CALL OUT FOR AN ARTIST AGED OVER 50 TO CREATIVELY ARCHIVE COVENTRY CITY ARCADE

We are seeking a Creative Practitioner aged over 50 years for a new project. Deadline for submissions: Midday 29 November 2021.

The Show Windows: Reflections is a series of commissions that spotlights and celebrates Coventry’s pioneering post-war heritage by bringing together creatives, communities and collections in the city centre. It is produced by Historic England, Coventry BID and Coventry City of Culture Trust, as part of The Show Windows Programme during Coventry City of Culture 2021.

For the final commission, we are excited to be partnering with the Age of Creativity, a network that aims to ensure older people across England have agency and equity of access to creativity and culture by 2025. As such, this commission is specifically designed for creative practitioners aged 50+, who would like to develop their creative practice. Together, we are inviting people based in Coventry (and the surrounding area) to creatively archive City Arcade before it is demolished for a new development.

What are we looking for?
• A creative practitioner who is aged 50+, based in Coventry (or the surrounding area) to develop a creative response that preserves and celebrates City Arcade’s architectural history as well as its communities. The project will be developed between January and March 2022.
• An innovative and imaginative way of archiving that considers how architecture and heritage can be more widely accessed and interacted with. Any creative medium can be used.
• Creative responses that bring the voices of local people into the delivery, with a specific focus on the City Arcade’s communities of all ages, including those aged 50+.
• A reflective journal of your creative process (photographs, videos, sound recordings etc.) with an emphasis on capturing the influence local places and people have had on your work.
• Creative content that can be displayed in The Show Windows: Reflections site on Smartify, for local and national visitors to view, as part of City of Culture 2021.
• Support to promote the commission more widely, by providing the Assistant Curator of the programme with additional source material such as template designs and focussed interviews.

What can we offer?
• Creative practitioners will be invited to digitally visit Historic England’s Archive, which contains the nation’s archive for records of England’s historic buildings, archaeology and social history.
• Those selected will have the opportunity to speak to the experienced staff from Historic England and Coventry BID for inspiration and insight into Coventry’s historic buildings and social history.
• Creative content produced in this commission will have the opportunity to be considered for Historic England’s Archive.
• The fee for this commission will be £2000 excl. VAT, including practitioner fee and production costs. This is for approximately ten days of work, with a £200 day rate. However, there is flexibility in how many days you work and how much of the fee goes towards production.

To apply, please provide us with:
• A short biography of your work and practice, including any links to website or social media
• (max. 250 words or max 3 minute video recording)
• Images / examples of your previous works (max. 5)
• An introduction to your approach and/or any initial visual thoughts of what you would do to creatively archive City Arcade (max. 300 words or max 5 minutes video recording)
• A short sentence on your thoughts about Coventry 2021, which could be included in press & communications
• An equal opportunities monitoring form can be found here.

Equal Opportunities
We are committed to ensuring a creative practitioner aged 50+ has an opportunity to share their creative practice in this project. We recognise that there are barriers to creative engagement and age is just one of the many aspects that can impact your confidence to apply.

We are able to offer up to £100 for access support requirements or towards a fee for an Access Support Worker for those who need access support on their application. You will need to find your own Access Support Worker.

We also include an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form in the application process.

Please email culture@coventrybid.co.uk at least one week before the deadline to discuss how we can help with this, and for any other questions regarding your application.

Please apply by midday 29 November 2021. Send your submissions to culture@coventrybid.co.uk

Timeline
• 29 November 2021, midday – Deadline for applications
• December 2021 – Sifting and appointing of artists
• January-March 2022 – Artists in commission / production of works
• End of March 2022 – Final works delivered
• April 2022 – Evaluation

Fee
£2000 excl. VAT, to include artist fee and production costs. 50% of fee provided upon commission, the final 50% of the fee provided after installation / final delivery.

There is also a separate access support budget.