A new model for collective, sustainable public work

The arts and heritage sector is changing — fast. Funding structures, institutional models, and ways of working now rarely provide the level of support needed to create ambitious collaborative work, and don’t provide a space for retaining the knowledge and archiving work. Increasingly, it is freelance producers, curators, and cultural workers who hold the knowledge, relationships, and creative leadership that make meaningful projects possible, whilst the current reality is that we are all experiencing the most precarious working conditions.

At Arts&Heritage, this shift is lived rather than theoretical. Following the loss of NPO (National Portfolio Organisation) funding several years ago, A&H has become a fully freelance-staffed organisation. Rather than stepping back, we have used this moment to rethink how we work — and how we can better support the people, collaborators and partners who are shaping the future of arts and heritage engagement.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the A&H Freelance Associate Network: a new operating model designed to support freelancers to develop and deliver ambitious, values-led public engagement work with stability, collaboration, and shared infrastructure embedded.

Why now?

Freelancers are expected to be flexible, responsive, and deliver work at scale — often without organisational backing, time for strategic thinking, or access to funding routes that, through over demand, favour institutions who have significant infrastructure and existing funded resources. We know that partners and funders are looking for trusted delivery models with clear impact, accountability, and legacy. We need a way for the creatives and communities out there making the work to be able to demonstrate this.

The Freelance Associate Network responds to this gap. It sits inside A&H’s charitable structure, creating a shared framework that balances freelance autonomy, innovation, reach and ambition with collective support, credibility, and care.

What is the Freelance Associate Network? 

The Network is a curated community of freelance producers, curators, and cultural workers working with A&H through a shared model. It is not a jobs board. Instead, it offers:

• Paid project opportunities and brokerage, forging relationships and creating opportunities for associates, partners and commissioners
• A shared charitable umbrella for delivery, reducing the need to rebuild infrastructure project by project and providing a home for documentation, evaluation and legacy
• Embedded development, mentoring, and peer learning, creating a cohort of collaborators who can identify, shape and delivery joint learning projects, resources and invited speakers  to suit their needs
• A collaborative peer network, supporting co-instigated work and shared learning
• Greater visibility and collective voice, through shared case studies, talks and events, marketing activity, pitching and advocacy

Together, this enables freelancers to be more ambitious, collaborative, and sustainable in their practice and gives an entry point for commisioning bodies.

How it works

Associates bring their skills, ideas, relationships, and delivery experience. Arts&Heritage provides coordination, infrastructure, bridges to partners, opportunities for joint bids, and shared resources. Projects may emerge through collaboration, brokerage, producer-led commissions, joint bidding, or public programmes. It is the gaps in between that create opportunities for exciting and ambitious innovation.

All work is underpinned by a commitment to collaboration, equity, care, and values-led practice.

What’s next?

Following a period of thinking and planning, A&H is moving into a design and pilot phase for the Network, including co-design with our current cohort of  producers and curators, building coordination and communications, and exploring seed funding. This is about building a model fit for how work is made now — collective, relational, and freelance-led.

We are really excited about this model of working and look forward to expanding in the future. If you are interested in getting involved once our pilot phase is complete, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us via email info@artsandheritage.org.uk.