Our Process

What do we do?

We recently had a look back at DAN’s evolution over the past 8 years; from its inception as a meeting of minds through the Dartford Creative project, to the first ever public art project in Dartford and on to now, weathering the storms of covid and adapting to a new way of producing and delivering art without the restrictions of a venue.

We identified that the network has two core functions: 1. to promote, connect and empower individual and independent artists, and 2. to bring art projects and opportunities to the local community through collaboration and outreach.

Our process for doing this can be categorised into three primary stages:

WE TALK

Communication is key and is our first port of call for accessing new ideas, building relationships, engaging new members and forging links with local and national collaborators/partners. Through social media, email, meetings, and events, we use free and open dialogue both within our membership and externally with non-members, to spark ideas and start the ball rolling for each new venture. We take our role as facilitator seriously – our officers are in post primarily to connect local creative people and encourage artistic dialogue, never to dictate. 

WE THINK

Ideas are our everything. Creativity can be individual, or it can be collaborative, it can be insular, or it can be wide-reaching. We support and facilitate all these types of output. We think hard about how we can utilise the skills within our membership to bring creative opportunity to the local area, or about how each project might bridge gaps in education, enhance aspirations and maximise accessibility. When considering a project, we will always carefully assess the impact – whether it be individual or public, it is important to us that each project has a legacy, that it will tangibly benefit someone, whoever that may be.

WE ACT

By getting people together and starting conversations to express and connect creative ideas, we aim to make things HAPPEN. Our members commit time and energy to building and producing projects, or to engaging with people and building relationships. We are all passionate about seeing tangible results from our work – and we do. Every project we undertake has unexpected outcomes and without exception we get great feedback. Local people are thirsty for what we and our collaborators can offer, for the enjoyment and benefit it can bring to a day/a month/a life. The more we can deliver that, the happier we are 😊.

To become a member of our network, see the Members page and do get in touch.

To donate and support the work that we do, please consider buying an original artwork from our Gallery of local artists, or to give a monetary donation to the group as a whole please contact our Treasurer by emailing hello@dartfordartsnetwork.com with the subject DONATION.