Bursary: £8,000 for 4 months starting 15 July 2013…
Deadline for applications 26th June 2013…
Interviews scheduled for 10th July 2013…

This is a collaborative project between the Arts Council of Wales, Partneriaeth Corwen Partnership, Denbighshire County Council and Addo.

We are inviting applications from artists with a collaborative/participative approach to undertake a residency in Corwen that will draw out and address issues of physical and environmental connectivity across the town, highlighted by the proposal to extend the heritage Llangollen Railway from Carrog.

The proposed new railway platform lies to the east of the town, some distance from the town centre across a series of fields. There is potential to bring these under-utilized green spaces, which currently act as a barrier, to the fore via an artist in residency, which would consider the links between local residents and users, the natural environment and the proposed influx of tourists that the railway development is intended to generate.The residency aims to mark this field area as a creative space, bringing it into use and linking the platform and the town.

The artist will be someone interested in the environment, architecture or design with previous experience of working with others to develop ideas. An ethos of collaborative practice and engagement is uppermost.

Brief For Applicants

This residency is a collaborative project between the Arts Council of Wales, Partneriaeth Corwen Partnership, Denbighshire County Council (DCC), Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) and Addo.

Bursary: £8,000 for 4 months starting 15 July 2013

We are inviting applications from artists with a collaborative/participative approach to undertake a residency in Corwen that will draw out and address issues of physical and environmental connectivity across the town, highlighted by the proposal to extend the heritage Llangollen Railway from Carrog. The proposed new railway platform lies to the east of the town, some distance from the town centre across a series of fields. There is potential to bring these under-utilized green spaces, which currently act as a barrier, to the fore via an artist in residency, which would consider the links between local residents and users, the natural environment and the proposed influx of tourists that the railway development is intended to generate.

The residency aims to mark this field area as a creative space, bringing it into use and linking the platform and the town.

Background

An artist’s residency undertaken in 2011 explored potential sites within the townscape and identified a series of possible sites for further work. These included creating links between the platform and the town via route-marking using poetry; manifestations to the exterior of buildings facing the platform; the creation of a wet meadow and a town trail. The subsequent Corwen Art Action Plan and a further seminar identified the field area as the priority for any further work. It is this site which would have the greatest impact and has the most potential to link the new platform and the town.


The Site

The proposed site (field area) is under ownership of the local authority and has formerly been used for grazing and is currently naturally planted. It is adjacent to the former railway embankment by the side of the river and is therefore liable to flooding but can also sometimes be very dry.

In order to progress with this site the space must be investigated in terms of planting and topography and in relation to its connection with the town physically and in relation to its current and potential future use.


The Project

The proposal is therefore to engage an artist for a four-month period to work with local residents and community groups in order to develop possible visual solutions to some of the constraints within the site, namely that it acts as a barrier to access to and from the platform; it is underused and visually uniteresting; it may be difficult to site certain objects or planting there due to potential flooding. However, it has great potential environmentally as a possible outdoor classroom; local gardeners have established a community garden and an orchard; dog-walkers are keen for paths and access and residents would like youth engagement.

In the longer term we hope that by working with the artist a viable local group will form that would be interested in working to maintain the site and ensure its sustainability as a resource for local residents and as an attractive feature for the town. Currently there are active members of gardening clubs and the Countryside Department within the local authority are busy in the area. The steering group and Addo will introduce the artist to these groups. In the longer term this local group may take on the site, possibly through Asset Transfer. This group may include:

  • individuals/groups interested in the environment and gardening
  • arts groups & local artists
  • cross generational groups, including local schools
  • dog walkers
  • any other groups/individuals identified as key stakeholders during the residency

The residency will act as a pilot project for the Arts Council of Wales’ new ‘Idea’ strand of residencies, which will:
  • focus mainly on the development of artists’ practice and the experimental exploration outside of the gallery context, partly through artist led initiatives
  • acknowledge an area of work that moves away from the traditional residency concept to favour artistic research and development, critical debate/writing and curatorial initiatives
  • encourage cross fertilisation between the areas of visual art, applied art, architecture and design (ACW, 2010, p.4).
Taking place between July – October 2013, the broader aims of the project are to raise the aspirations of the town and develop relationships between existing groups and project partners, exploring and developing ways in which artists may contribute to the development and life of the town.

