Eight North West England-based contemporary visual artists have been selected to participate in the Artists’ International Delegation 2019 to Denmark. The delegation is part of an ongoing partnership programme between a-n and Manchester-based Castlefield Gallery to support artists’ professional practice.
Following a call for applications in June, four places have been awarded to a-n members Jack Brown, Lindsey Bull, Nicola Ellis and Kevin Hunt, and three to Castlefield Gallery Associates Marie Jones, Kieran Leach and Katie Tomlinson. The final place, awarded to Matilda Glen, has been funded by the Lee Artists’ International Bursary Fund for a non-member applicant.
Taking place from 29 August – 4 September, the Artists’ International Delegation is a mini-residency that aims to encourage a cultural understanding and exchange between Denmark and the UK. Delegates will visit the Danish capital Copenhagen before travelling on to Aarhus on the country’s Jutland peninsula.
In recent years there has been a surge in collaborations between the UK and Denmark, including a political and cultural partnership between the City of Manchester and the Jutland Region which is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding. a-n has established a number of relationships in Copenhagen while Castlefield Gallery has connections with arts and cultural organisations in Aarhus and Aalborg.
In Copenhagen, delegates will attend the Chart Art Fair, a leading international platform for contemporary art in the Nordic region. The fair takes place across two venues, Kunsthal Charlottenborg and Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art.
During their time in Copenhagen participants will also have many opportunities to visit artists’ studios and connect with artist-run spaces and collectives which have played an important role in Denmark’s artistic development in the last 10-15 years.
The group will then make the short train journey to Aarhus, where they will explore the artist-run and independent spaces and studios of Denmark’s second city.
Wing-Sie Chan, Programmes and Partnerships Manager at a-n, said: “International exchange is critical to the arts and its relevance in a changing world. a-n has been nurturing its relationship with Denmark in recent years and continues to develop new partnerships with its arts and cultural organisations.
“We are really pleased to be able to support another cohort of our members from the North West of England in collaboration with Castlefield Gallery. This delegation is a timely opportunity and we anticipate that it will be a valuable experience that will enrich the delegates’ professional practice and facilitate artistic leadership on an international level.”
Image:
Cultural Production Centre Godsbanen, Aarhus, Denmark. Courtesy: Castlefield Gallery
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