Essex Cultural Diversity Project’s Artist Salons are free workshop and networking opportunities for creative practitioners and community organisers, who are invited to come along to share and develop ideas for art projects which celebrate diversity. We provide hands-on advice about engaging with communities and applying for public funds for community art projects. The day includes a complimentary lunch.

Events engender partnership working and mutual sector support,  delivered in collaboration with strategic partners across the region. Here is a selection of some of the Salons we have delivered:

Artist Salons Saxmundham & Lowestoft
October 2025
Hosts/partners: The Battery of Ideas, The Art Station, Counterpoints Arts, Britten Pears Arts and Snape Maltings
Coming under the umbrella of the Platforma Festival, these two Artist Salons focussed on intercultural arts provision for migrant, refugee and asylum seeker communities.

Artist Salon: Kings Lynn
Hosts/partners: GroundWork Gallery

Creative Salon: Saffron Walden
March 2025
Hosts/Partners: Fairycroft House,
This Salon brought together the town’s creative community to explore how we can promote diversity, access and inclusivity through our work. Part One was a visioning exercise on how to develop the town’s cultural infrastructure and explore the need for a shared creative space, and part two was a funding workshop to share and develop ideas for art projects.

Rochford Event Makers Salon
Hosts/Partners: Rochford WI, Rochford District Council and Cultural Engine
This Salon explored how we promote diversity, access and inclusivity in our work, and how we can support the Rochford District Council’s new Culture and Visitor Economy Strategy. Event Makers in the town were invited to discuss their events, and share successes, stresses and futures of holding events in the district. Funded by Rochford District Council via the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Artist Salon Thetford
Hosts/partners: Thomas Paine Hotel
A chance to catch up with and support partners and friends we work with to programme The Festival of Thetford & Punjab. This Salon was followed by Stand Up For Diversity Thetford event later in the evening

Community Heritage Workshop: Funding and Opportunities
2023
Hosts/partners: Chelmsford Museums, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Culture Chelmsford
A workshop for charities and not-for-profit organisations in Essex interested in delivering a heritage project for your local community. The presentations and workshops were followed by one-to-one sessions.