We'll be spending time in the coming weeks meeting our Xhibit 2023 selection panel- we've asked them three questions which unpack their thoughts on supporting emerging artists, staying focused, career and creative inspiration.

We continue our series with responses by Arts SU elected Sabbatical Officer for Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon (CCW) Kim Hughes.

What thoughts / tips or ideas to do you have for emerging artists when trying to stay inspired and focused on their creative career.

Keep up with as much and as many exhibits, art, shows, events and creative media as you can, to feed your head. Don't focus too heavily on output, try to nourish the passion you have in your work with new ideas, forms, concepts, and directions that have meaning to you. 

Record all of your work, research, and experimentation, not just to demonstrate to others, but as your personal reference library. You can look back on your previous work and skill and be inspired to take it further.

Don't funnel all of your energy into your career, take a break from time to time, get a change of environment, cultivate other practices, hobbies, relationships and areas of your lifestyle. Inspiration will find its way back to you in some way shape or form, maintaining life balance ill bring fulfillment in other ways too.

Image: poster designed by Bushbby for events with her Latinx Collective Project called Candelita

How can students best equip themselves for freelance creative work beyond university.

Start now! Take as many creative opportunities as you are able to / have time for. Get some experience and understanding of your own working style, try out big / small industries and various businesses that you're interested in before graduating, so you don't dive blindly into a totally unfamiliar line of work and have to rely on it for your income and career. 

Try a few things that are completely unknown to you before leaving university - utilize tutors, staff and services at UAL for support. Many have been or are still practicing artists, entrepreneurs, researchers and workers in creative industries, and have wealths and wealths of knowledge and experience to share.

Learn how to price your work and time early on and prioritize paid opportunities, don't sell yourself short.

Also, work on having stronger conversations with everyone you meet during work. Beyond day-to-day work chat and stories, take an interest and ask them how they got to where they are now in their careers. You'll get lots of background information, ideas, recommendations, anecdotes, history, research tips, and buckets of career advice. 

Networking and community building are key in the creative industries. Being decent and friendly will take you far, as those connections and relationships will bring you further opportunities and creative work. 

Image: Bushbby performing

Can you name three creative people who have most inspired yourself and your practice.

Firstly, this is more an industry or group of creatives than one individual- I've always been very impressed with Japanese storytelling - the massive popularity and survival of Hokusai and others' Ukiyo-E prints, the highly detailed and wholesome hand drawn animation in the works of Hayao Miyazaki, and the dense imagery in the work of Junji Ito's horror novels / manga. 

I'm also very inspired by a local artist known as Bushbby. Bushbby is an artist and DJ who organizes incredibly successful grassroots music events and workshops for Latinx, Womxn, and LGBTQ+ communities. She works with independent venues and festivals such as the Jago in Dalston, the Post Bar in Tottenham, and Brainchild festival. Community focused work is a huge part of my practice and seeing other individuals working on social projects is a massive encouragement. 

Thirdly, I'm greatly inspired by the work of Paula Rego, I saw the exhibit at the Tate when I first started my BA in Fine Art, which was very influential. Experiencing the volume of personal work on display encouraged me to incorporate narratives and experience from my own life into my art practice.

Image: Untitled No. 2, Paula Rego

Find out more about Kim and the other three selection panellists: Xhibit (arts-su.com)