The Bowes Centre invites expressions of interest on the following theme: “Communicating The Bowes Museum, its Historic Collections, Building and Immediate Environment through Craft Practice”

Up to 10 commissions are available, each worth up to £2,000. This grant to cover all artist’s fees, costs and expenses. Creative work on commissions begins May 2019. The programme will conclude with an exhibition of work held at The Bowes Museum winter 2019/20.

Background

In 2018, The Bowes Centre ran the successful open call, #Untitled10. This new call builds on that model with an emphasis on craft practice.

Like #Untitled10 2018, successful applicants will work alone, yet communicate, share experiences, and deliver the exhibition as a cohort of ten.  The ten will operate under the banner #Untitled10 2019.

The project #Untitled10 2019 will cover three areas of activity:

1. Research and Development, generating your practical work.  

This primary ‘making’ phase to be completed by Thursday 1st August 2019.

For this commission, practical and supporting work should comprise research and development work-in-progress. Completed work is not required.

The exhibition will showcase this experimental practical work-in-progress, together with supporting material that may include sketchbooks, maquettes, reflective journals, artist’s statements and video etc.  It is the communication of developmental experimentation through the craft process that is important.

2. Communication

Working as individuals and as a cohort of ten, participants will create physical and digital supporting content, reflecting on and communicating the developmental craft process. This content will help build audiences ahead of and during the exhibition.

Digital communication training and mentorship will be provided as part of a two-day residency held on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th May 2019.

3. Exhibition

Opens Friday 11th October 2019, closing Friday 28th February 2020.

Participants will submit work for exhibition at The Bowes Museum on or before Monday 30th September 2019.  During the exhibition, participants will deliver a public workshop relating to their project.  

Mentorship in developing and running a workshop will be provided.

Making an application

Expressions of interest are invited via CuratorSpace. 

Applications are open until midday, Friday 29th March 2019.  

For further information and to visit the collection, we are holding three, free-to-attend Information days at The Bowes Museum.

Tuesday 12th March 2019 10.00 – 12.00

Tuesday 19th March 2019 13.00 – 15.00 

Tuesday 26th March 2019 10.00 – 12.00

To book your free space visit https://bit.ly/2tLwweG

Your expression of interest should comprise the following three sections, altogether totalling no more than 500 words.

1. Your proposal

How will you communicate The Bowes Museum, its Historic Collections, Building and Immediate Environment through Craft Practice? You may include up to four images (sketches etc.) of proposed work.  

2. Your personal statement

3.Your biography including web links etc. 

Please list your active social media accounts for your professional practice and relevant websites.  If you do not have an active digital profile, please provide a website with social media accounts that you would aspire to and state why.

An advisory panel working with the Director of The Bowes Centre will shortlist up to 20 applicants.

Notification of the decision will be made via CuratorSpace by Monday 15th April 2019.

Individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants will not be available.

On Monday 15th April 2019, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal with budget, due on or before midday Wednesday 24th April 2019.

From the shortlist, the advisory panel working with the Director of The Bowes Centre will then select up to ten applicants to join the programme #Untitled10 2019.  

Following a short Skype/Facetime discussion, on Wednesday 1st May, those successful applicants will be invited to join the programme.

Successful applicants will be asked to sign terms of acceptance before the first grant payment is made.

Who can apply?  

Anyone can apply. We are interested in those of the North, working or studying in the North. We would like to hear from a range of applicants including established practitioners, students and graduates. Anyone who actively seeks to develop their craft practice through the communication of developmental experimentation can apply.

Additional Information

Throughout the commission period, participants will communicate all stages of their developmental experimentation, primarily through The Bowes Centre digital platforms via The Bowes Centre digital content manager. Participants will also use their own digital platforms in accordance with The Bowes Centre social media policy and best practice. Participants will see this as an opportunity to build their profile in partnership with the Bowes Centre, as well as exhibiting work at The Bowes Museum. As part of their contract, successful applicants will be asked to sign a digital/social media policy/conduct agreement.

All suitable mediums will be considered for exhibition. When writing your expression of interest, keep in mind the practicalities and health and safety implications of displaying work in an historic museum environment.  Applications that propose working with material that may endanger the museum and its collections, members of the public or staff or damage the reputation of the museum will be rejected.

Your body of physical work should ideally fit into a showcase void approximately 1200mm h x 600mm w x 600 mm d.  There may be opportunities to negotiate the installation of other types of work such as sound based work and projections that do not lend themselves to vitrine based display.  

Bowes Curatorial and conservation staff will provide reasonable access to collections, but please bear in mind physical access to collections beyond those on gallery display is unlikely.

Programme Activity

Participants will take part in the following activities:

1. A two-day project development residency.

The residency will take place on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th May 2019 at The Bowes Museum.

