We had our studio meeting last night so that Brigitte (who owns the space) could update us with the outcome of the Arts Council funding application.
Of course, we already knew the outcome (we were successful) but we needed to find out how it would effect us.
I think maybe a different blog should be started – solely for the evaluation of the project, but for now, and really to get my head around it all, I’ll outline a few things here.
OK… Brigitte Jurack owns the studio space. She is Head of Sculpture/Time Based Arts /Research Leader Art Fine Art at Manchester Metropolitan University .
She actually put in the application, so apart from making a few suggestions for contacts and publicising on social media, I’m afraid I can’t take any credit at this stage.
This research and development funding will go towards testing a series of residency models and relationships built within the local community.
There will be three shops involved (all close to the studio space) in which the first three artists chosen will have short placements. This will be followed by a production period in the studio.
I didn’t even know two of the shops existed! With my time being so limited, I tend to go to the studio, work, and then go home. Whereas, Brigitte has clearly spent some of her time, walking round the local community and talking to the shop keepers.
How did I not know there was an Iranian grocery close by?? The artist chosen to work there will be Farsi – speaking. Need I say that I hadn’t even heard of a Farsi language??
God I’m a dullard :(
To be honest though, the studio is in a bit of a dodgy area – to the right you go into a bit of no mans territory where sometimes you get kids throwing bricks and meet people you’d rather not bump into ( which is initially why I thought we wouldn’t have a chance of getting the funding. Who would want to come ? ) But then I suppose the area to the left (the route I usually take) leads you to the Williamson art Gallery and a nicer area of town.
When I sat down and chatted to Brigitte about this a while back, I envisaged the artists doing the residencies to be recent graduates, It was quite a shock to read the CVs of those that will actually work with us and find out they were all mid career and doing quite well.
It made me feel kind of small and that I hadn’t really achieved much.
I feel a bit low in that sense, but also excited that I have been given an opportunity to expand my own knowledge and hopefully, learn some new skills.
My contribution for today anyway is to set up a twitter account.
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