Funding for international travel and exchange

Today, we sent out details about ‘Supermarket’ to artists who we’ve either worked with before, or who’s work we like – asking if they would like to participate. This is going to be quite hard, as we can only realistically take the work of 15 artists to be part of the exhibition – any more would just be a visual overload.

I realise that this will upset artists who we’ve worked with in the past and who haven’t been invited. This was a difficult choice and it was by no means a judgement on the quality of work. It was simply ‘what will fit’.

The brief was ‘Bring a Box’ and this can be interpreted in any way. The artists have three weeks to send something to us if they want to be considered.

It feels so weird to be sitting at the other end of the table!



The last few days, with the enormous help from Bruce at Basement Arts projects Leeds, I have spent the bulk of my time trying to work out a plan of action. Last Friday, I received an email from the organisers of the Supermarket art fair in Stockholm, saying that they had accepted my application. This is a combined application between the group I run ( SCI) and the Leeds group.

Why the joint application? Two main reasons… Our application stood out from the others ( a criteria on the application form!) We span two cities and have a huge bank of artists to choose from.

The other major one – funding. In theory, the more minds working on this, the more likely we are to come up with a solution. ( in theory – yes)

We obviously can’t take all of the artists in the groups, so the hard part now is deciding who’s work would best fit the brief……



I feel that my work is becoming more autobiographical these days. So much is happening with my paid work (Tate) that has lead me to think more and more about the future.

I’m still not any further with the Community Centre plans, as the person I’m dealing with has been away on holiday. In fact, most of the plans and ideas I’ve had lately have slid to a standstill because of the extended holidays in April. It’s frustrating, but I’ve used a lot of this waiting time outside…walking and thinking…..

The attached image is one of several works made while out with the camera and my thoughts, …

My webpage has also had a bit of an update : www.wendycwilliams.co.uk



Went to the Williamson Art Gallery yesterday, to give artist Louise Waller a helping hand with her workshop there. It was a drop in session and on a glorious day like yesterday, it was hit or miss if anyone would turn up.

No passing trade though. The Williamson http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/leisure-and-culture/arts-and-museums/local-museums-and-galleries/williamson-art-gallery-and-museum

is not exactly on a public transport route and even when I’ve gone up there in my own car, I’ve had the car park to myself.

I didn’t have my car yesterday, so took the bus up to the nearest point – Birkenhead Library. This then involves a ten minute uphill hike.

Like a lot of people, I only go up there for a particular reason ( usually workshops) as I personally don’t find the exhibitions that interesting.

As I waited for the first of any potential clients in the workshop, I took a stroll round the Wirral Spring exhibition. I hadn’t entered this year – which is unusual for me. Since I’d come back from the Norway trip, I’ve been deep in thought about own my work and why I was actually doing the things I did.

The Wirral Spring – like a lot of the open exhibitions I’d entered in the past, had me creating things that I thought they were more likely to hang – and not works that were created as a result of my own thought processes.

Year in and year out, they exhibit the same old things… dreary landscapes, still lives… shockingly bad portraits…and for some reason – an under 16 yr old section. They then throw in one or two abstracts for good measure, to give the impression that it is after all, an open exhibition.

All hung salon type styles with not an inch of breathing space.

The gallery had found some money recently and had begun some of the restoration work – the first of which can be seen on the newly fitted skylights which flood the rooms with light.

I don’t know if it was this – or there was in fact a change in the current selection panel – but the work on display was considerably better than I’d seen in the past. Still safe and far too much there – but visually more appealing. Of course though, everything is numbered, so you have to buy a catalogue if you want to know who’s work was there or in fact who won the prizes! Sadly, I wasn’t interested enough to buy a catalogue.



It’s all a bit strange in work today… We had an hour long meeting in which we were told about the forthcoming changes to the staff structure…then given an hour and half to digest everything that we were told.

90 minutes wasn’t long enough.

They’ve only started on the cuts to the front of house staff (the rest of the gallery are to follow later) … but we already know of 3 redundancies, with at least another 4 to come by June.

We were all given a pack, explaining the new structures …and a form to fill in if we wish to take voluntary redundancy.

So what are the real options? To go out into the ‘real’ world and try to take up the fewer and fewer options for residencies, workshops, teaching etc?

…or stick it out and take on the extra work due to staff shortages?

Usually at this time of year, we start advertising for gallery staff and this generally attracts a huge number of new graduates. This year, they will have to find jobs elsewhere.

I was hoping to write a more positive blog about the joys of funding overseas residencies … but I think today I’ll give it a miss.