.
Arts Development UK Administrator, Oak Villa, Lower Brynamman, Ammanford, Wales SA18 1SN
Tel/Fax: 01269 824728, email artsdevUK@aol.com www.artsdevelopmentuk.org
Company Registration: 7983980 Charity Registration: 1146670
What we offer
This is a very challenging but also a very exciting time as we face a future of diminishing public funding and new ways
of working. Our offer enables our members to face those changes and emerge stronger, more capable and more
confident in their abilities. The core offer is CPD through a range of unique experiential learning opportunities.
Experiential Learning is learning through reflection on doing and focuses on the learning process for the individual. The
basis of our experiential learning is that experience matters.
Professional development
 Development of skills and professional competencies through a membership structure that enables bespoke
training and progression
 Tailored support in your first year of membership via our structured Induction & Buddying programmes
 An annual Professional Fellowship Programme available to all members allowing them to generate credits that
contribute to a fellowship certificate that rewards professional progression and development
 A new Skills and Knowledge Bank, with opportunities for skills and knowledge exchange between members
Events
 Membership of our national network of Regional Groups, which offer support, study visits, information and skills
exchange
 Opportunities to gain valuable management experience and Arts Development: UK CPD rewards through
active membership
 A major annual conference and national seminar programme.
Information & knowledge resources
 A growing range of IT based information and knowledge resources including our web-site with a wide variety of
information resources; regular E-zine with headline news & briefing notes; Twitter and Facebook feeds and online forums to exchange news and views
Advocacy
 Targeted research to maintain & disseminate up-to-date knowledge of the role of the arts locally and nationally
 Arts Development: UK regularly monitors & responds to policy developments on behalf of its membership
 Focused advocacy for the arts as an integral part of local and national provision
 Through active membership of the National Culture Forum, partnerships with the Voluntary Arts Network & the
National Campaign for the Arts and relationships with the Arts Councils of England and Wales, Department of
Culture, Media and Sport, and the Local Government Associations for England and Wales
Future Plans as a Professional Association
We all know that the economic situation means that money available in the public sector (and Local authorities in
particular) is reducing severely. The role of our members as developers and managers of arts and cultural services is
undergoing long-term changes, which we need to equip them to manage. To do this, we are taking steps to build our
strength, raise our profile and improve the value of the services we offer to members (and through them to their local
communities). We are developing Arts Development UK as a Professional Association focused on CPD for all our
members and acknowledged as a serious player alongside other professional bodies such as CILIP, CIMSPA, the
Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Museums Association and the Society of Archivists.
Raising the profile and reputation of the work of our members and of the arts in the UK will be paramount. We intend
that the AD:uk initials will be ones that you are proud to have after your name and that membership will be a real
accolade when you are applying for jobs, contacts or commissions. Wherever you are in your career, we will help you to
develop the latest skills, signposting you to relevant qualifications, helping you to learn more about arts development
and making you part of a big community of respected professionals.
Arts Development UK Administrator, Oak Villa, Lower Brynamman, Ammanford, Wales SA18 1SN
Tel/Fax: 01269 824728, email artsdevUK@aol.com www.artsdevelopmentuk.org
Company Registration: 7983980 Charity Registration: 1146670