Opportunity to have work permanently acquired into the University of Salford Art Collection
Our annual Graduate Scholarship Programme, run alongside Castlefield Gallery, is now open for applications for 2023.
Established in 2014 to support exceptional artists in the crucial first year after graduation, this 12-month programme grants graduating students from the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology, time and resources to experiment and take risks with their creative practice within a supportive framework.
In 2022/23, we offered five scholarships to graduating artists from Fine Art and Photography alongside one place to a student graduating from the MA programmes. The Scholars are currently placed with our professional partners in studios at Hot Bed Press, Islington Mill, Paradise Works or receiving support from Redeye, The Photography Network. In previous years we have also supported graduates from Graphics, Fashion Image Making and Styling, as well as Media and Performance and Music based courses. The programme evolves each year as we endeavour to offer opportunities to the graduates we think we can best support.
2023/24 will be the tenth year of the programme and we are working on a number of plans to celebrate this.
Eligibility:
The scheme is only open to University of Salford final year undergraduates from the School of Arts and Media (who are due to graduate or complete their studies in July 2022) – plus there will be a maximum of one scholarship open to an MA graduate (due to graduate or complete in September 2022).
How to apply:
Deadline: 9am, Tuesday 9th May 2023
To apply, please read the guidelines and complete the application form.
Your completed application form plus your CV (up to 2 pages) and image, video or sound files of your work (up to 4 files) should be emailed to R.T.Pritchard@salford.ac.uk by 9am Tuesday 9th May with the subject line ‘GSP Application Form 2023’.
All the information on how to apply, eligibility, and further guidance is included in the guidelines.
For any enquires contact artcollection@salford.ac.uk
A unique 18-month opportunity to make and exhibit new work in response to the climate crisis, net zero research, and the future of housing at the world-leading Energy House 2.0 facilities in Salford. A selection of new work made will also be acquired by the University of Salford Art Collection.
University of Salford Art Collection is now inviting applications for the second residency in collaboration with Castlefield Gallery, Manchester. This residency is open to all artists working in the field of visual arts and will run from July 2023 until December 2024.
The first residency, in collaboration with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool was open to photography based artists and was awarded to Mishka Henner, taking place from Jan 2023 to June 2024.
For the second Energy House residency with Castlefield Gallery we are inviting expressions of interest from visual artists, based in the North of England, who work in any medium except photography. It is anticipated that the successful artist will have the opportunity to work with scientists, technicians and other specialist staff to make new work which explores positive solutions to the climate crisis net zero research and future of housing.
We are open to a range of practices and approaches, and will work closely with the selected artist to develop the project over 18 months. We are looking for creative / innovative responses and a demonstratable interest in/commitment to the residency themes.
About Energy House 2.0:
Launched in February 2022, Energy House 2.0 is a unique research facility, with two environmental chambers each able to accommodate two full sized detached houses. The research team can recreate a variety of environmental conditions – from extreme temperatures (-20˚C to +40˚C) to simulate wind, rain, snow, and solar radiation – in order to test out the latest innovations in the built environment. The £16m facility, part-funded by the European Research Development Fund (ERDF), is the largest facility of its type and plays a key role in accelerating progress towards low carbon and net zero housing design building upon the success of the original Energy House Laboratory which opened in 2012.
The residency will include access to the Energy House 2.0 facilities and the following live research projects:
EHome 2 a research project run by Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland, in partnership with Barratt Developments, to create a blueprint for future homes.
Future Home an experimental eco house built by Bellway a housebuilding company.
This residency builds on our pilot residency Are You Living Comfortably? by McCoy Wynne which was presented in Liverpool in Jan 2022, and in New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery in Oct-Dec 2022 as part of the Salford LOOK 22 Hub.
Energy House 2.0, courtesy McCoy Wynne.
Expectations/Outputs:
There will be opportunities to present work, or work in progress, as follows:
Open Eye Gallery: LOOK Photo Biennial – Labs – Liverpool Jan/Feb 2024
There is an artist fee of £20,000 per residency, to include VAT (if payable) all expenses, materials, production of new work and exhibition and acquisition. Payment is made on a freelance / self-employed basis.
There is a modest additional budget for engagement and communication across the project.
It is anticipated that each residency will last around 18 months.
We will agree an appropriate schedule of work with the selected artists, however the fee is based on an expectation of averaging about one day a week.
Resources:
The selected artist will be supported by the Art Collection team and curatorial staff from both Castlefield Gallery and Open Eye Gallery.