During the residency, participants will investigate the Museum’s collection, discuss and develop their ideas and meet the team.  The residency will include Digital Communication training.

2. Spend the equivalent of one day working with the Director of The Centre in developing public facing material. 

This is likely to be in the format of a video interview and a blog. Date to be agreed.

3. An exhibition planning day on Tuesday 6th August 2019.  

This will take place at The Bowes Museum.

Expectations

As a successful applicant, you will: 

• Fully document and communicate your work to the Director of The Bowes Centre for record-keeping, evidence of activity and wider dissemination.

• Provide digital content for The Bowes Centre digital social media manager including any necessary credits for photography. Participants will take responsibility for consent and permissions in their digital content.

• Participate actively and willingly in all promotional activity relating to this call.

Payment

Grant payment will be made by bank transfer in two stages. 50% following receipt of a signed letter of acceptance to participate including a digital social media participation policy. 50% Monday 30th September 2019 following delivery of the body of work to The Bowes Museum.

Successful applicants will receive an annual pass to The Bowes Museum for two people.

Applicants whether successful or not agree by implication of their submission to respect the brand, reputation and property of The Bowes Museum and The Bowes Centre. This will involve regular communication via the Director of The Bowes Centre (and staff) and adhering to museum protocols and The Bowes Centre social media policy in relation to outward facing and digital activity.

The Bowes Centre reserves the right to reject any or all submissions, and to extend or cancel the call at its discretion.

All correspondence must take place via the CuratorSpace portal unless specifically stated otherwise.

Ensure the credit line you wish to be used in association with your work is stated clearly in your application.

The decision of the Director of The Bowes Centre is final.

COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The applicant, whether successful or not agrees that The Bowes Centre and The Bowes Museum may feature any part of their submitted proposal and any subsequent work associated with this call and commission in marketing, educational and promotional material and any other activity The Bowes Centre or The Bowes Museum sees fit without notice or credit.

All work will remain the physical and intellectual property of the applicant. 

The Bowes Centre may announce successful applicants through its social media output, blog and/or website.  The Bowes Centre may promote the process of open call and associated activity through its social media output, blog and/or website.  The Bowes Centre share digital content with The Bowes Museum.

For successful applicants, all work must be delivered to and removed from the site within an agreed timeframe at their own cost.  Any uncollected work will be disposed of without compensation.

Neither The Bowes Museum nor The Bowes Centre takes any responsibility for the safe keeping, safe handling or storage of work.  If the artist wishes to insure their work they must do so through an independent third party.

Successful applicants must make all related and relevant work freely available for the exhibition.

Due to public liability and professional indemnity, artists will not be allow to participate in the display installation or deinstallation of their work beyond its delivery and collection. 

The Bowes Centre

The Bowes Centre is a new initiative based at The Bowes Museum, building on the Museum’s long and respected association with commissioning and displaying contemporary art and craft.

The Centre provides physical and digital environments that engender creative activity in Art, Craft and Design for wider individual, societal and educational benefit. It is particularly interested in supporting new, emerging and developing talent and will deliver in-house and outreach educational programmes that aspire to engage with diverse local, regional, national and international groups and communities.

The Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum is one of the most prestigious venues in the north of England. Opened to the public in 1892, the French château inspired build is hosting amazing collections that its founders John and Joséphine Bowes have lovingly acquired in their travels around Europe in the 19th century. The Bowes Museum displays world-class collections of European fine and decorative art, textiles, ceramics, silver and metals, archaeology and toys that can be found today in the galleries. Highlights include works by renowned artists such as Canaletto, Goya, El Greco, van Dyck and Turner, and the Museum’s iconic Silver Swan automaton. To complement these collections, The Bowes Museum offers an ambitious and lively exhibition programme featuring a number of distinct features appealing to a wide range of audiences such as contemporary art and design often bringing objects of national and international significance to the North of England.

For more details visit: www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

Summary of key Dates

Information day for potential applicants: Tuesday 12th March 2019 - 10.00 – 12.00

Information day for potential applicants: Tuesday 19th March 2019 - 13.00 – 15.00

Information day for potential applicants: Tuesday 26th March 2019 – 10.00 - 12.00

Open Call Closes: Friday 29th March, Midday 2019

Shortlisting Panel sit: Friday 12th April 2019

Invite for full submissions: Monday 15th April 2019

Full submissions submitted by midday: Wednesday 24th April 2019

Final 10 selected and informed: 1st May 2019

Residency: Tuesday 14th May and Wednesday 15th  May 2019

‘Making’ Phase deadline: Thursday 1 August 2019

Exhibition Planning Day: Tuesday 6th August 2019

Submit work: Friday 27th September 2019

Private View: Thursday 10th October 2019

Exhibition Opens: Friday 11th October 2019

Exhibition Closes: Friday 28th Feb 2020