ARTIST BRIEF THE LAST BUS: Journeys
Curator’s Statement I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful ‚ The eye of a little god, four-cornered. THE MIRROR, Sylvia Plath
I believe that the role of an artist, whatever material you choose to create with, is to be a documenter. We document the times in which we live, the emotions that we feel, and through this we explore our own version of humanity. It is with this in mind, and with the opening stanza of The Mirror by Sylvia Plath for guidance, that I intend to look upon the changing landscape of Stoke-on-Trent. For so many of us who visit or come to this city to live, ‘the old bus station’, was our entry point. It has been the site for hellos and goodbyes, for the start of working days and the end of drunken nights. Its absence will leave scars. Its destruction will mean that future first arrivers have a different sense of this place. This is both happy and sad, as most change is. As artists, as documenters, it is our responsibility to faithfully reflect how this affects the city, the landscape, and its people. Let’s take The Last Bus to celebrate, mourn, and mark the passing of time. Siobhan Mcaleer, Curator
The Exhibition ‘The Last Bus’ is a weekend of art installed in the soon-to-be demolished Hanley Bus Station. The project is taking place as part of the five-year Artcity programme of artistic activities in redundant and vacant spaces (www.artcity.org.uk). The Artcity consortium invite applications from artists and performers of all disciplines to respond to these empty shops, pubs and walkways and create a weekend of reflection, contemplation, and discussion as the landscape of Hanley changes. Programme: Friday 13th October – evening launch Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th – exhibition days We are offering: 4 site-responsive commissions which must activate these redundant spaces and engage the public and arts community in the following themes: 1. Ownership of public space: distinctions between public space and private memory. 2. Arriving, departing, transience: a journey’s start, a destination. 3. Projecting forward, and creating conversation around Stoke-on-Trent’s City of Culture 2021 bid.
THE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONS The 7 commissions are at varying levels. All commission fees are fully inclusive of VAT time/materials/travel and subsistence etc and are open to individual artists, collaborations and organisations working in any art-form (see notes). One Commission at £5,000 - 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. We are keen to work with an artist/organisation who may not have created work in the city before, and has not previously engaged with the Artcity programme, to bring challenge and a fresh artistic perspective to the programme and to the cultural sector in the city. One Commission at £2000 - this will be from an artist/organisation with some experience of previous commissioned work and we will be giving preference to artists living and working in Stoke-on-Trent. Two Commissions at £1200 - these commissions are aimed at emerging artists/organisations who may not have had the chance to deliver an open commission before. This may be an artist of any age or background. All commissions are fully inclusive of VAT and cover all expenses incurred by the artist, including travel and accommodation, delivery of the commission and presence over the Festival weekend.
SITES There are a number of potential locations for artworks across the site including, for example, a shop unit with large windows, a former pub, an office and site hoardings suitable for 2-d work. At application stage we are asking for detailed responses to the themes. Successful applicants will work with curator Siobhan Mcaleer to site their work in the most sympathetic and resonant location for their individual pieces and The Last Bus as a whole. Details and Logistics: As a public event, works will be viewed by a range of ages, including families with children. For the outdoor sites, works need to withstand weather conditions and potential vandalism, or be de- and re- installed over the weekend (quick and safe). Installation will be from Wed 11th October with full de-rig on evening of Sun 15th October. 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 liability insurance up to ÂŁ5 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: ARTCITY The Last Bus 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 The demolition of the old Hanley Bus Station is scheduled for December 2017. For information on the site please visit www.thepotteries.org/photo_wk/151.htm Commissioned artists/organisations will need to be available for a project development day in Stoke in the first week of September All artists are required to be on site during the launch of the event and, where necessary, over the weekend so please take this into account when making your application. Please only apply for one commission. Deadline is 28th August. Selections will be made on and all artists notified of the outcome by 4th September.
Who should apply?: We wish to programme a range of high quality, site-responsive commissions from a wide range of creative practice including but not limited to: visual art, sound art, sensory art, performance, participatory works, music, dance, literature, digital media, crafts, or any combination of these or other artforms. In the case of performance we would prioritise forms of presentation that were accessible to an audience at least once each day. How to apply: To apply please create a PDF, titled with your name. The PDF should contain:
● a cv and up to 250 word statement about you and your practice/artistic background including 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 to marked THE LAST BUS COMMISSION from (applicant) to info@theculturalsisters.org.uk Application closes: 28th August 2017 If you need further information please email us well before the deadline on info@theculturalsisters.org.uk 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. The Cultural Sisters are administering the commission process and the final selection will be undertaken by a panel from the Artcity consortium.
APPENDIX: IMAGES FOLLOW
THE BUS STATION AND EAST/WEST PRECINT SHOPPING CENTRE WHEN IT FIRST OPENED IN THE EARLY 1970s
THE CLOSED SHOPPING CENTRE AND OLD BUS STATION TODAY
PLAN FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE BY REALIS ESTATES Incorporating retail, leisure and food units - building starting September 2017
IMAGES FROM THE LOST GARDENS OF STOKE 2016 The Lost Gardens of Stoke in September 2016 animated the former site of the 1986 National Garden Festival in Stoke-on-Trent. Open commissions were by James Wood (forager and wild food artist); Lina and Hernandez (Kawichipop - a DIY playground); The Clay Comrades (a sitespecific kiln and evolving clay labyrinth) and Richard Redwin (large sculptural figures from found materials). Additional creative work was provided by the Artcity partners (Airspace Gallery, B arts, The Cultural Sisters, Letting In The Light and Restoke) and the project was co-ordinated by Partners In Creative Learning. It was supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Arts Council
England Grants for the Arts and Stoke City Council Festivals Fund.