They will also have access to other academic staff expertise and facilities across the University – from the Maker Space to the Library.
We will encourage the artist to connect with the first artist in residence, Mishka Henner.
Accessibility:
Please let us know if you have any access requirements that we can help you with during the application process. We will work with the selected artist to support accessibility requirements or reasonable adjustments during the project. Access needs will be discussed after interview stage.
To express interest, please supply:
– A short statement explaining your interest in this opportunity and what you might like to achieve (no more than 500 words) – Your CV/ link to your biography – Up to four images that might support your application
Please send your application in standard file formats (e.g Word, PDF and JPEG). Please do not send very large files or Wetransfer/Dropbox/etc as these may not reach our inbox.
CLOSING DATE: Monday 17th April, 9am
EXTENDED CLOSING DATE: Monday 24th April, 9am
Interviews:
will be held on Thursday 27th April in person at the University of Salford. We will endeavour to let all applicants know whether or not they have been shortlisted by Friday 21st April.
In line with the extended closing date, interviews will now be held on Wednesday 17th May in person at the University of Salford. We will endeavour to let all applicants know whether or not they have been shortlisted by Wednesday 10th May.
Please send your application with the subject line “Energy 2.0 Residency Application” to: r.t.pritchard(at)salford.ac.uk by 9am on Monday 24th April.
For further information please contact: Rowan Pritchard as above.
Back in May 2022, Socially Engaged Photographer in Residence Gwen Riley Jones wrote the following blog, reflecting on her meetings and conversations with members of Salford Youth Council. Gwen met with Salford Youth Council throughout 2022, connecting with the young people, using the Art Collection as a catalyst for conversations and activities, and working on several projects with the Youth Council. You can find more details about Gwen’s work throughout her residency here.
At the culmination of her residency, Gwen’s work with the Salford Youth Council has been captured in our latest exhibition on campus. ‘Some Days I Feel Triangle’ continues in the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery until April 28th 2023. We are sharing this blog ‘from the vaults’ with you now because it is from the discussions with members of Salford Youth Council captured here that the exhibition draws its name, and many of these early ideas about how art can be a tool for expression and wellbeing underpin Gwen’s work with the Youth Council.
For all the details on Some Days I Feel Triangle at the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery, click here.
I love the chats that we have at Youth Council, the group are so intelligent, honest and open. I am always blown away by the insights they share and how much I relate to their explanations of the world. The group have respectful, insightful conversations and operate as a whole group in a way that some adult professionals unable to do successfully. I would like to figure out what their secret is, how do they do it – older adults have so much to learn from young people.
In this conversation we were talking about the purpose of art. As usual, some members of the group chatted while others noted down thoughts on the conversation roll. Here are some highlights:
Music creates an emotion and creates ART
To evoke a thought/an emotional response from someone
To explore emotions, to show pain
To show different points of view in life
To express yourself
Art can be a safe space for people to express themselves
Art is a way for someone to expand and communicate their visions physically and emotionally
To make a safe space to relax in and a place where the artist can escape
To get different ideas out into the world
To explore
To explore hypothetical scenarios (what if?)
Harley said: ‘the most important reason to explore and self-express emotions through art is it’s an easy way to bring ourselves to confront those emotions especially when dealing with negative emotions, like sadness and depression’. Amber agrees.
I asked, ‘is it easy?’
‘It is comparatively easy – you can confront them and come to terms with them, Harley said.
Alex shared ‘I can never cry about stuff that’s going on with me, but if I watch a movie then I can cry. It’s similar to that.’
Amber, Ollie and Harley: ‘I can’t cry’…
…but I find when I get something down in an artistic form, whether that be words or drawings, it helps me more easily to organise my thoughts and understand what I’m feeling.
[I’ve only cried at one movie – INSIDE OUT (Pixar).]
Harley: ‘Emotions are abstract things. It might be hard to put into words.
So it might be easier to put the emotion in to a picture or something more metaphysical…
> sounds
> colours
> shapes >>> I’ve genuinely said to someone I feel very triangle today’
Δ
Amber and Alex: ‘YES, I always say I feel beige’
Ollie: ‘How do I just understand I’m feeling very triangle today?
When you said it, I just got it.
I understand why I got beige, but not triangle.’
