Not only do you get a free membership to Somerset Arts Business Cultural Alliance, which comes with other benefits such as support, news and funding calls, but you also help us map creative people and places in Somerset. Why is mapping important? It’s important because local and national governments do invest in certain sectors when the have a critical mass. By showing that Somerset has a critical mass we can attract funding and investment, which trickles down to our members in some form or another. Therefore, it makes sense to contribute and become a member so we can support and grow the arts and culture sector.

Yes you can. If you are a private individual who wants to support the arts and culture sector in Somerset, or a creative person but do not wish to have a directory profile you can join SABCA by sending us a message via our contact page.

By joining you can access many things. These includes workshops, events, funding and opportunities, business advice, and you become aware and be part of creative eco-system that offers info on call-outs, meeting other creatives, and having a say in creative developments in Somerset.

You can also network with others and connect to more specific organisations within Somerset and beyond. After all, we’ve seen for many years that many creative projects/programmes are multi-disciplinary. Meaning, for example, that we see videographers, artists and dance creatives all working together. Our role is to help bring such people together.

You can be a self-employed person, social enterprise, community group, charity, business, sole trader or simply a creative that only sells the odd piece of art or musician who gigs on the side. 

You can be a pre-start-up business, a start-up business or established one. We welcome all creatives to join.

You may be associated with the following arts and culture disciplines (not exhaustive list): Dance, Literature, Theatre, Music, Visual Arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, etc.) Community Group, Film & Media, Events, Comedy, Creative Writing, Disco/DJ, Food & Craft, Public Garden, History & Heritage, Festivals, Traditional Arts, Teaching, Consultancy, Tourism, Design, Photography, Making & Producing, General Entertainment, Venues & Galleries and many more.

Not only do we consider the subsidised and commercial cultural sector but also the amateur and participatory which, after all, are where most people find their cultural engagement. We are interested not just in publicly-funded concert halls, art galleries, theatres and museums, important as these are; but also commercial film, music and literature; young people getting together in a band, amateur choirs, theatre groups, local art clubs and reading groups, and people crafting at home or in local clubs; as well as those engaging in prisons, hospitals and care homes. If its creative we want to know about it, so joining will help us and the Somerset as a whole, while providing a portal for people to find you and hopefully attend your group meetings and activities.