One-month residency for a disabled artist with VARC (Visual Arts in Rural Communities) at Highgreen in remote rural Northumberland

This is a paid opportunity for an artist who considers him/herself to be disabled and who has a record of exhibiting work and/or arts project or residency experience.   Students aren't eligible.  The aim is to give an artist a month to research or develop an idea or element of their practice withouth pressure to deliver a particular outcome. 

Residencies to date have been promoted and open to all artists but VARC has so far engaged in only a very limited way with disabled artists.   Through this pilot residency VARC wants to trial its ability to support the practice of a disabled artist from which VARC wants to learn in order to make its programme more inclusive in the future. 

When it is: August 2018

Where it is, access and accommodation:

The residency will be based at Highgreen, Tarset in remote rural Northumberland.   Highgreen is 40 miles from Newcastle and 8 miles from the nearest village and shop so the artist will need to have his/her own transport.

Highgreen is made up of a collection of 18th Century buildings.  Whilst the studio and site is generally on the level with no steps the buildings have access limitations.  The doors are old and there are stairs to the artist's living accommodation.  We realise this isn't ideal and makes this residency unsuitable for disabled artists who use wheelchairs.   We hope to develop our access through what we learn from this pilot.

Images of the living accommodation, studio and access can be found at https://varc.org.uk/news/one-month-residency-for-a-disabled-artist/

What is provided:

The fee is £1000.  There are no expenses paid and the artist is responsible for his/her own personal costs eg transport, food, access needs etc.

The studio and living accommodation are free, broadband is provided and utility bills paid.   

The residency is supported by a disability advocate and mentor who will be able to visit the artist during the residency.

Selection criteria are:

• quality and strength of work
• conviction of benefit of the residency to the artist's practice and development
• a demonstration of the desire to spend a month at Highgreen engaging and responding to the place; its landscape and ruralness.

Expectations are that:

• the artist will live and work for the period at Highgreen
• Because of the remoteness of the location the artist needs to have his/her own transport
• the artist is expected to share their experience and process on social media; twitter, facebook and Instagram and
• the artist will host a public Open Studio event at the end of the residency with the support of VARC staff and mentor
• the artist will feed into the evaluation process.

Selection:

Shortlisted artists will be invited to attend an interview in May (for which expenses will be paid).

Visual Arts in Rural Communities is a registered charity who has been running an artist residency programme for the past 17 years.  See www.varc.org.uk.

All residencies in the past have been advertised, promoted and open to all artists and more than 60 artists have regularly applied for each opportunity.  However VARC has so far engaged in only a very limited way with disabled artists.  We want to trial VARC's ability to support the practice of a disabled artist and learn from this residency in order to make our programme more inclusive in the future.

This is a pilot project and the artist will agree to feed back into an evaluation process. 

 A visit to Highgreen is possible in advance of making an application.  To arrange this please send the curator a message.  The curator works Mon-Wed each week and won't be able to respond outside these days.  

Image: Helen Pailing, Planted (2013), baler wrap, wire loop and ties, Highgreen