a-n artist-led bursaries 2017: open for applications from artist-led groups

At a time of huge uncertainty in the world, how can artists and artists’ groups adapt to navigate turbulent cultural and political landscapes? What strategies and creative approaches might be required and how might artists reflect upon these landscapes? What thinking might be needed? What might the roles of artists be in this new climate?

For a-n’s latest bursary strand, we are offering awards of £1,500 – £3,000 for artist-led groups wishing to actively engage with any of these questions. Artists who hold a current a-n Artist membership and are active within a UK-based artist-led group can make an application. We are open to proposals for activities that provoke, reflect, question and consider new strategies and approaches.

All bursaries come with an obligation to report on activity, to share with the community on www.a-n.co.uk and beyond. And a-n is also planning to create a publication based on outcomes of the bursary activity, so there will also be an expectation to be open to involvement in this process.

Deadline for applications: 12 noon Thursday 2 March.

See a-n Artist-led groups bursaries 2017 for full application criteria and to apply.

Life-changing research

In the last three years a-n has awarded over £180,000 of bursaries directly to its Artist members, supporting them to travel, network and develop professionally. Bursaries are part of a-n’s commitment to professional development provision within a programme that also includes events, online toolkits and expert guides.

Awards to artist-led projects have included a bursary in 2014 for Sluice__, a group that adopts art world structures such as a fair and magazine publication to showcase artist- and curator-run activity.

The bursary enabled the group to research how differing modes of sustainability and organisational structures effect the output and content of artist- and curator-led projects. Sluice__ embarked on a road trip to Edinburgh, Glasgow. Gateshead, Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sheffield to undertake its research.

In 2015, Post Post, which runs The Birley studios and project space in Preston, received an a-n artist-led bursary to research different models, approaches and programmes of studio-led activity in the north east of England, including a visit to Newcastle’s The Newbridge Project.

The performance and art research collective Tracing the Pathway used its bursary to visit Danish artist collective Sisters Hope at the Sisters Academy Greenland.

Writing on her a-n Blog, Tracing the Pathway’s Ashleigh Griffith said the bursary enabled “time and space to meet an abundance of amazing artists, to travel to new lands, and engage in numerous life-changing conversations.

“Our time at the Sisters Academy led us to reflect on the ways we work as a collective, challenging what and how we facilitate projects, and so improve how we communicate with others and amongst ourselves.”

To read more blogs by artist-led groups that have received a-n bursaries see www.a-n.co.uk/tag/go-and-see

Bursaries are open exclusively to a-n Artist members – see the Join section of a-n.co.uk for full details of other benefits, including access to £5m Public and Product Liability insurance.

Images:
1. Sluice__, Research trip around the UK, 2014. Sluice_ received an a-n artist- led bursary in 2014 to visit artist-led projects and galleries around the UK. Part 2 took in Workplace Gallery (Gateshead); The Newbridge Project and Vane (Newcastle upon Tyne); Interview Room 11 and Rhubaba (Edinburgh); Transmission Gallery, Queens Park Railway Club and The Telfer Gallery (Glasgow).
2. Post Post, Newbridge Books. Post Post, which runs The Birley studios and project space in Preston, received an a-n artist-led bursary in 2015 to research different models, approaches and programmes of studio-led activity in Newcastle upon Tyne, Middlesbrough, York, and Leeds.
3. Performance and art research collective Tracing the Pathway used its artist-led bursary to visit Danish artist collective Sisters Hope at the Sister Academy, Greenland, in 2015.

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