Digital Commission Opportunity for Tyne & Wear based LGBTQIA+ Artists/Creatives

16 October 2020

The Opportunity

Opportunity:

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) have received support from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s Sustaining Engagement with Collections Fund to pilot ‘Must-see Stories’. An online editorial programme exploring mediums such as film, audio, photography, creative writing and non-fiction writing to tell compelling stories.

In collaboration with Curious Arts, we want to ensure the ‘Must-see Stories’ programme captures and celebrates the stories of our LGBTQIA+ communities in Tyne & Wear. 

We are offering 4 micro-commissions of digital works responding to the theme of ‘what does pride mean to you?’. 

Throughout 2020, LGBTQIA+ communities have re-imagined Pride, taking their celebrations and protests online. We are interested in capturing stories that explore individual and/or communities’ journeys and experiences of what pride means to them - how they celebrate their identity/show pride in who they are. 

This could be presented through a range of forms including: performance, documentary, creative writing, journalism, exhibitions, dance etc.

Artists are welcome to respond to TWAM’s existing collection, but as we consider the commissions to be a new form of contemporary collecting this is not required.

The final commissions will be showcased on TWAM’s Must-see Stories platform and across TWAM and Curious Arts’ social media channels.                                                     

About the Digital Commissions

There are four commissions available of £600 each. We expect the number of days spent on the commission would not exceed six days. This work can take place between November 23rd 2020 and January 18th 2021.

Proposals: Commissioned works can vary in art form and presentation, they may be: a short film/audio recording (max. 4 minutes), digital exhibition (max. 10 minutes) or recorded performance for example. For this opportunity, we ask that work submitted for consideration fulfils the following criteria:

1. Is created/presented by LGBTQIA+ artists/creatives 

2. Responds to the theme ‘what does pride mean to you?’ 

3. Is presented in a digital format (audio/video/image/text files) 

4. Relates to local communities/Tyne & Wear

We welcome proposals (max. of 2 sides of A4 or a 5-minute video/audio file) from artists/creatives that detail

1. Your work/experience to date with links to previous work.

2. Your response to the question “what does pride mean to you?” (maximum 200 words)

3. A summary of the idea/story you want to tell or share through your commission (max 200 words)

4. The format your commission will take (e.g. digital exhibition, podcast recording etc.)

5. A basic budget/producing plan.

Successful commissions will be selected by representatives from TWAM and Curious Arts’ Curatorial and Producing teams. Curious Arts Producers will meet with commissioned artists at the start of the project and at intervals throughout to support the creation process.

How to apply

Submit your proposal (a maximum of two sides of A4 or a five minute video or audio file) by email to: hello@curiousarts.org.uk. Please use ‘Re-imagining Pride Commission’ followed by your proposal title in the subject line. If you would like to apply via telephone conversation, please contact hello@curiousarts.org.uk to arrange a time.

Please direct any queries to hello@curiousarts.org.uk

Deadline for Submissions: 12 noon Friday 6 November 2020.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an informal interview on Monday 16 November 2020.

Final outcome by Friday 20 November 2020.

Project key dates (subject to change):

Week commencing (w/c) Monday 23 November - project commences.

Monday 18 January 2021 - Final work submission deadline. Thursday 11 February 2021 - Project launch event.