Sarah Rowles about Q-Art London

There is an idea: providing a forum for debates, discussions and presentations for students and artists as well as break down the barriers between various art schools, their departments and levels of study. Sarah Rowles, founder and Director of Q-Art London set up this forum for students, graduates and self-trained artists from across London.

An exibition hold by Q-Art © Q-Art

We have no permanent physical space, we hold our events in different locations across London.  At the end of the year when we show the work of those who presented throughout the year we use the gallery space at APT. Furthermore we created Q-Art as a democratic space to show as well as permitting exhibitions of new artists and unfinished works.

How do you make the democracy working? How do you choose the exhibited works and artist?

We don't 'choose' works, the emphasis is on peer review. We run open convenors which are large versions of the art college crit. People who want to present email me. Everyone who emails gets to present, regardless of their background or education. That's what it's all about. Places are allocated on a first come first served all inclusive basis. Those who present work in an academic year then show work in our end of year exhibition. We have about six or seven convenors a year so this is usually about 45 artists.

Q-Art convenor at the University of the Arts High Holborn

Our next convenors are January 23rd at the Cass Art Store Islington, Feb 6th at Chelsea College of Art and March 14th at Wimbledon College of Art. We are giving a lot of talks around the UK this year about Q-Art. The art debate now is definately around tuition fees, graduate career routes and what the art education scene from Sept 2012 after fees introduced will look like.

The Arts Council have had their funding dramatically reduced in the last year. How do you deal with the current political climate?

In order to raise money for the organisation we publish books '12 Gallerists: 20 Questions' and '11 Course Leaders: 20 Questions'. We sell this at our events, online and around 22 UK bookstores and into libraries to fund the organisation. So we do not rely on Arts Council money and this allows freedom and spontaneity.

That's how a Q-Art founder looks like © Sarah Rowles

I grew up with a love for art but I didn't grow up to see contemporary art/ visit museums and galleries. When I mentioned to a teacher at school I wanted to do art - they suggested Goldsmiths. I went to visit the BA Fine Art degree show but it was the first time I had seen contemporary art and I didn't have the codes to know what I was looking at. I didn't enrol to study BA Fine Art therefore and studied BA Art History at Goldsmiths attempting to find a way in. I also did lots of internships at galleries and art magazines in this time, also trying to find a way in. I didn't. After one year I pulled out, studied at Camberwell College to do Foundation Art & Design (the way in to making Fine Art), and then came back a year later to study BA Fine Art at  Goldsmiths. In my first year I interviewed London gallerists to demystify how art is evaluated in and makes it into the market place from art college. In the second year I set up Q-Art London.

Your favorite artist run spaces or galleries in London?

APT Gallery in Deptford that support us each year. Also Payne Shurvell, Charlie Dutton and any that our participants list. (smiles)