ACA is offering residency opportunities for artists to join its current arts, research and education programme, As Above So Below (AASB).

We are offering 2 types of residencies:

1. Artists in Residence

Up to three artists will be offered a two week residency working in any one or more of the AASB strands.

Artists will be expected to:

• Develop their work (in any medium) relating to AASB
• Contribute to our ongoing programme of educational and public engagement events

We will offer accommodation, studio, exhibition or presentation opportunities and a fee of £750.

A limited budget will be available for production/travel/event costs.

2. Emerging Artists in Residence

For artists of any age who have graduated or restarted their practice in the last 3 years or those who can otherwise demonstrate how this residency would benefit the development of their practice.

Artists will have the opportunity to:

• Develop their work (in any medium) relating to AASB
• Contribute to our ongoing programme of educational and public engagement events
• Receive mentoring
• Gain work experience in the diverse work of delivering projects at ACA.  

The residencies can be full or part time and can last between 1 to 3 months.  

We will provide accommodation, studio space, exhibition or performance opportunities and a weekly bursary of £100 (based on full time).  We can be flexible and agree a mutually convenient schedule with a 50/50 split of the working day between ACA work and the artists own work. 

AASB Project Description

The inspiration for AASB stems from the human condition of curiosity and ambition which prevent us from resting on what we see, understand and achieve – pursuing the potential of what might lay beyond recognisable horizons.  In the belief that more is to be found, we advance our ability to navigate and travel, constantly scrutinising expanding distances above our head and below our feet.

We are looking for artists to engage with this enquiry, to gather information and inspiration from experts in other fields, to develop their practise in new ways and to create work that engages wide ranging audiences.

ACA is working in partnership with The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) who are offering expertise, resources and funding to building an observatory on our premises.

The Arts and education programme is underway and will generate a series of events including exhibitions, workshops, performances and conferences that will culminate in the launch of the observatory planned for October 2016.

AASB Programme

The programme has three strands:

1. Above: Dark Skies – taking advantage of ACA’s location within a designated Dark Skies Site and the planned observatory and planetarium facilities on ACA premises. 
2. Surface: the Skin of Our Planet – exploring the significance of being on and navigating the rotating orbiting sphere we call Earth, from our base in England’s highest village at the geographical centre of the U.K.
3. Below: Hollow Earth – considering human subterranean endeavours such as mining, caving, undersea explorations, mythology and more.

Lead Artist and others involved so far:

We have appointed Pat Naldi as Lead Artist. She will be creating new work and contributing to the development of the programme with ACA curators.  Sound artists Bennett Hogg and Sabine Vogel have initiated their above and below ground sound recordings and Bill Aitchison is working on performance and creative tour of Allenheads.

We are collaborating with experts from other fields who are already contributing to our programme. These include Dr Peter Edwards & Jurgen Schmoll -Astro Physicists from Durham University, conservationists working with AONB and mining historians from Killhope Lead Mine Museum.  We’re looking for people from diverse backgrounds to expand this list.

Links for further information:

http://www.acart.org.uk/currentprojects.html

http://www.acart.org.uk/observatory.html

http://www.northpennines.org.uk/Pages/AllenValleysLandscapePartnership.aspx

www.patnaldi.co.uk

http://landscapequartet.org/people/

www.billaitchison.co.uk