Validation Beyond the Gallery

Background

In 2015, Axis commissioned research into how artists working beyond the gallery system receive validation for their practice. At that time, the organisation — newly under the leadership of Executive Director Mark Smith — was reflecting on a changing cultural landscape where art and its social value were increasingly under scrutiny.

Smith observed that while many artists were working collaboratively and experimentally in communities, public spaces and other non-gallery settings, their work was often misunderstood, poorly profiled and undervalued. The research was designed to ask a crucial question: how do these artists gain visibility and recognition for what they do?

The Research

Written by Dr Amanda Ravetz and Dr Lucy Wright of Manchester School of Art, Validation Beyond the Gallery examined the experiences of artists, producers and commissioners operating mainly outside galleries.

The study explored:

• How artists develop recognition within their own fields and communities
• Whether existing validation systems enable or impede visibility and support
• The role of peer networks, producers and commissioners in shaping recognition

Findings

The research revealed that validation for artists outside galleries is often ad-hoc, informal and self-driven. Many interviewees agreed that artists bear most of the responsibility for maintaining visibility and credibility — frequently without sustained organisational or critical support.

Other key findings included:

• Limited critical writing and reflective dialogue about non-gallery practice
• Short-term project cycles that rarely support long-term development
• Misalignment between gallery validation systems and artists’ own values

The report concluded that the difference in values and working cultures between these fields demands a new structure of validation, one built through consultation and collaboration with artists, participants and producers.

“I’m not interested particularly in the market, so the idea of making things just to sell them doesn’t appeal to me. I suppose I’m choosing to step out of something that I was never even given an open door to, and I’ve made that choice for ethical or moral or whatever reasons.”

Artist interviewed for the research

Impact and Legacy

The research marked a significant turning point for Axis. It helped the organisation redefine what it means to support artists — not through institutional endorsement, but by recognising and amplifying the value of artistic practice in all its forms and contexts.

Axis Executive Director Mark Smith reflected:

“Art and culture are under scrutiny as never before, yet we see artists working with people and spaces in collaborative, dynamic and interactive ways. These activities are essential, but too often misunderstood and undervalued.”

In response, Axis convened working groups of artists, producers and commissioners to explore new frameworks for recognition and advocacy. This collaborative approach shaped a lasting shift in Axis’s purpose, from showcasing artists within established systems to putting artists first, valuing their work wherever it takes place.

Today, Validation Beyond the Gallery remains a cornerstone of Axis’s ethos and a foundation for its continuing commitment to champion artists across diverse forms of practice.

Read the full report:

• Validation Beyond the Gallery – Research Report (PDF)