The Lost Gardens of Stoke-on-Trent

What?: ‘The Lost Gardens of Stoke-on-Trent’ is a long weekend of artistic activity, reflection and dis-cussion celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the 1986 National Garden Festival, a major turning point in the regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent.

The project will involve the creation of new artistic commissions; a showcase of cultural ac-tivity in the city; and associated events. Audiences will navigate around the Festival site and encounter the artistic programme at different sites via a marked trail. The project is taking place as part of the five-year Artcity programme of artistic activities in redundant and vacant spaces.

We are seeking to select 4 site-responsive commissions which will activate this hidden garden in the city, drawing on a number of themes and concerns:

1. Exploring the role and impact of large scale cultural events and projects (like the Gar-den Festival) on a City’s development in terms of cultural infrastructure, environmen-tal and land management in post-industrial landscapes, and social and cultural capital.

2. Recognising the city of Stoke-on-Trent’s green credentials, and raising awareness of an undersung nature reserve close to the city centre.

3. Projecting forward, and creating conversation around Stoke-on-Trent’s City of Culture 2021 bid, and exploring what an award like this can bring to the city, in particular con-sidering the benefits and drawbacks of culture led regeneration.

There are 4 commissions at varying levels - the commission fees are all inclusive of time/ma-terials/travel and subsistence etc and are open to individual arts, collaborations and organisa-tions working in any artform (see notes)

One Commission at £4,000 inc VAT - this will be from an artist/organisation with considerable experience of responding to site-specific briefs and creating and exhibiting work. This artist might be based and working anywhere in the UK, including Stoke-on-Trent

One Commission at £2000 inc VAT - this will be from an artist/organisation with some experi-ence of previous commissioned work and we will be giving preference to artists living and working in Stoke-on-Trent

Two Commissions at £1500 inc VAT - these commissions are aimed at emerging artists/organi-sations who may not have had the chance to deliver an open commission before. This may be an artist of any age or background and may include but is not limited to those who have grad-uated from Staffordshire or Keele Universities.

All commissions are fully inclusive of VAT and cover all expenses incurred by the artist, includ-ing travel and accommodation, in the delivery of the commission presence over the Festival weekend.

Details and Logistics: There are a number of practical considerations to take into account when making your appli-cation. Due to the nature of this public outdoor site, works need to be robust enough to withstand the foreseeable weather conditions for the time of year, plus any works requiring power need to self-powered. As a public event, works will be viewed by a range of ages, including families with children.

Works will need to installed and deinstalled each day, so a relatively quick and safe install will be necessary. There will be some technical support for installation etc. but each artist needs to be responsible for overseeing and supporting this process. Artists need to have public liabil-ity insurance up to £5 million and be responsible for their own tax returns. Each artist will be required to complete a risk assessment in relation to the works commissioned.

Background: Partnership and Garden Festival

The Lost Gardens of Stoke-on-Trent is produced by the Artcity consortium (Airspace Gallery, B Arts, The Cultural Sisters, Letting In The Light, Partners In Creative Learning and Restoke). For more details on the Artcity programme go to www.artcity.org.uk

For more details on the 1986 Garden Festival go to

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoke-on-Trent_Garden_Festival

When?: The event will run over the weekend of Friday, 16th September (evening opening event), and then throughout the day on Saturday 17th September and Sunday, 18th September.

Commissioned artists/organisations will need to be available for a project development day in Stoke scheduled for 26/7/16

All artists are required to be on site during the weekend of the event, plus the development day, so please take this into account when making making your application.

Selections will be made on 15/7/16 and successful artists notified by 18/7/16

Who should apply?:

The range of commissions will appeal to creative practitioners at varying stages of their ca-reer. We wish to programme a range of high quality, exciting commissions from a wide range of creative practice including:

visual art, performance, participatory works, music or dance, literature, film, digital media, crafts, or any combination of these or other artforms.

How to apply:

To apply please create a downloadable PDF, titled with your name. The PDF should contain:

● a cv and 250 word statement about you and your practice/artistic background includ-ing which commission opportunity you are responding to

● a max 500 word proposal with up to 5 images/audio/video file links of your work to date

● 3 images/sketches/mock-ups or another 500 words maximum of written description of your proposed work for the opportunity

● a link to your website, where relevant

● an indicative budget that matches the commission opportunity

Send the PDF via an email, titled ‘Lost Garden Response from XXXX’ to info@picl.uk.com

Application closes: 8/7/16 at 12pm

If you need further information please email us well before the deadline on info@picl.uk.com and we will get back to you.

NOTES

Living and working in Stoke-on-Trent means that you are live in the city, you have exhibited or performed in the city, or you trained in the city.

Emerging artist means that you are at an early stage in your career and have carried out no more than two small scale commissions prior to applying to this opportunity.

Partners In Creative Learning (picl) are administering the commission process and the final selection will be by a panel drawn from the Artcity consortium.