Partners

Representatives from Partneriaeth Corwen Partnership, DCC Departments (including countryside, planning and economic development), Arts Council of Wales (ACW) and Addo will form the Steering Group for the project. Addo will act as the main point of contact between the group and the artist. Local groups and associations will work with the steering group and the artist to identify local participants in the initial stages of the project. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) will act as consultant advisors regarding the viability of any scheme put forward in terms of water and planting.

Outcomes

The material outcomes of the residency are open but may take the form of temporary artworks at the site with local groups and residents. There is also potential to explore and develop proposals for environment, landscaping and use of the site as a thoroughfare between the town and the railway platform and as a community space with a focus on a sustainable environmental project. This may involve temporary structures such as shelters or outdoor classrooms/performance spaces, paths and routes, landscaping, earthworks, etc but would need to be negotiated with the artist following consultation with project partners and would be the basis of further funding applications.

The Artist

The artist will be someone interested in the environment, architecture or design with previous experience of working with others to develop ideas. An ethos of collaborative practice and engagement is uppermost.

This opportunity is open to UK and International Artists.

Applicants must demonstrate:

  • Creative originality and professionalism in their work
  • The ability and desire to work collaboratively with the public and other partners as part of their creative practice
  • A willingness to immerse themselves in the life and culture of the area
  • An understanding of the issues of connectivity (and the paradoxical tensions) inherent within regeneration schemes and partnership working and the concerns and opportunities presented by rural tourism.
  • The artist must be aware of and abide by the laws for working with children and vulnerable adults, should they undertake such work as part of the residency.
  • In the event of manufacture/installation of artworks by the artist, the artist must demonstrate current and appropriate indemnity insurance relevant to the artist in person and to any object/s to be manufactured.

Studio

The artist will be provided with a flexible space in Corwen, which could be used as a studio/workspace/meeting space/gallery.

Payment

The selected artist will be paid in installments to be agreed on appointment. This fee is inclusive of all travel costs, living expenses, and studio equipment. In addition a small materials budget of £2,000 is also available.

How to Apply

To apply for this residency, please send the following information to tracy@addocreative.com by 26th June 2013:

  • Up to 10 digital images in a PDF document or a Powerpoint presentation, or a 10-minute (max) showreel. All work should be numbered and include, title, date, dimension and media;
  • An up-to-date CV;
  • A brief letter of application that broadly outlines why you are interested in this opportunity and how it is relevant to your practice;
  • Two letters of support.
When sending files large files (over 4MB), please provide hyperlinks to online files or
a DropBox containing the files. Information submitted in other formats will not be accepted.

Please note that we do not require a project proposal at this stage as we anticipate that details of activity to be undertaken as part of the residency will be developed following a period of interaction with the area, community and key stakeholders living and working within the town.

Selection Process:

A panel of key stakeholders involved in the Corwen Project and the Arts Council of Wales will shortlist candidates for interview from the applications received.
Interviews will take place in Corwen on 10th July 2013. Candidates must be available for interview on this date. Invitations to interview will be sent out by 1st July 2013. Up to £100 per artist will be available to cover travel and subsistence expenses incurred by attending an interview. Interviews via Skype may be arranged. At interview, interviewees will be expected to speak in more detail about their work and working processes and the approach that they envisage taking towards the residency.

If you have any queries regarding the recruitment process, please email
tracy@addocreative.com

Contact Details:

For queries and further information, If you have any further queries about this opportunity, please contact:

Tracy Simpson, Addo, 07890203218, tracy@addocreative.com

Download PDF Brief For Applicants