the TOMA way research report.

Jack Ky Tan x TOMA : TOMA Dreamings. A report on the TOMA way.

You can read the full report HERE.

Over the past year-ish TOMA and Jack Ky Tan have been discussing and working together around organisational development and alternative art education. This is the culmination of this work, hopefully the beginnings of a longer journey and deep hanging out.

From Jack:

“In June 2023 I was commissioned to undertake an organisational review of The Other MA ("TOMA") in Southend-on-Sea.

Having run for 8 years, TOMA was at a juncture where it realised that it needed to reevaluate and start planning for change. I was tasked to study the 'TOMA Way', which is a short-form way of describing a set of beliefs, values and operational approaches at TOMA. Then to respond in any way I saw fit, but speaking from my own practice as an artist who works with law, policy and governance as forms of artistic and aesthetic knowledge.

As an artist-led organisation, TOMA's strength and value lies in its ability to be artist-led. I consider this to mean centering and safeguarding high quality creativity and 'art thinking' as the primary way in which all organisational decisions and performances are carried out or evaluated. Such an organisation's impact, reach, relationships, presence will then depend on what kind of 'artist' the organisation wants to and has the capacity and dedication to be.

For TOMA, I encountered an organisation that had a particular vision about access to art education and the art world that it wanted to realise. Under the direction of Emma Edmondson, working alongside co-ordinator Lolly Adams, the TOMA Board, TOMA tutors and TOMA artist cohort(s), TOMA went about doing this as an artist (in early 21st century southeast England) would: with trial and error, radical openness, collaboration, hospitality, guest-pitality, care, fun and community-building.

In particular, I found that TOMA values its relationships with partners and cohorts, and ensured many ways in which its ever growing community can continue to be part of TOMA life and the TOMA Way. Part of this was how TOMA creates shared memory through group activities, but significantly also through humourous myth-making.

The full report I wrote 'TOMA Dreamings' is both an evaluation of the organisation's vision, mission, values and operations, as well as an example of how an organisation can dream itself into reality and into its future.”

You can read the full report HERE and also read about Jack’s further thoughts HERE.