Some Days I feel triangle, a digital collage created by Gwen Riley Jones in response to a conversation with Salford Youth Council and Some Days No.03, 2002 by Wang Ningde, part of University of Salford Art Collection
We asked Gwen to refelct on this blog ‘from the vaults’ in spring of 2023, after her exhibition with Salford Youth Council opened. Here are her thoughts looking back almost a year on:
This conversation resonated with me throughout my time with the Youth Council. I made this digital collage (above) while I was thinking about and processing what they said . The conversation made me think about this artwork Some DaysNo.3, 2002 by Wang Ningde, which I had been discussing with another group of young people. We discussed that it wasn’t clear how the subject of the image felt – happy, sad, indifferent, dreamy – everyone saw something different.
Feelings and emotions can look, feel, and are experienced differently by everyone. They can be hard to describe, hard to put in to words, and there is no right or wrong, you feel how you feel. Art can help us explore and confront our emotions, and find new ways of expressing them. Feelings and emotions pass, some days you feel one thing, some days you feel another. This is how we came to the title, Some Days I Feel Triangle. How do you feel today?
More more information on Some Days I Feel Triangle, click here.
In the Spring of 2022, Socially Engaged Photographer in Residence wrote the following blog post, detailing her first few meetings with Salford Youth Council. Now, a year later, our latest exhibition ‘Some Days I Feel Triangle‘ showcases the brilliant collaborative work Gwen and the Youth Council have done over the past 12 months. We’re resharing this blog today to look back at the early beginnings of Gwen’s work with the Salford Youth Council ahead of the exhibition launch next week!
Some Days I Feel Traingle opens on 1st February until the 28th of April 2023 in our New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery.
Join us for the preview! Come down to the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery from 5:30 to 7:30pm on the 31st of January to celebrate the exhibition launch. All are welcome, refreshments will be provided, and there will be an opportunity to make your own badges to take away with you!
Gwen gets to know members of Salford Youth Council. Their conversation begins by discussing ‘What is NOT art?’
Getting to know each other – the importance of listening
In November I started attending meetings of Salford Youth Council (SYC), a youth voice group for anyone aged 11-21 who lives, is educated, or works in Salford. The group meet on a weekly basis, to plan events, work on campaigns, and promote positive stories of young people in Salford. SYC are the home of the Young Mayor and Member of Youth Parliament for Salford.
When I first joined the group I began by listening, and joining in conversation when appropriate. I was there to get to know the group, its members and to start to understand how the groups works.
SYC were working on a range of projects, including how to tackle hate crime, child obesity and sexual harassment in schools. They began work on a photo project for Holocaust Memorial Day, they had to take images and write a caption to the prompt – ‘One day…’. The group came up with some brilliant images and captions. I joined in to review the images each week and then the group would go out and take more images. Some people knew how they wanted to caption their images, but sometimes the whole group would collaborate to produce a caption that everyone agreed on. One member of the group is a wordsmith and wrote incredibly poetic captions for other people’s images.
The images were shared at an event as part of Holocaust Memorial Day remembrance in Salford. You can view the images being read by member of the group, and Salford Young Mayor, Rosie https://twitter.com/salfordyouth1/status/1486807661211537411
Original drawing of the work ‘ART’ by Chinaleigh
Questioning is so important – what is NOT art?
In January I started working directly with members of the group. In the first session we had Amber, Alex, Chinaleigh and Ollie. As a place to start from I asked them ‘What is NOT art?’ which prompted a passionate and wide-ranging discussion. I recorded the conversation and have written up what they said. The group also had a roll of paper to write their responses or draw on if they preferred to contribute that way.
Chinaleigh said ‘everything in the world could be art in its own way’
Ollie said ‘nothing is art – literally nothing. Nothing is not art, but nothing is also art.’
Alex said ‘absence of anything is art, if someone can find some kind of meaning to it or feels something then it’s probably art.’
We agreed that anything can be art – so I took them back to the original question – what is not art?
‘I was going to say things that you can’t feel or see, something that doesn’t make you feel something’
‘You can put a filing cabinet in an empty room and someone will find a message in it.’
‘Is destruction art?’ – ‘I think the general consensus is yeah’
Amber said ‘my favourite artist uses the pain he has gone through in life to create his art. I think that’s really cool’.
I asked can the messages in the making of the art be different to the message the audience gets from the art?
‘Everyone can bring their own meanings’
Chinaleigh said ‘so like a poppy, people could say it’s for rememberace and stuff for the soldiers, but it could also be red for blood’.
One the walls of the room we were sat in were some medical drawings, so I asked is medicine art?
