Stour Valley Arts and ArtSway are seeking to commission a UK based artist
Deadline 23 April 2010
Stour Valley Arts and ArtSway are seeking to commission a UK based artist, working in any media, to produce a new body of work resulting from research undertaken in the locations of both commissioning partners. The artist will be given time and financial resources to explore and research the areas in question to produce at least one exhibition (scheduled at ArtSway in April 2011), with critical and practical support from ArtSway and Stour Valley Arts.
Stour Valley Arts – ArtSway Residency/ Co-commission
Stour Valley Arts at King’s Wood, Challock in Kent, and ArtSway in the New Forest, Hampshire, are collaborating on an exciting new residency/ co-commission. The aim of this partnership is to provide the opportunity for a talented emerging or mid-career UK based artist, working in any media, to research, develop and present new work in the UK with professional support from two established visual arts organisations.
Commission Details:
Project Brief : - Stour Valley Arts and ArtSway are seeking to commission a UK based artist, working in any media, to produce a new body of work resulting from research undertaken in the locations of both commissioning partners (please see ‘about’ section at the end of this document for information on Stour Valley Arts and ArtSway). The artist will be given time and financial resources to explore and research the areas in question to produce at least one exhibition (scheduled at ArtSway in April 2011), with critical and practical support from ArtSway and Stour Valley Arts.
PLEASE NOTE: It is anticipated that the selected artist will spend time in residence with Stour Valley Arts and also ArtSway (this residency period is open to negotiation but the commission period is expected to be from May 2010 to April 2011). For the Stour Valley Arts element of the commission the artist will be expected to make numerous site visits across the duration of the commission period – maximizing contact time with King's Wood throughout the seasons. For the ArtSway element of the commission, the artist has the choice of staying in residence for two consecutive months, or to intersperse their visits to the New Forest with their visits to Stour Valley Arts. Both venues are keen to be as flexible as they are able, and to offer the selected artist as much engagement (funding permitting) with the locations of each of the commission partners as possible.
The research undertaken by the selected artist may focus on, but need not be limited to, the geography, ecology or history of King’s Wood and the area surrounding ArtSway, but all proposals for new work developed during this residency should be a response to these places.
Eligibility: - The commission is aimed at a UK based practitioner of any nationality and of any age, working in any media. If not an EEC resident, you must ensure that you are eligible to work in the UK.
This opportunity is offered on a freelance basis, and the selected artist is responsible for their own tax arrangements.
Finances: - The fee for the commission is £4200, with additional financial resources in the range of approximately £14,000 available for travel and accommodation expenses, production costs for
new work, exhibition costs, marketing and potentially a small publication.
Exhibition Details: - An exhibition of the work produced during the residency (and existing work if appropriate) will be scheduled for 6 – 8 weeks during April and May 2011 at ArtSway. Where appropriate, new work may also be realised within King’s Wood or be presented at another venue co-ordinated by SVA in late 2011 (details tbc). The work produced may also be exhibited as part of ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2011, subject to funding.
- ArtSway will support the presentation of the work with professional marketing and press in partnership with Stour Valley Arts.
Selection Process: It is anticipated that the research for the commission will begin in Summer 2010. The deadline for applications is Friday 23 April 2010. Six artists will be short-listed, and interviews to select one artist will take place on Tuesday 11 May 2010 at ArtSway, Station Road, Sway, Hampshire, SO41 6BA. If you are selected for interview, but unable to attend, telephone interviews may be arranged. Artists will be notified of a decision no later than Monday 17 May 2010.
The selection panel will include: Sandra Drew, Director, Stour Valley Arts; Dan Howard-Birt, Assistant Curator, Stour Valley Arts; Mark Segal, Director, ArtSway; Peter Bonnell, Curator, ArtSway.
Artists are asked to submit:
1. Proposal of work or research for the commission; Maximum one side of A4, approximately 500 words. 2. Up to twenty images of recent work on CD Rom (standard packages only e.g powerpoint, .jpeg or .pdf files) and/or DVD/ VHS (DVD preferred);
3. A brief statement on your work (and/or critical text on work recently published);
4. A current CV.
Please send to:
Stour Valley Arts - ArtSway Residency/ Co-commission
FAO – Peter Bonnell
ArtSway
Station Road, Sway
Hampshire, SO41 6BA
Please note: artists can send applications by email to: Peter Bonnell at peter@artsway.org.uk
Please note: submissions by post must be accompanied by an SASE, otherwise they will not be returned due to limited storage space at ArtSway.
About Stour Valley Arts:
SVA is an independent arts organisation based, since 1994, in King’s Wood, Challock, Kent. King’s Wood is a 1500-acre forest owned and managed by the Forestry Commission in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Artists from the UK and overseas are invited to undertake research residencies, often across long periods of time, responding to the landscape, ecology or history of King’s Wood. During these residencies, proposals are supported and developed culminating in the delivery of new works. These works are made in a variety of media and are either realised within the forest or exhibited in galleries and other off-site locations.
For more information please go to: www.stourvalleyarts.org.uk/
About ArtSway:
ArtSway presents a changing exhibition programme of contemporary visual art of International significance in a unique environment deep in the New Forest. In addition ArtSway hosts artists in residence and offers professional development and production facilities for artists and creative opportunities for audiences through a wide range of workshops and courses. ArtSway was one of the first National Lottery capital projects, funded through Arts Council England. The gallery was designed by architect Tony Fretton (Camden Arts Centre, Lisson Gallery, Quay Arts) and opened in 1997. Almost unique in the UK as a dedicated white space for the visual arts in a rural environment, ArtSway has developed a reputation for innovative exhibitions, and has expanded is programme internationally to include the New Forest Pavilion at the 2005, 2007 and 2009 Venice Biennales.
For more information please go to: www.artsway.org.uk
Contact Details:
For further information about ArtSway, and details about the commission, please contact:
Peter Bonnell
Curator
ArtSway
E: peter.bonnell@artsway.org.uk
T: +44 (0)1590 682260
For further information about Stour Valley Arts please contact:
Dan Howard-Birt
Assistant Curator
Stour Valley Arts
E: dhowardbirt@stourvalleyarts.org.uk
T: +44 (0)1233 740956 / 740040