http://www.picturingwomen.org

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And another thing to follow up…

“The Trouble with Women” Exhibition

Contact: Rosa Roberts eleventhkingdom@hotmail.com

Below are some of the first pieces I did, that were shortlisted for the ‘Print Now’ Competition represented by Bearspace Gallery, London Art Fair 2010.

The work here employs techniques of printmaking and drawing. These pieces have been particularly inspired by female imagery from glossy magazines as featured in present-day advertising campaigns and fashion industry model shots. They ironically depict ideological figures of female beauty captured in doll-like poses, which are then recontextualised, following surrealist traits under a postmodern guise, to create a new encounter with elements outside the typical frame of representation.

Vivid, The Lombard Method, Eastside Projects, Mona Casey Projects, Grand Union

And many more I’m sure. I think it is fantastic that Birmingham is finally seeing evidence of some of that artist initiative – artists actually taking control for themselves, setting up studio space and inviting the public to openings, missing out the middle-man gallery owner. But surely to the lay Brummie this is still a mystery of cold winding streets around empty warehoused Digbeth. Why aren’t the doors wide open, big signs up on the outside, advertising placed in the city centre – it still feels so closed off. And the fact that the Custard Factory, the most commercial artsy focal point of them all, seems dead to the world on a Sunday when people are actually out looking for it, or that IKON Eastside, probably the ‘richest’ of the lot, is closed in the Winter season – is not a good advert for the area.

Perhaps these studios need to be right in the heart of the commercial areas, rather than setting up some bohemian retreat on the outskirts. Such a notion would have been an impossibility pre-recession days, but now with so many empty shops and landlords surely desperate to get some rent from anyone, artists would be welcomed in with open arms. Such schemes are obviously going on around the country (see http://artistsandmakers.com/staticpages/index.php/emptyshops)  but Birmingham seems held up by some red tape, waiting for tenders etc etc.

See this op on Audiences Central:

JOB LISTING FOR TENDER BRIEF OPPORTUNITY: BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL  ART IN EMPTY SHOPS

closing: February 3rd

location: Birmingham

pay: £52,632

posted: Friday last week, at 17:15

category: Commissions and Opportunities

Description

Introduction
Birmingham’s Community Arts Team are looking for an arts led organisation with registered charity status to produce, co-ordinate and programme exhibitions accompanied by a minimum of 50 days participatory activity at five empty shop venues across the city between February 2010 and March 2011.

This opportunity is also open to an consortium of organisations with one named lead partner, taking overall financial and managerial responsibility. This project will be led by the appointed organisation who will be responsible to the manager of the Community Arts Team.

Applications should be no longer than four A4 pages outlining your interest and approach to the project with examples of relevant experience and skills that demonstrate your previous successes. This application will require an additional draft budget (outlined on page 3). Following the submission of an application selected organisations will be invited to attend an interview to discuss the proposals in further detail. Decisions will be made by Friday 12th February 2010.

Background
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) have enabled a £3million empty shop revival fund for most deprived and hardest hit high streets. Birmingham City Council has received £52,632 from DCLG to boost town centres and transform empty shops into something useful such as a meeting place, a learning centre or a even a showroom for local artists.

Many towns and cities have already taken positive action to use vacant shop windows or sites for showcasing, touring work, sharing information and participatory activity. Despite current work in the city’s constituencies, it remains the case that many people do not connect with the arts or have easy access to cultural services – as identified in ongoing mapping work.

‘Art in empty spaces’ is aimed at complementing local arts activity finding synergy with the work of the Arts Section and creating opportunities for individual artists. Five sites are to be identified in four priority constituencies; (Erdington, Hodge Hill, Ladywood, Perry Barr) and one in the city centre.

Project aims
• to work in partnership with town centre managers and the Community Arts Team to identify suitable empty spaces.
• to engage artists and arts organisations with empty spaces as identified through the project – particularly those who have approached the community arts team for support in applying to Arts Council England, West Midlands for work in empty shop units.
• to programme 50 days of interactive exhibition, touring work and participatory activity for each identified space.
• to increase participation and outreach with targeted communities.
• to develop a range of partnerships to diversify use of non-traditional spaces for performance and participation.
• enable added value to DCLG funded activity from Arts Council grants to help artists turn vacant high street shops into attractive and vibrant places.

Community Arts Team Priorities
The community arts team’s overall work is to encourage new opportunities for artists and residents to deliver and enjoy arts experiences in a range of settings. We are keen to encourage proposals that engage with the health and wellbeing agenda.

The team’s priorities include the following with a particular focus on engaging with residents over 16 years old;
• participation in arts activity by the public
• the creation of new work for public presentation
• promotion/presentation of work to the public
• development of artists and/or audiences
• engage participants in cultural activities which develop their skills, improve health and self-esteem and contribute to their quality of life.

Applicant Experience and Skills
As an applicant for this opportunity you and your organisation need to demonstrate the following experience;
• curatorial and commissioning experience with artistic vision that invites community engagement
• producing work in non-traditional settings
• producing work to a high standard with evidence of publicity and programme development
• project management with multiple partners and art forms with a community centred approach
• project evaluation and monitoring participation
• increasing participation with hard to reach communities
• managing communication between partners, participants and the media

We expect this project to engage with a large range of birmingham residents. The appointed organisation will therefore need to demonstrate experience of effective marketing and promotion of events, activities and exhibitions.

Timetable and Budget
• Wednesday 3rd February 2010 (5pm)- Deadline for Expressions of Interest
• Friday 5th February 2010 – Applicants will be notified regarding applications
• Thursday 11th February 2010 – Interviews for short-listed applicants
• Friday 12th February 2010 – Successful applicant informed

There is a combined production budget and fees of £52,632 to deliver this brief which we anticipate will take place from February 2010 to 31st March 2011.

To Make an Application
Expressions of interest for the opportunity should be no longer than four A4 pages outlining your interest and approach to the project with examples of relevant experience and skills that demonstrate your previous successes.

You should indicate the following;
• your approach to researching and selecting appropriate artists and art forms that might involve community engagement
• your approach to working with professional and community contacts (including town centre management) in the five identified areas
• your response to the project aims as a producer/curator/project manager
• an outline of artistic activity that could be included in curatorial exhibition work for the empty spaces
• a realistic project management timeline for developing and delivering the work from March 2010 to March 2011
• your previous experience of managing events, negotiating leases for a variety of buildings and managing appropriate licences for a range of events.

Budget
In addition to your application please provide a draft income and expenditure budget to a total of £52,632 giving summary headings for production costs, marketing, expenses, professional artistic fees and management costs.

CV or equivalent should be provided with contact details of two professional referees. Please also supply documentation of two examples of relevant art projects you have produced.

Final Submission of application should be posted or emailed to;

Gurminder Sehint
Community Arts Manager
Arts Section
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Chamberlain Square
Birmingham
B3 3DH

Email: Gurminder.Sehint@Birmingham.gov.uk

If you would like to know more about the project please contact the Community Arts Manager, Gurminder Sehint on 0121 303 2592.

Deadline
Expressions of interest should arrive no later than Wednesday 3rd February 2010 (5pm).

… So let’s get this moving – it could be fantastic! Bringing art to the people!!!