‘It can be. Science is a pretty artistic thing. Science is art – you have to draw everything out like lungs and things’
‘But when you think about it, everything is art, cos art is such a varied thing’.
What makes good art or bad art?
‘That is really subjective’ (x2)
So, thinking about the University of Salford Art Collection, I asked them, if you were in charge how would you decide which art is good art and which art is bad art?
‘If you want to reach as many people as possible, the people deciding should be a group with totally different interests and stuff’
‘You need a variety of people deciding, unless there is a theme’.
Creating through conversation
While we were talking, Chinaleigh, who is a cadet and had come straight from training, she was dressed in a green camouflage uniform, drew this brilliant graphic image of the word ‘art’. I love it and have made it into a sticker for her and to share with the groups.
Image of ART sticker on Gwen’s Socially Engaged Photographer in Residence Journal
The University of Salford Art Collection are seeking BA or MA students from the School of Art, Media and Creative Technology, to produce 2 new portraits – one of outgoing Vice-Chancellor Helen Marshall and one of new Chancellor Lucy Meacock.
Like many Universities, Salford has a long tradition of commissioning portraits of Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and other important University leaders. Historically this has been externally commissioned oil portraits – however in 2014 the process was reinvented to celebrate the talent and creativity of our students.
Each commission includes an artist fee of £1000 and a budget of up to £500 towards production costs, plus project support from the Art Collection Team.
The successful candidates will be expected to work closely with the team to develop a fitting concept and final image. We are seeking 2 dedicated and motivated students, who can work professionally and efficiently to given deadlines. The team are open to both traditional and experimental approaches to capturing a portrait. Previous awards have focused on photographic work, however we will consider other mediums where appropriate. The final work will be displayed on campus and be acquired into the University’s permanent collection.
Previous awards include Jamie Wilson (2014, BA Visual Arts), Claudia Alonso (2015, BA Visual Arts) and Rory Mullen (2015, MA Visual Arts) – see images below.
Jamie Wilson, Irene Khan, 2014. Photographic Lightbox. Image courtesy the artist.
Claudia Alonso, Jackie Kay, 2015. Digital Photograph. Image courtesy the artist.
Rory Mullen, Portrait of Chancellor Jackie Kay, 2015. C-type print. Image courtesy the artist.
About Helen Marshall:
Professor Helen Marshall joined the University in 2013 as Deputy Vice Chancellor, then became Vice Chancellor in 2015. She leads the Executive Team, who manage and oversee the running of the University and the effective delivery of strategic objectives – everything from academic development and student experience to business and enterprise partnerships. She is a Professor in Law, with a background in education. She retires in Summer 2023. Find out more at: https://www.salford.ac.uk/news/university-salford-vice-chancellor-announces-retirement
About Lucy Meacock:
Lucy Meacock joined the University in Summer 2022 as the seventh Chancellor. This role is the ‘ceremonial head’ of the institution – presiding at Graduation ceremonies, representing the University externally, and advocating our mission, vision and values. Lucy has forged a successful career in the media, including over 30 years presenting on Granada Reports for ITV. Find out more at: https://www.salford.ac.uk/news/university-salford-names-lucy-meacock-next-chancellor
About the University of Salford Art Collection:
The University of Salford Art Collection has existed for over 50 years, and includes more than 800 modern and contemporary artworks. It exists for the benefit of students, staff and the general public, and is displayed both on campus – e.g. at the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery – as well as regionally, nationally and internationally through partnerships and loans. We commission new work, support artist development, contribute to teaching and learning, programme exhibitions, events and engagement opportunities – and more. Find out more at: https://artcollection.salford.ac.uk/
Key details:
Timescale:
Applications by midnight, Friday 3rd February
Shortlisting week commencing 6th February
Interviews TBC mid-February
Commission takes places February to April
Final submission by end May
Production/printing June
Unveiling/display – July
Fee: £1000 fee (Approx 5 x days at £200) plus up to £500 towards production (e.g. printing, framing). Students must have the right to work in the UK.
How to apply:
Please supply: 1) A short statement explaining your interest in this opportunity and how you might approach the commission (half page or 500 words maximum)
2) Your artist CV
3) Up to 4 images to support your application
4) A link to your website (if applicable)
Please send your application in standard file formats (e.g. Word, PDF and JPEG).
Please do not send any additional documents. Do not send very large files or Wetransfer/Dropbox transfers, as these may not reach our inbox.
Include the subject line “Application for Vice Chancellor Portrait 2023”.
