ACAVA Talks is 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.
Creating space with trusted voices from across the sector to learn, reflect, challenge and rethink how we work, ACAVA Talks is open to artists and creatives at all stages of their careers.
Join us for practical, honest conversations with a focus on sharing tools, insights and solidarity for sustaining a creative practice.
Join us for our summer programme:
Studio Visits with Georgia Taylor Aguilar
Critical Feedback with Chloe Cooper
Artist teacher collaborations with Dr Darren Chetty
Our autumn ACAVA Talks programme will be announced soon. Sign up for our newsletter for updates in your inbox.
Ticket pricing:
Standard: £5
Concession: £1
Free for ACAVA studio holders
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. Claim your offer here: www.smartist.app/acava
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.
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
