It’s been a week of change, flux and flurries of emails from all quarters. Some disgruntled misreading of the blog-posting last week resulted in just a little abuse! (please note, there's even more to come) Read and read again I urge. Some intelligent response too - so thank you.
A Pernicious Worm...
In the broader media, we’ve had another one of those ill-informed features about the ‘cost’ of the arts in the NHS. So badly constructed and poorly researched was this verbiage, that I’ll leave it for you to explore, digest and respond as you see fit. My observations on this mediocre tat, is that it would fail even the best efforts of a GCSE students research. This kindergarten apprentice hack, should stick to the tabloids. Shame the News of the World is dead, it would have been just right for this kind of lazy ‘journalism’. All hail the new idiots of reportage. (...and no, I've not linked you to this gibberish, seek it out yourselves, but beware of fresh-faced hacks soliciting misquotes from you) ((and apologies to Weegee))
Dementia and Imagination
We recently advertised for the post of Research Associate on the Dementia and Imagination research project, based with me in Manchester, and were overwhelmed by the response. Thank you to everyone who applied. This week we interviewed and have recruited from the excellent short-list. I hope to be able to share more details of our new team member in January.
A call for Expressions of Interest from contemporary artists
The Dementia and Imagination research project is all about connecting communities and developing well-being through socially engaged visual arts practice, exploring how arts interventions might increase connectivity and wellbeing for people with dementia and their communities. It also aims to challenge the stigma associated with dementia and contribute to developing dementia supportive communities. It addresses major research gaps, including the need to:
- Develop theoretically grounded research from a multi-disciplinary perspective;
- Improve the scientific quality of existing evidence to demonstrate the economic and social impacts;
- Evaluate the community impact of arts activities, and;
- Include artists in the research process, observing and creatively interpreting the dynamics and outcomes.
The intervention programme will take place in three research sites: North East England, Mid/North West England and North Wales. The research will utilise quantitative, qualitative and systematic observation methods. An extensive programme of engagement and dissemination activities will maximise the research impact.
We are now encouraging Expressions of Interest (EoI) from 3 contemporary artists (1 for each research site) and are not constrained by art-form. We are looking for cutting edge practice and artists with strong inter-personal skills.
All details are available at: http://www.artsforhealth.org/opportunities/#dai but please note that the Arts for Health office will be closed until 6th January and due to the number of EOI’s expected, it will be difficult to respond to individual requests for further information. All the details at this stage, are available online, by clicking the logo below.
Any artist selected for this commission needs to be available to take part in a mandatory training event in Manchester on 27th March 2014.
We are recruiting three artists – one for each of the research sites as detailed above. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest is: 12:00 (midday) on 31st January 2014
Responses to this call will be provided by email on 28th February
A RECOVERIST MANIFESTO
Thanks to those people who’ve expressed an interest, in participating in the RECOVERIST MANIFESTO. I’ll be confirming places and venue on Monday 6th January for the Manchester event. I need to reiterate, the event is primarily for people affected by substance addiction and preference will be given to people in recovery and their families. We’ll also have some places for people working in this field. So if you’ve not expressed interest in attending, please email artsforhealth@mmu.ac.uk
Thanks to those people who’ve expressed an interest, in participating in the RECOVERIST MANIFESTO. I’ll be confirming places and venue on Monday 6th January for the Manchester event. I need to reiterate, the event is primarily for people affected by substance addiction and preference will be given to people in recovery and their families. We’ll also have some places for people working in this field. So if you’ve not expressed interest in attending, please email artsforhealth@mmu.ac.uk
This work has been developing over the last few years with many people in the North West and our partners across Europe. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. It has grown without bigotry, ego, arrogance or ignorance and I am constantly reminded that those small huddles of people who get together to discuss these things - free of judgement - are contributing to something way bigger than our individual experiences.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margret Meade
British Academy Small Research Grants Programme
The British Academy for the Humanities and Sciences has announced that the next closing date for its Small Research Grants on the 15th April 2014. Under the Small Research Grants programme grants of up to £10,000 over two years are available to UK research institutions to support primary research in the humanities and social sciences. Funds will be available to:
- Facilitate initial project planning and development
- Support the direct costs of research
- Enable the advancement of research through workshops
- Visits by or to partner scholars.
All applications should demonstrate that Academy funds are sought for a clearly defined, discrete piece of research, which will have an identifiable outcome on completion of the Academy-funded component of the research. Read more at http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/srg.cfm
Artists International Development Fund
The Arts Council England has announced that its new Artists' International Development Fund is currently open for applications. Through the Artists' International Development Fund the Arts Council offers grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to individual freelance and self-employed artists based in England to build links with artists, organisations and/or creative producers in another country. The fund is open to individual artists, including creative producers, curators and editors. Although the Artists' international development programme is aimed at individual artists, small groups of artists who normally collaborate in their work can also apply. This could include, for example, musicians and visual artists who usually create work together, or writers and their translators. In parallel with the Artists' international development fund, the British Council are administering a separate fund for film makers designed to help emerging UK film talent travel with their work and reach new international audiences. The Travel Grant Fund will support makers of short films in the UK in showing their work at international film festivals.
The closing date for applications is the 7th February 2014. Read more at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-for-funding/artists-international-development-fund/
Open Call for Modulate 2014 “an array of broadcast art”
As part of the arts programme ABC 2012 – 2014 Community Media Association invites community broadcasters and arts organisations in England working together to submit project proposals to Modulate 2014. Accepted models of arts broadcast, as presented by mainstream media, are usually set in a tight framework dictated by schedule, reportage and what’s on. Modulate 2014 fosters a move away from this traditional approach. Community Media encourage bold formats that aim to engage surprise and excite an audience: a broadcast approach that explores audio art works, sound worlds, or expands new approaches to traditional broadcast art forms such as drama, storytelling and creative writing.
Community media is an accessible space for ideas to be tested and nurtured without the editorial and commercial constraints that exist elsewhere in the broadcast sector. This provides the creative and artistic freedom to explore the potential of independent and community owned broadcast media as arts platforms. Awards of up to £3000 are available to support each proposal.
Proposal deadline: 5.00pm 7th February 2014. More details and information about how to apply available as a PDF from:
Thank you to all the readers of this blog and the unknowing contributors, whose influence on me is both discrete and profound. Have a lovely festive season.
PLEASE NOTE...the other QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE will be uploaded later this week.
Be happy - life is - and everything will be just fine...C.P.
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