About North Somerset Arts

Our History Ever since its inception in 2002, North Somerset Arts has benefitted from the passionate commitment of local artists and supporters, working together to build a cultural identity for our area, by delivering a biennial Arts Week, exhibitions and other artistic and learning opportunities. NSA has always been a grassroots organisation, arising as it did in the early days of the newly formed North Somerset Unitary Authority. Artists began to seek opportunities to reflect and celebrate the community in which they lived and worked, rather than looking to the conurbations of Bath or Bristol. With considerable help from North Somerset Council the first countywide Arts Week was organised in 2003 and has been held every two years since. Sadly, since the austerity measures enforced in 2008, NSC has withdrawn much of its support for the Arts. As with most artistic organisations, funding and sustainability have always been a major issue and limiting factor. Despite this, NSA has grown steadily since 2002, changing from an unincorporated voluntary organisation to a CIO, charitable incorporated organisation. We now benefit from the help of a paid administrator, though all other posts are voluntary. The difficulty in achieving sustainable funding does have some beneficial side effects. Our main benefactors are our artists and supporters, which means that we must build a strong local artistic community and deliver events and opportunities especially tailored for them, whilst striving for excellence, breadth of vision and greater accessibility to the arts for all of the community. All our events are designed to be open and available to creative people throughout North Somerset and to attract visitors from both within and beyond county boundaries. The spark that was lit by those early Arts Weeks is now unstoppable. Artists in our area are now in touch with each other, new collaborations and opportunities are happening all the time. In towns and villages, existing art clubs are strengthened and new ones formed. So an arts scene unique to us, that reflects who we are and where we come from is being built. Our watchwords are 'engage, create, evolve' so we hope to support creativity throughout North Somerset. Newcomers are always welcome to NSA, there are regular Arts Meets, (social, networking and learning opportunities,) the biennial Arts Week and an Open Exhibition in the non arts week year as well as plenty of one off opportunities. ​ Why not join us? Use your talents to help us to continue building a strong, varied and excellent cultural offer for our area. Visit the Membership section here to find out more.