DASH New Appointments

DASH appoints Jade Foster into the new role of Curator and Colette Griffin as Director of New Art West Midlands.

DASH names Colette Griffin as Director of New Art West Midlands,championing artist development and sector support in the West Midlands region
Jade Foster appointed to the new Curator role

DASH has appointed two new senior roles, as Colette Griffin is named Director of New Art West Midlands and Jade Foster joins the organisation as Curator.

As Director of New Art West Midlands (NAWM), Colette Griffin will champion regional arts practice and provide sector support within the West Midlands region. NAWM is hosted by DASH and is part of CVAN, the nationwide contemporary visual arts network that leads the collective agenda for policy change in the visual arts.

Colette has three years’ experience working with CVAN as Regional Director of Contemporary Visual Arts Network East Midlands, a role that will now carries out alongside her work with NAWM. Prior to joining DASH, Colette was Artist Development Curator at Primary (Nottingham) and a director of New Midland Group.

Colette Griffin comments, “I’m thrilled to be working with DASH to lead NAWM into an exciting new period guided by the region’s artists, arts workers and organisations. I’ve had the privilege of working as Regional Director of CVAN EM since 2021 and will call on experiences and learning from this role to help maintain and build sustainable infrastructures in the West Midlands.

“Working across the East and West Midlands I can identity, support and create opportunities for vital cross-regional programming, connectivity and resource sharing, whilst ensuring both networks maintain their distinct identities, responding to the ambitions and challenges that are unique to each region.”

Craig Ashley, Chair of DASH and Co-Chair of New Art West Midlands, adds “Colette’s appointment as Director of New Art West Midlands is incredibly exciting and marks an important next step for the network, working in close partnership with DASH to create defining opportunities for artists and arts workers. She brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise, both as an artist and from her work with the wider Contemporary Visual Arts Network. Prioritising inclusivity and accessibility in our sector support role and activity, Colette has outlined an ambitious vision for New Art West Midlands to advocate for artists and the visual arts in our region. We can’t wait to get started!”

Jade Foster joins DASH in July 2024 in the new role of Curator. A British curator, artist and art historian of Afro-Caribbean heritage, Jade is based in Nottingham and hails from Sandwell in the West Midlands. Prior to joining DASH, Jade was the Public Programme Curator at Primary (Nottingham) where they lead the development of exhibitions and digital commissions. Jade has also worked with Hospital Rooms, QUAD, New Art Exchange and Glasgow International. Jade has an art studio at BACKLIT (Nottingham) and is a member of AWITA, the British Art Network and the Black Curators Collective. Jade will continue to advocate for cultural workers at DASH, putting a critical and anti-racist voice at the organisation's heart.

Heather Peak, Artistic Director of DASH, comments “I am super delighted to welcome Jade Foster and Colette Griffin to the DASH team. They will bring huge experience and an expansive thoughtful practice to DASH in their newly created roles as Curator and New Art West Midlands Director, and we are looking forward to working together with them and our artists, arts workers and audiences.”

“DASH will also be shortly recruiting another new role, Executive Director, so please look out for information on our socials to join DASH and be part of our warm, curious, supportive and creative organisation”.

DASH is a Disabled-led visual arts organisation that creates new work and develops meaningful opportunities for disabled artists. To date, DASH has chalked up two decades of important work with representation and collaboration at its heart. From programmes for Young Disabled Artists through to shaping strategic roles for Disabled curators, DASH’s work has helped to support Disabled people at all stages of a creative practice.

ENDS.

For more information contact Helen Stallard on Helen@helenstallard.co.uk or call 0774 033 9604

Notes for Editors:

About DASH
DASH is a Disabled-led visual arts charity. It creates opportunities for Disabled artists to develop their creative practice. These opportunities take many forms, from high quality commissions to community based workshops, the work it creates is centred around its vision and mission.

DASH works with artists, audiences, communities and organisations to challenge inequality and implement change.

With a history of work including visual arts, dance, theatre, live arts and festivals in Shropshire since the mid-1990s, DASH became a limited company and registered charity in 2001 and in 2004 secured revenue funding from Arts Council England. In 2009 DASH took the decision to specialise its work in visual arts, while expanding its geographical boundaries.

During the last ten years DASH has undertaken truly ground-breaking work – projects that have challenged perceptions, fostered and mentored new Deaf and Disabled artists, encouraged professional development and helped to engineer change in the sector.

DASH partners and funders include Arts Council England,Esmeé Fairbairn Foundation, and Art Fund. DASH is a member of the Plus Tate Network.
www.dasharts.org

New Art West Midlands is the Contemporary Visual Arts Network for the West Midlands region. Our purpose is to strengthen and develop the contemporary visual arts sector in the West Midlands, working collectively to safeguard the future of artists and our sector as a whole.
https://cvan.art/regions/west-midlands/