Offsite 9 Commissions Open Call Brief & Guidelines
Offsite 9 Commissions Open Call Brief & Guidelines - 4 Commissions up to £4,000
The British Art Show is a landmark touring exhibition that celebrates recent art made in Britain. Organised every five years by Hayward Gallery Touring, next year the exhibition brings the work of contemporary artists to four cities across the UK; Aberdeen, Manchester, Plymouth and Wolverhampton. The show explores three overarching themes – healing, care and reparative history; tactics for togetherness; and imagining new futures.
In Wolverhampton we will look at how we live with and give voice to difference.
Offsite 9 local programme
Offsite 9 commissions support activities that increase opportunities for people to experience great creative and cultural experiences in Wolverhampton. Creative Black Country has been awarded Arts Council funding to support the development of a local programme supporting artists to create work that will add value and compliment the main BAS9 show in Wolverhampton.
Creative Black Country is working with a creative team to develop the programme over the next year; Asylum Art Gallery, Flexus Dance, DASH, Bobby Tiwana, Fused, Nelson Douglas and Eagle Works.
There will be 9 themed commissions, these can be created by collectives, individuals or organisations.
DOWNLOAD the Easy Read guidance here.
We’ll be hosting a Q+A session on the 16th June at 6.30pm to answer any questions about applying. Book your ticket here.
Creative Framework for commissions - What we would like to achieve together through this programme
Engage local people in creative activity and profile the city’s artistic and creative talent.
Strive for high quality experiences in the creative process and outcomes
Ensure our programme is accessible and representative, and welcomes the people of Wolverhampton to get involved.
Strive to be accessible for D/deaf and Disabled artists, participants and audiences.
Encourages conditions for the creative community to feel better connected and leave a legacy that supports the creative community.
Work with local people to create work that matters, is honest, and relevant.
Profile Wolverhampton in a new light.
Create new work in Wolverhampton using spaces and places
Invite thinkers, visionaries and aspiring young people to reimagine creativity and culture in Wolverhampton
Ensure that the programme includes lead artists who are from underrepresented groups in particular Black, D/deaf and Disabled.
Guidelines
Creatives living and working in Wolverhampton or have a strong connection to the area.
You can apply as an individual, collective or organisation (please detailed guidelines highlighted below)
The work must be presented during BAS9 in Wolverhampton Jan – April 2022
We are not prescriptive about how this is done, it could be a digital or analogue solution, or a combination of both. What is important to us is that local people are involved, and that it reaches people.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary consents, permissions and insurances in place to undertake your project.
You are willing to consider how your work is accessible for D/deaf and Disabled audiences or participants and identify where you may need support in doing so e.g. BSL interpretation, subtitling, easy read, reasonable adjustments. CBC will support on this.
You can apply for up to £4000
You will coordinate elements your activity with the creative team and production team e.g. identifying location in Wolverhampton, method of installation, platform , health and safety e.g. COVID 19 guidelines approved.
You will liaise with Fused to provide content about your work for the printed publication 9 Pages.
HOW TO APPLY
Proposal - Tell us about your Idea
You will need to write a proposal (of up to 1000 words or create a video of up to 5 minutes long) to explain your idea. Please outline your project idea and plans and provide information about: The activity taking place (who, what, where, when and why); How many people will be involved; Time frame; Potential outcome or benefit to the people involved. (Please see framework below)
Please include: Your name & contact details; proposed name and title of your idea (if applicable).
Please tell us show your idea responds to the themes of the British Art Show 9.
How is your activity accessible? (e.g. if it is digital can you provide audio description, subtitles and/or BSL interpretation). Please speak to CBC as we have budget to support this.
Please include a simple budget of how you intend to spend the money. Amount requested (you can request up to the value of £4000 limit)
Please outline how your idea can be adapted should government guidelines change i.e. if you are planning on public activity which is face to face how is this safe? How could this be adapted if the situation was to change and the government introduce new guidelines?
Submitting your proposal:
Deadline: Monday 12th July 5pm
Please send your proposal or video along with the equal opportunities monitoring form by Email: info@creativeblackcountry.co.uk with ‘Offsite 9’ in the subject heading.
If you would prefer to discuss your proposal /ideas due to access needs, or require alternative access options please contact info@creativeblackcountry.co.uk or email a video message.
DOWNLOAD the Easy Read guidance here.
Who can apply?
Individuals might include: Artists, musicians, writers, performers, designers, promoters, producers; curators, directors; Collectives, consortiums and informal groups of people.
Organisations who CAN submit proposals: Voluntary organisations e.g. arts clubs, collectives, choirs or groups that meet regularly; Arts organisations; Public organisations such as libraries, youth centres, etc.; Organisations whose normal activity is not related to the arts but who want to include arts in what they do e.g. an allotment or residents’ association; youth group, senior citizens group Not for Profit organisations and community groups, whether registered charities or not; Faith groups/organisations Schools i.e. affiliated parent/community groups.
Who CANNOT submit proposals?
Organisations that share out profits to members or shareholders; University students using this grant to fund their creative projects as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate course; Those running activities that do not benefit people living in Wolverhampton; Activities that are already taking place or have already been completed. This must be a new activity.