Above and Below - Ancient Materials: Virtual Arts-Science Residency. Delivered in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society (11th - 15th Oct 2021). This residency offers an opportunity to be inspired by a rich mix of creative provocations, with input from specialists in astronomy, heritage, geophysics and planetary science, alongside multidisciplinary artists, all of whom are connected, via their practice, to the theme of ancient materials. This residency will take place virtually, offering opportunities to workshop, discuss and share ideas with a group of like-minded people.

This group residency takes place virtually between Monday 11th October and Friday 15th October 2021. The main input and sharing days are planned to be Monday, Tuesday and Friday of that week, with an artist talk on Wednesday morning and small group sessions with an astrophysics specialist on Thursday evening. 

We offer a mix of daytime and evening sessions, delivered over Zoom, with Slack providing a secure channel for communication and collaboration (see FAQ for details). Key sessions are recorded to support flexible delivery for those with other commitments, with the slack communication channel facilitating ongoing flexible sharing with other participants and sharing process, research and creative responses during the residency week and follow-on period.

We will run a creative follow-on meeting on Thursday, 21st October and will meet again later in the year to discuss outcomes and next steps. During the course, participants will have access to a relevant collection of assets from previous residencies and projects and the opportunity to converse with fellow participants.  

We welcome all art forms - there will be lots of opportunities for sharing work/ideas with others on the virtual residency and we encourage everyone to bring ideas, enthusiasms and any relevant research to share. We are also keen to include researchers/enthusiasts of all disciplines; if you know anyone who you think would be interesting to include (collaborators perhaps?), please encourage them to apply. 

Artists will have the opportunity to contribute their work to an ‘Ancient Materials’ residency postcard series, which will be shared through RAS and Mayes Creative channels as digital and physical postcards.

Alongside this, we will invite participants to contribute to our online blog, which will be shared across our social media platforms. If taken up, each artist will have a section on the Mayes Creative website dedicated to their work on this residency. Participants will also be eligible to submit work to future physical exhibition/collaboration opportunities.

Participants will also be invited to join the Mayes Creative artists Patreon network (for a subscription fee); designed to continue working relationships and collaborations, provoke conversation and discussion, and offer informed advice on funding, project development and working in the arts-science-heritage cross-section. There will also be exclusive opportunities available only to the network.

Further Details:

Taking the theme of ‘Above and Below' we consider materiality and ways in which the story of the development of the solar system impacts on our knowledge and understanding of life on Earth. We consider Cornwall’s amazing prehistoric and industrial material heritage and extend perspectives through an exploration of connections between planetary and terrestrial geology.

As part of our working relationship with the Royal Astronomical Society, we are delighted to be able to offer participants exclusive opportunities including a live virtual exploration of RAS Archive materials. Alongside this, we are excited to host artists and scientists, side by side, to deliver a mix of practical learning and sharing opportunities, as well as inspiration for your practice.

Confirmed for this virtual residency:

** Pale Blue Dot Collective - Framing the Universe Louise Beer + John Hooper present and discuss a series of works that explore the world around us, from the coastline of Margate to the endless skies of Aotearoa New Zealand. Through their shared practice, the artists endeavour to bring a new perspective about the detrimental impact of the climate crisis, not only on humanity but on all life and all environments. 

https://palebluedotcollective.org/

** Exploring Mars a talk by Lucinda Offer (RAS Education and Outreach Officer/Geophysics specialist). Lucinda brings her experience in Mars analogue research with both the Mars Society and NASA in the USA. Her work spans the search for life, robotics and human simulations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Mars Society and is a UK Space Champion for Tim Peake's return to space.

https://ras.ac.uk/

** Question and Answers and small group astrophysics learning sessions with Carolyn Kennett FRAS. We will also encourage you to join us for a little planet watching during the week. 

**Dr Joanna Mayes, director of Mayes Creative, leads discussion around curating arts-science projects and developing cross-disciplinary relationships. Joanna also brings her personal research into using locally mined minerals in her film practice.

http://www.joannamayes.com/

** Ancient sites and ancient materials - an interactive talk on the prehistoric uses and importance of materials in Cornwall’s ancient monuments by Carolyn Kennett FRAS. Carolyn Kennett is a historian of astronomy and archaeoastronomer.

https://archaeoastronomycornwall.com/

**An exclusive tour of the Royal Astronomical Society’s archive, presenting their historical Mars observations, with Librarian and Archivist Dr Sian Prosser.

https://ras.ac.uk/

**Artist: Lisa Pettibone shares her practice, making explorations through materials. Lisa encourages us to question how the world is put together in terms of energy, forces and form as filtered through human perception.

https://www.pettibone.co.uk/

** Artist: Peter Beeson shares experience of ‘Minerals as Materials’  through his work at Cornwall’s Rosevale Mine, collecting pigments and using them to create pastels and paints.

https://www.peterbeeson.co.uk

** Plus, a live heritage walk streamed from Cornwall; a Mars Materials Walk from your home, daily check-ins and sharings of creative responses; and collaboration opportunities.

** A set of postcards, made and produced in collaboration with participants themselves, will be presented to the Royal Astronomical Society’s Library and Archive and distributed to RAS and artists for sharing widely both physically and digitally. Artists' residency outcomes will be widely shared via Mayes Creative and RAS library social media and online channels.

Your practice is your own; if you want to create as you take part, please do, but there is no pressure to do so.

Costs: 

£179 full price

2 x £79 concessionary rate places are available to Cornwall residents in need of support. These will be chosen by need, enthusiasm and artist portfolio and/or statement. There will be the opportunity to apply for this within the application form.

There will also be an opportunity for one artist to contribute a workshop to the residency, in return for a discount of £50 off the full price. Please apply for this within the application form. 

This residency is produced by Mayes Creative and supported by CLLD using EU Funds.