2011 is the year of Craft

Four residencies partnerships for craft based artists have been announced based in Birmingham, Dudley Metropolitan Borough, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

Making Moves II Resident Artist Opportunity, Dudley

Dudley MBC and the University of Wolverhampton is seeking an experienced glass artist for a residency at the Corbett Hospital, Stourbridge as part of the Making Moves II project.

Making Moves II is a craft development initiative which builds on a thirteen year partnership between Staffordshire County Council and Craftspace. In a new two year phase the partnership has evolved across the West Midlands pairing four HE institutions with a range of Local Authority Arts Development Officers. The programme will comprise of 8 residencies to explore commissioning models, a touring exhibition and opportunities for students, graduates and professional makers.

This two month residency will start in October 2011 and complete by March 2012. The selected artist will be hosted in the Corbett Hospital, Stourbridge to work with participants taken from groups including out patients and local residents. The artist will provide high quality making sessions to stimulate critical discussion and an understanding of creative practice through making. The artist will also have space and research and development time to further their own practice in response to the residency. A sharing event/exhibition at the end of the residency will include activities which can be opened out to the wider community and potentially facilitated by community participants sharing their new skills.

Following the residency the artist will be commissioned to create a piece of work which will feature in the International Festival of Glass in August 2012 and an exhibition showcasing all 8 residencies that will tour throughout the partner’s regions from June 2012 – May 2013.

The four residency partnerships are as follows:
- Birmingham City Council and Birmingham City University
- Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Wyre Forest District Council and University of Wolverhampton
- Staffordshire Heritage and Arts Service, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire University
- Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council, Coventry City Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Coventry University

The projects require a commitment of 20 days over 6 month period @ £250 per day (including travel and VAT).

Deadline for applications is 12pm on Friday 9th September. Late submissions will not be accepted. Interviews will be held on 21st September 4pm.

For more information on the project e-mail Fred Richings, Principal Arts Officer DMBC, at fred.richings@dudley.gov.uk ; Emma Daker, Craftspace e.daker@craftspace.co.uk or Anne Forgan, Project Coordinator anne_forgan@yahoo.co.uk.

Resident Artist Opportunity, British Ceramics Biennial (BCB)

Staffordshire County Council in partnership with British Ceramics Biennial is seeking an experienced mid-career maker with an interest in using, exploring and adapting ceramic processes and/or clay for a residency at Willow Bank CIC as part of the Making Moves II project.

This residency will start 3 October 2011 and complete w/c 21 November 2011. The selected artist will be hosted in the Original Spode Factory Site, and at Willow Bank CIC, to work with:

- Gingerbread – Families in temporary housing/accommodation
- Patients – referred to the project by clinicians

The selected artist will be expected to deliver high quality making sessions to stimulate critical discussion and an understanding of creative practice through making. The artist will also have space and research and development time to further their own practice in response to the residency. A sharing event/exhibition at the end of the residency will include activities which can be opened out to the wider community and potentially facilitated by community participants sharing their new skills.

Following the residency the artist will be commissioned to create a piece of work which will feature in an exhibition showcasing all 8 residencies that will tour throughout the partner’s regions from June 2012 – May 2013.

The project requires a commitment of 20 days over 2 month period @ £250 per day (including travel and VAT).

Deadline for applications is 7th September 2011, and interviews will be held on the 16 September 2011.

For information please contact Owen Hurcombe, County Arts Development Officer, Staffordshire County Council, owen.hurcombe@staffordshire.gov.uk, 01785 278339 or Anne Forgan, Making Moves Project Coordinator, anne_forgan@yahoo.co.uk, 02476 550964, 0777 0674552.

A full brief can be downloaded from www.staffordshire.gov.uk/.

Graduate Placement Opportunity: British Ceramics Biennial

Staffordshire County Council in partnership with British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) is seeking a recent (within the last 2 years) Crafts or Design Graduate with an interest in using, exploring and adapting ceramic processes and/or clay to support and work alongside, an artist in residence (a mid-career maker) at Willow Bank CIC near Stoke-on-Trent, as part of the Making Moves II project.

Making Moves II is a craft development initiative which builds on a thirteen year partnership between Staffordshire County Council and Craftspace. In a new two year phase the partnership has evolved across the West Midlands pairing four HE institutions with a range of Local Authority Arts Development Officers. The programme will comprise of 8 residencies to explore commissioning models, a touring exhibition and opportunities for students, graduates and professional makers.

This placement will start 3 October 2011 and complete w/c 21 November 2011. The selected artist will be hosted in the Original Spode Factory Site, and at Willow Bank CIC, to work with:

• Gingerbread – Families in temporary housing/accommodation
• Patients – referred to the project by clinicians

The placement includes:
• £500 bursary for start up costs, equipment or materials
• Participation in cross regional touring exhibition & Involvement in a cross regional project
• Experience of working with the resident artist and community groups – up to 10 sessions/5 days
• Experience of leading community workshops and working within a health setting to create a permanent piece of artwork (ceramic or based on ceramic process) for the Willow Bank CIC GP Surgery
• Informal mentoring from the resident artist 10 x ½ – 1 hour sessions following the community sessions
• Participation in the creation of a learning resource/residency diary
• Participation in residency sharing day: attendance at sharing event/exhibition opening
• An opportunity to work with the BCB team and support from the BCB technician

The four residency partnerships are as follows:
• Birmingham City Council and Birmingham City University
• Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Wyre Forest District Council and University of Wolverhampton
• Staffordshire Heritage and Arts Service, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire University
• Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council, Coventry City Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Coventry University

The project requires a commitment of 20 days over 2 month period. The deadline for applications is 7th September 2011 and interviews will be held on the 16th September.

For information please contact Chloe Brown, British Ceramics Biennial, chloe@britishceramicsbiennial.com, 01782 377417 or Anne Forgan, Making Moves Project Coordinator, anne_forgan@yahoo.co.uk, 02476 550964, 0777 0674552.

Resident Artist Opportunity, Coventry

Coventry City Council and Coventry University is seeking an experienced artist for a residency at the War Memorial Park Visitors Centre, Coventry as part of the Making Moves II project.

This two month residency will start in September and complete October 2011. The selected artist will be hosted in the War Memorial Park Visitors Centre, Coventry to work with participants taken from groups including Young people and Memorial Park Friends Groups as well as Friends sub-groups; history, veterans and ecology and gardening. The artist will provide high quality making sessions to stimulate critical discussion and an understanding of creative practice through making. The artist will also have space and research and development time to further their own practice in response to the residency. A sharing event/exhibition at the end of the residency will include activities which can be opened out to the wider community and potentially facilitated by community participants sharing their new skills.

Following the residency the artist will be commissioned to create a piece of work which will feature in an exhibition showcasing all 8 residencies that will tour throughout the partner’s regions from June 2012 – May 2013.

The project requires a commitment of 20 days over 2 month period @ £250 per day (including travel and VAT).
Deadline for applications is 12pm on Monday 5th September. Late submissions will not be accepted. Interviews will be held on Monday 12th September.

For information please contact: Laura Elliott Tel: 024 76 553 533 Mobile: 07982 708 694 Email: arts.development@coventry.gov.uk .

The full brief can be downloaded from www.staffordshire.gov.uk/.