No late submissions will be accepted. Please get in touch if you have any access needs regarding the application.
All applications (and any enquiries) to be emailed to:
Hybrid plus Blackpool, Blackburn, Wirral, Salford, Liverpool
Programme Manager, Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place
February 2023 – May 2024
Click here to download the full person specification.
Context:
It is a significant occasion for a Northwest artist,Craig Easton, to win Sony World Photographer of the Year (2021) with his series Bank Top, created in Blackburn, as well as second place in the documentary category for Thatcher’s Children, made in Blackpool. Due to Covid19, we were unable to celebrate this achievement within his home region.
Easton tackles stereotypes and responds to the negative way in which the main-stream media often portrays Northern communities. The relevance of Easton’s work has resurfaced in a new light as communities endure the cost-of-living crisis and face new challenges and segregation. Is Anybody Listening? is a touring exhibition. Our Time, Our Place is an engagement programme and symposium. Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place is delivered in partnership with University of Salford, LeftCoast, Open Eye Gallery, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery and the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum.
A consultation with Salford Youth Council shows that 70%+ of participants said that they want to “capture their own world through photography”. One participant remarked: “‘Coz you grow up there they decide that’s what you are going to be. There is always a community to be found. Even in the most run-down areas there is always something there… The people make the place; the place doesn’t make the people.”
Our Time, Our Place aims to do exactly that: give young people the skills and support to see the value of their story and learn how to preserve and share it from the inside out ess through the adoption of a logic model to set out activities, resources and planned outputs and outcomes (or impacts)
Purpose:
The contractor will develop a monitoring and evaluation framework, collating and analysing data against the aims and objectives of the programme. The programme aims to engage a diverse audience and develop connections between heritage and people. The contractor will assess how Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place engages people to take steps to involve themselves more deeply in the issues and communities of their lived experience. The contractor will develop a logic model and delivery plan leading to an unbiased, robust evaluation report for our major funder, The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Key Responsibilities:
The contractor will work closely with external stakeholders, participants and colleagues to devise, plan and undertake/coordinate the evaluation.
Develop, plan and embed a monitoring a framework for continuous programme evaluation.
Use appropriate and methodical ways of asking questions that provide robust evidence which could cover well-being, demographics, economic, social capital, learning journeys, rise to action and quality.
Embed evaluation into the heart of programme liaising with venues, community groups and young people.
Gather baseline data at the start of each project and comparison data set to demonstrate change over time.
Monitor progress through the adoption of a logic model to set out activities, resources and planned outputs and outcomes (or impacts).
Communicate any deviations from strategy, objectives and respond to evidence gathering gaps/omission/ issues through timely meetings.
Provide detailed and transparent summaries of the research methods used to collect data in relation to the numbers of people that have engaged with / or tried to engage with evaluation activity including limitations, statistical tests and response rates.
Analyse and interpret data to provide evidence on outcomes highlighting areas of strength, future development, areas to improve.
Provide clear conclusions and recommendations to help enable stakeholders to identify and apply any lessons learned.
Produce a timely, clear and sufficient report evaluating project aims, objectives, effectiveness, efficacy and sustainability to inform funders, present and future meeting Heritage Fund submission requirements.
Please send a CV and covering letter no larger than 10 MB to craigeaston.isanybodylistening@gmail.com by noon on Friday 3rd February 2023 . Please tell us how you meet the experience, skills and qualities outlined in the Contractor Specification. Please propose how you would split the fee into materials and time if applicable. This should be no longer than 2/3 pages in either Word or PDF. Please keep your CV 2/3 pages of A4 and include two references from recent or current employers/ clients. All applications will be acknowledged with an email receipt. Should you be shortlisted, you will be invited to interview on Wednesday, Feb 8th. Your application will be assessed against how you meet the experience, skills and qualities outlined in the Contractor Specification through your application and interview.
Timeline
Open Eye, Liverpool – Exhibition and engagement programme
January 2023 – April 2023
LeftCoast and Blackpool School of Art – Exhibition and engagement programme
April 2023- June 2023
Blackburn Museum and Arts Gallery – Engagement programme
June 2023- July 2023
University of Salford -Exhibition and engagement programme
September 2023- December 2023
Williamson Art Gallery and Museum – Exhibition, engagement programme and symposium
January 2024 – March 2024
Fee
A total of £9292 is available. This includes your fee, evaluation materials, public liability insurance, expenses, site visits, meetings,observation sessions,, administration, meetings, VAT. The fee will be released in tranches upon competition of agreed milestones.
