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Factory Nights: Call for Artists and Creatives

Deadline: May 30, 2012, 5:00 pm

Factory Nights

Factory Nights is a series of inspiring working sessions for any visual artists, photographers, writers, curators, poets, musicians, filmmakers and any other creatives!

Factory Nights is not a discussion event, seminar or workshop.

Factory Nights are an innovative approach to commissioning art work and inspiring collaboration, with unique opportunities for attendees to apply for bursaries to produce new work.

Call for Artists and Creatives:
Factory Night @ Dundas House, Middlesbrough
On Saturday 23rd June: 12-6.30pm and Sunday 24th June: 11-4pm

An extra special weekend ‘making’ Factory Night session, responding to the history of the site and the 360 views of surrounding architecture –this is the last Factory Night in the current North East programme...

In collaboration with Navigator North and supported by Middlesbrough Council, MIMA, East Street Arts and Xsite Architecture.

Calling artists and creative people with an interest in modernist architecture, urban/built environment, regeneration and collaboration.... This special Factory Night, the last in the North East programme, will bring together a group of creative people from all disciplines over one weekend to gain inspiration from each other, from the history of Dundas House site and the surrounding architecture of Middlesbrough town.

The first day will include a tour of this massive empty office block building, including its ‘alternative’ penthouse suite and 360 degree views of the town. Attendees will also learn of the sites unique history as the ‘People’s Winter Gardens’ of Middlesbrough founded by Lady Florence Bell in 1907. The Winter Gardens was an attempt to tackle, in a practical way, one of the central social problems which worried the Edwardian middle classes which was, what they believed to be the ‘improvident use of leisure time’ by working class people. The Winter Gardens was an experiment, one of the first of its kind in the country and created to provide the working class with a place to enjoy wholesome family time together in a warm environment provided by its glazed roof.

Xsite Architecture will also deliver a talk covering issues such as Why Middlesbrough is the shape and look it is and How Art and Architecture can work together.

East Street Arts will also be present on the day to talk about how they have utilised empty urban buildings as part of their ongoing programme to provide creative workspace. The rest of the weekend will involve making, talking, sharing current work and ideas as well as exploring Middlesbrough town including nearby cultural venues such as MIMA and Platform A.

Please be aware that this is a making/active Factory Night. Some basic materials will be provided but if you have any specific materials you’d want to work with you will need to bring them with you. There are also local DIY shops/materials stores/charity shops etc which you can also utilise.

There will be a limited number of Travel/Accommodation bursaries for artists based outside the North East region. Any other applicants should consider their travel arrangements to and from Middlesbrough over the two day period.

This Factory Night is a collaborative effort with Navigator North who are currently based in Dundas House and are working in partnership with East Street Arts to offer the use of this and other spaces across Tees Valley as part of East Street Arts temporary workspace portfolio.
Dundas House exterior.

How to Apply
Please email [email protected], including the following information:

  • 200 words on your current practice, medium or interests;
  • 150 words on why you would like to attend this particular Factory Night with a description of some of the materials and processes you might use or bring to the event;
  • Attach 3-4 examples/images of recent relevant works/projects at low resolution and/or weblinks;
  • If you are interested in applying for the subsequent Factory Night Unique Opportunity (see more info below) then please evidence or refer to your skills and experience delivering previous public art commissions/events/interventions OR please evidence your willingness to collaborate with other, more experienced artists. Due to the larger budget of the Factory Night Unique Opportunity, the selection criteria for this Factory Night will be stricter;
  • Please state DUNDAS HOUSE application in the email subject line as we also have another Factory Night opportunity currently advertised;
  • Bursaries are available to subsidise travel/accommodation costs for Artists wishing to attend who are based outside the region. Please state if you wish to be considered for a bursary and where you would be travelling from.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE FORMAT ABOVE - applications not following this format cannot be considered. Rednile require this information in order to select a balanced mix of creative people from a range of experiences and disciplines.

The deadline for applications is Wed 30th May, 5pm.

Places are limited to 20 artists and only those which attend a Factory Night can apply for the subsequent Factory Night Unique Opportunity.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome on Friday 1st June.

Factory Nights Unique Opportunities:
Factory Nights is an innovative approach to commissioning art work and inspiring collaboration by allowing Artists to develop their own brief and providing Local Authorities, businesses and venues with those ideas to work with. Attendees of this Factory Night will have the opportunity to apply for a bursary to develop a proposal to create a significant piece of work for Middlesbrough public realm. The budget is up to £10k and this may be split between proposals to deliver a series of events or interventions or could be given to one proposal to create a more permanent piece of work for Middlesbrough town centre. More details on the criteria and application process will be given at the event.

Factory Nights background:
Factory Nights are free and informal sessions that simply provide an opportunity for creative people to come together in an interesting venue and supportive environment to make work or initiate ideas. Attendees are encouraged to bring to the sessions something they have been working on as a starting point to network/collaborate and to develop new ideas inspired by the space and other attendees. Each Factory Night session is completely different depending on the mix of attendees and the venue. They are experimental and spontaneous, often responding to tip-offs from locals as to where interesting buildings or sites may lie. People who attend are encouraged to get out of it what they need whether that be new contacts, making work, ideas, skill sharing or feedback on current work.

Further Information:
Factory Nights 2011-2012 is funded by: Arts Council England, British Council, Staffordshire University, Multistory, Middlesbrough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Council and Stoke on Trent Council.
Follow Factory Ideas on Twitter @rednileprojects
Click here for more information on Factory Nights 2011-12
Click here to view the Factory Nights 2009-10 publication

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