From March 2020 - March 2021 b-side will train, mentor and support 5 young visual artists from the Borough of Weymouth & Portland (and surrounding areas) to develop, try and test new creative ideas that are specific and/or responsive to place.

ABOUT THE NEW ARTIST MENTORING PROGRAMME

From March 2020 - March 2021 b-side will train, mentor and support 5 young visual artists from the Borough of Weymouth & Portland (and surrounding areas) to: 

• Develop, try and test new creative ideas that are specific and/or responsive to place
• Go and see new work made by regional artists
• Grow their own artistic networks
• Expand their knowledge / confidence in becoming independent artists

The New Artist Mentoring Programme will do this through training and development sessions led by the b-side team, mentorship from professional artists, and financial support. 

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FROM THE B-SIDE TEAM

b-side will lead 1 - 2 training / development sessions a month that will cover things like:

• How to research and develop creative ideas / artworks that are specific and/or responsive to place (looking at different starting points to begin researching your ideas and themes, such as interviews, walkings, making connections)
• The differences between site specific and site responsive artworks in differing environments 
• How to document the process and development of your work as well as the final outcome
• How to be a self-employed artist, how to manage budgets, cashflow
• How to produce your work: installation, materials, H&S, risk, etc…
• How to respond to an artist brief, writing a proposal and getting your work booked
  
  

MENTORING FROM PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS

As part of this programme each New Artist will be paired with a professional artist working in a similar area to you. Many of the Mentors we have in mind are artists we have worked with before and trust.

The Mentor will: 

• Offer advice based on their own experience of being an artist
• Offer support and encouragement 
• Help New Artists expand their knowledge of the cultural sector
• Help New Artists expand and develop their networks
• Advise on relevant artworks, artists, organisations to go and see

ABOUT THE B-SIDE NEW ARTIST

As a b-side New Artist you will receive:

• 13 months ongoing support from b-side (Molly Scarborough will be your main contact)
• A minimum of 12 training / development sessions from the b-side team
• Up to 14 hours of mentoring from a relevant professional artist
• A budget of £500 to try, test and develop work
• A travel budget of up to £260 to attend meetings, training sessions
• A budget of £100 (minimum) to go and see new work 
  
  

Eligibility:

To be a New Artist you have to be aged 16 – 25 (or thereabouts), live in the Borough of Weymouth & Portland (or nearby!) and consider yourself a visual artist or aspiring visual artist. 

What is expected of the bursary artist?

• To attend all training and development sessions led by the b-side team (these are currently scheduled as the second Saturday of each month – apart from the first month, March, which is scheduled for 28th March)
• To maintain regular contact with your mentor

TIMELINE

Application deadline: Sunday 22nd March, 11:59pm. 

Video call interviews: Week commencing 23rd March.

New Artists selected by: Monday 30th March.

1st New Artists Meeting: Saturday 4th April, 12pm – 5pm.

Planned engagement: 

The New Artists will meet 1 – 2 times a month up until March 2021. 

Training / development sessions with b-side team members are currently scheduled for: 

• Saturday 4th April
• Saturday 18th April 
• Saturday 9th May 
• Saturday 13th June
• Saturday 11th July
• Saturday 8th August
• Saturday 10th October 
• Saturday 14th November
• Saturday 12th December
• Saturday 9th January 
• Saturday 13th February 
• Saturday 13th March
   

Other dates for the diary: 

• 15th - 17th May = Od Arts Festival 
• 5th - 13th September = b-side festival
• 11th - 27th September = Inside Out Dorset
• 25th – 27th September = Bournemouth Arts by the Sea

It’s likely we will visit the above festivals. 

Training / development / meeting dates and times are not fixed or finalised and we could be open to changing them if needed.

FIND OUT MORE

Find out more about the b-side team here: 

https://b-side.org.uk/team

Visit the b-side archive page to see work we’ve previously commissioned, produced and programmed: 

https://b-side.org.uk/projects

More info on Portland:  

http://www.portlandhistory.co.uk/map-and-a-z-index.html

http://www.geoffkirby.co.uk/Portland/IndexMap

Supported by Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean Charitable Foundation and public funding from Arts Council England.

*We are committed to finding creative ways to enable this programme to continue should COVID-19 have any direct implications on the above programme of activity. Please note: dates of engagement maybe postponed or adjusted, please register your interest with us and we can work it out together.*