IDEAS FIRST
ARTCITY
See an unloved/unused/empty space in the city
Have an idea to do a pop up arts event or temporary project
Apply to Ideas First
What is Ideas First? Ideas First is a strand within the Artcity programme that responds to artists ideas for events or projects in empty spaces in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Ideas First are projects that are led and delivered by artists or arts organisation based or working in Stoke-on-Trent that use void/ unused spaces or venues for temporary or pop up arts activities. Who should apply? Ideas First is open to individual artists and arts organisations from any creative discipline including (but not exclusively): visual art, performance, participatory works, music or dance, literature, film, digital media, crafts, or any combination of these or other artforms. Applicants should be living or have a track record of working in Stoke-on-Trent. We are particularly interested to hear from artists and arts organisations that have not received funding from Artcity before and any emergent or early career artists. When? The projects must take place between 1st September 2016 and the end of June 2017 Where? Projects must animate a currently unused/ empty space in the city that hasn’t been used before for the arts, or hosted an Artcity project. What sort of project? The activities could involve any creative activity e.g. performance, workshop, exhibition, meal, creative conversation, as long as it is open to the public, is temporary and that it promotes a new narrative about Stoke.
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IDEAS FIRST
ARTCITY
What is available? There will be an allocation of funds that runs from 1st September to 31st December of £4,500. These funds will be allocated on a first come, first funded basis (selected projects will meet the criteria) and then a second round will be open between 1st January and 31st March 2017. Funds could be used as match to raise money from other sources (e.g. Arts Council England) Once permission to use the space/building has been confirmed Artcity’s Sites Manager will provide further support to ensure that the space is safe, practical and safely used. How to apply First, identify the space you’d like to work in, find out who owns or manages it and if possible, secure their permission to use the building/ space. Send an application either in form of a 90 sec video ( preferably a link to your video) or written/ illustrated submission (max 500 words) showing how your project meets the following criteria to susan.clarke@b-arts.org.uk or by hand or post to B arts 72 Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7RB Ideas First Selection Criteria 1) The proposed venue for the project is in Stoke-on-Trent and it is currently empty/ an open space/ unused/ a void (where is it?) 2) The project idea promotes/ investigates a new narrative about Stoke-on-Trent (what is the project? What does it involve and how does it say something new or in a new way?) 3) The project idea is artist led (who is doing the project?) 4) The project idea is temporary (when will it happen and how long will it take?) 5) The project is open to the public -this could be via an online distribution, exhibition or dissemination/ publication (how are the public getting involved or finding out about it?) 6) The artist making the proposal can show how they will use the funding to deliver the project (how will you spend the money?) In addition to meeting the criteria successful applicants will be required to; produce a breakdown of how funding was spent (simple spreadsheet); provide photographs/ video of the project to Artcity for distribution on social media and inclusion in reports; count audience/ participant numbers for Artcity reporting. NOTES • Temporary means less than six weeks • Living and working in Stoke-on-Trent means that you are live in the city, you have exhibited or performed in the city, or you trained in the city. • Emerging artist means that you are at an early stage in your career and have carried out no more than two small scale commissions prior to applying to this opportunity • Artist means anyone working in the creative sector using any or many art forms as the core of their practice Background: Partnership Ideas First is managed by the Artcity consortium (Airspace Gallery, B Arts, The Cultural Sisters, Letting In The Light, Partners In Creative Learning and Restoke). For more details on the Artcity programme go to www.artcity.org.uk If you have any questions about the scheme please contact Susan Clarke or Trevelyan Wright at B arts for an informal chat. 01782 848835
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