How do we create space for honest, useful conversations about our work?
Constructive, critical feedback is a vital part of any artist’s practice, but it can be hard to come by. Supportive peers might hold back out of kindness, while curators or collaborators may be too cautious to be completely honest. How do we ask better questions, create the right conditions, and stay open to feedback that truly helps us grow?
In this online session, artist and educator Chloe Cooper shares adaptable approaches to peer mentoring, with a focus on how to give and receive critical feedback in a way that’s generous, honest, and genuinely useful.
Whether you’re just out of education, settling into a new studio community, feeling stuck mid-career, or an established practitioner looking to reconnect with open, informal conversation, this session offers a space to reflect, recalibrate, and re-energise your practice through meaningful dialogue.
Chloe will introduce three essential methods for structuring critical feedback: Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process, Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and Rose, Bud, Thorn; and offer practical ways to set up and sustain your peer support groups.
Chloe Cooper is an artist and educator passionate about creating environments where artists can support one another with critical feedback. As a long-time member of artist crit groups, Chloe recognises the benefits and challenges of giving and receiving feedback and is always on the lookout for new strategies and methods to try. She facilitates workshops for ArtQuest on peer support and critical feedback methods and has made a Peer Mentoring Guide with photographer Lewis Bush.
In her studio, Chloe marbles paper, makes zines, does drawings and writes stories that splash about in everyday instances of creative rebellion. She loves inkjet printing on her A4 printer just as much as going to the print studio to use their risograph printer. She’s recently got a tablet to draw digitally, but is still fond of scanning in real-life drawings too.
When she’s not making zines, Chloe collaborates with composer and vibraphonist Jackie Walduck as Vibin n Marblin in audiovisual performances where her marbling responds to Jackie’s music and vice versa, resulting in immersive video projections and mesmeric vibraphone soundscapes.
You can check out Chloe’s work at her website and on Instagram.
About ACAVA Talks
This event is part of ACAVA Talks our professional development events programme for creative practitioners. Whether you’re looking to refresh your practice, take risks, make a change, or simply reconnect with purpose — this programme is for you.
Through knowledge sharing and skills development it aims to support, and foster connections between creative professionals navigating a shifting and complex cultural landscape
We’re proud to be sponsored by Smartist. Showcase your artwork, without all the hard work. Smartist are offering a 30-day free trial and a discounted annual subscription for ACAVA Talks attendees.
Designed by artists, for artists, Smartist makes it effortless to create stunning, realistic mock-ups in seconds. It’s the most downloaded art visualisation app, trusted by over 1 million creatives in 175 countries. With powerful customisation options, artists can fine-tune everything, from interiors and frames to layouts and perspectives. Do you have a collector who wants to see your work in their own home? Upload their room photo, and Smartist will seamlessly and professionally place your artwork inside.
ACAVA Talks
Critical Feedback with Chloe Cooper
Thursday 3 July, 1–2.30pm
Online talk and discussion
Ticket pricing:
Standard: £5
Concession: £1*
Free for ACAVA studio holders
*Concession tickets are available for those on low incomes or unwaged. For those able to pay the full fee, we are a registered charity and income from tickets directly supports the ACAVA Talks programme and reaching more artists.
Recordings of online events will be available to all ticket holders after the event.
Access
This event will be hosted on Zoom Webinar. Select ‘online ticket’ on the booking page and you’ll be sent a link to join the live stream on the day of the event.
This event will be closed captioned using Zoom’s automated captioning service. To enable these, please select the green closed captions button at the bottom of your Zoom screen.
This session will be recorded and accessible to ticket holders.
Book your place
FAQs
ACAVA Talks are open to all artists, no matter your career stage. Whether you're just starting, mid-career, or well-established, the sessions are designed to support you in developing your practice, refreshing your approach, or gaining new perspectives. You don’t need to be an ACAVA studio holder, everyone is welcome, including those working from home studios, bedrooms, sheds, or hotdesks
Smartist is a leading art visualisation app, designed by artists for artists, that helps you showcase your artwork in realistic, professional mock-ups with ease. Over 1 million creatives in 175+ countries use it to present their work beautifully.
ACAVA Talks attendees can enjoy a 30-day free trial and a discounted annual subscription from Smartist.
Want to show a collector what your work would look like in their home? Just upload a photo of their room and Smartist will do the rest.
For online talks, Zoom links are emailed the day before. Talks are automatically captioned; just click the green “Closed Captions” button in Zoom. We’ll also explain this at the beginning of the session.
A BSL Interpreter can be provided with one month’s notice. To request this or share any access needs, email Georgia at profdev@acava.org.
For in-person talks at Barham Park, we offer:
- Accessible toilet
- Drinking water
- Seating
- Quieter area
- Step-free routes (with a temporary ramp)
We don’t have a dedicated prayer room, but please get in touch ahead of time, we’ll do our best to find a suitable private space.
Yes, online talks will be recorded and made available within a month after the event. Recordings will be emailed to the address provided during booking. Please note that in-person talks will not be recorded due to the interactive nature of those sessions.
Studio holders will receive a booking code via email to claim a free ticket. Didn’t get yours or need help? Email profdev@acava.org for assistance.
Each talk lasts 90 minutes:
- 60 minutes for the speaker’s presentation
- 30 minutes for a live Q&A session
You’re welcome to use the chat function to interact or ask questions during the session.
ACAVA Talks is sponsored by
