The National Trust is seeking expressions of interest from artists to deliver creative workshops in the autumn at Nostell. The workshops will form part of ‘Scattered Stories, Forgotten Places’ a programme of displays, activities and workshops that shares stories about collecting, loss and dispersal, and explores ways we can share our empty rooms and collections with our visitors.

CONTEXT

Nostell is an architectural masterpiece, an 18th century Georgian mansion with interiors designed and created by some of the best craftsman of the age. It is also home to an outstanding collection of one family’s personal collection of paintings, ceramics, books and other artefacts.

Scattered Stories, Forgotten Spaces

Nostell is filled with stories. The books, furniture, craftsmanship and architecture reveal the personal stories and aspirations of the people who lived and worked here for hundreds of years.

We haven’t yet uncovered all the stories hidden within our collection. There is always more to discover, not just in the beautiful objects that remain, but also in the hidden, the lost, the sold and the scattered. Nostell has nearly 300 spaces under its roof including some that are not generally open to the public.  

Spirit of Place

Our ‘spirit of place’ explores those specific qualities that make Nostell special, and which we seek to conserve, reference, continue and share. It is inspired by a quote from our archives: ‘Work’d by hand’, which sums up both Nostell’s skilfully crafted spaces, but also its social history of a country estate as a place of work.

COMMISSION BRIEF

We would like this story to be a starting point for a series of artist led workshops between September and December 2016. Artists could choose a particular collection as their inspiration for a workshop e.g. books, ceramics, tapestries, respond to the theme in general or the Spirit of Place. We would like an artist to deliver:

• One workshop or a series of workshops

• Workshops can last from 1 hour to a full day, or be run over a series of weeks

• Artists would need to adhere to any conservation restrictions depending on which space they used for deliver.

Nostell will be responsible for marketing and ticketing the workshop and will pay a flat fee to the artist to deliver workshops. There may be a minimum number of bookings required in order for the workshop to go ahead. This will be agreed individually with each artist.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Who can apply?

The commission is open to all artists, makers and crafters. You should have some experience of demonstrating to the public or running public workshops.

Submitting Your Proposal

Proposals should be accompanied by an up-to-date CV and any appropriate links to web content.  Please send one side of A4 outlining: 

• What workshop could be delivered

• What participants would produce or learn at the workshop e.g. would they make something to take home

• Audience, is it a beginners course? Is it aimed at adults or children?

• Your fee inclusive of all materials and travel

• Maximum number of participants

• Details of your experience demonstrating or delivering workshops to the public

Three artists or makers will be short-listed from the expressions of interest and then contacted to meet staff on site. Workshop leaders will be selected according to the quality of the workshop proposed and ability to link this to the collection and themes at Nostell.