Click here to download the full person specification.
Comments Off on Opportunity: Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place Evaluator (Freelance)
The University of Salford Art Collection is set to launch a touring exhibition at galleries across the Northwest. Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening? is supported by The NationalLottery Heritage Fund, and will showcase two award-winning series of photographs, alongside an engagement programme for young people called Our Time, Our Place.
A long-time advocate for authentically representing communities in the North, Easton’s exhibition seeks to challenge stereotypes and raise aspirations of young people within the region.
The new touring exhibition Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening? launches this Thursday 12th of January at Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, before touring to Salford, Blackpool, and Birkenhead. Click here, for the full details of Is Anybody Listening? in Liverpool.
Alongside the exhibition, the engagement programme, Our Time, Our Place, which also includes Blackburn, will empower young people to discuss current issues, explore their own history, and share it through pathways in photography and associated practices.
For all the information about Is Anybody Listening?Our Time, Our Place, and to stay up to date with the latest about the programme, click here.
Craig Easton, Mohammed Afzal, ‘Birdman of Bank Top’, 2020. Courtesy the artist.
Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place is presented by the University of Salford and generously supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Comments Off on Announcing – Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening & Our Time, Our Place
How can art be a catalyst for social change? During her 12-month residency with the University of Salford Art Collection, socially-engaged photographer Gwen Riley Jones worked closely with Salford Youth Council to explore art, creativity, and positive social action.
During the year they explored a number of priorities together: from health, wellbeing and the benefits of connecting with nature, to allyship, representation and positive self-expression. The title ‘Some days I feel triangle’ comes from the group’s conversations around the ways we try and creatively communicate thoughts, feelings and emotions.
The gallery display includes selected artworks from the University of Salford Art Collection, which inspired their journey and conversations together – using art for ‘thinking, talking, looking, sharing and debating’. Alongside are stories and images from the group’s projects – along with prompts, cards, badges and stickers for visitors to take away.
The socially-engaged artist in residence project is a pilot project delivered by the University of Salford in collaboration with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, and with the support of Salford City Council’s youth service.
An accompanying events programme will be announced soon.
Comments Off on Exhibition coming soon: Some Days I Feel Triangle – Feb – Apr 2023
A unique 18-month opportunity to make and exhibit new work in response to the climate crisis, net zero research, and the future of housing at the world-leading Energy House 2.0 facilities in Salford. A selection of new work made will also be acquired by the University of Salford Art Collection.
University of Salford Art Collection, in partnership with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool and Castlefield Gallery, Manchester announces two new artist residencies at the Energy House 2.0 research facilities at the University of Salford.
We are now inviting applications for the first residency, in collaboration with Open Eye Gallery, for artists working with photography. This residency will run from January 2023 until June 2024.
The second residency, in collaboration with Castlefield Gallery, will be open to all artists working in the field of visual arts. It will run from summer 2023 until December 2024. We will recruit for this in March 2023.
For the first Energy House residency with Open Eye Gallery we are inviting expressions of interest from photographers, or artists using photography, based in the North of England. It is anticipated that the successful artist will have the opportunity to work with scientists, technicians and other specialist staff to make new work which explores positive solutions to the climate crisis net zero research and future of housing.
We are open to a range of practices and approaches, and will work closely with the selected artist to develop the project over 18 months. We are looking for creative / innovative responses and a demonstratable interest in/commitment to the residency themes.
About Energy House 2.0:
Launched in February 2022, Energy House 2.0 is a unique research facility, with two environmental chambers each able to accommodate two full sized detached houses. The research team can recreate a variety of environmental conditions – from extreme temperatures (-20˚C to +40˚C) to simulate wind, rain, snow, and solar radiation – in order to test out the latest innovations in the built environment. The £16m facility, part-funded by the European Research Development Fund (ERDF), is the largest facility of its type and plays a key role in accelerating progress towards low carbon and net zero housing design building upon the success of the original Energy House Laboratory which opened in 2012.
The residency will include access to the Energy House 2.0 facilities and the following live research projects:
EHome 2 a research project run by Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland, in partnership with Barratt Developments, to create a blueprint for future homes.
Future Home an experimental eco house built by Bellway a housebuilding company.
This residency builds on our pilot residency Are You Living Comfortably? by McCoy Wynne which was presented in Liverpool in Jan 2022, and is currently in New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery as part of the Salford LOOK 22 Hub.
Image of Energy House 2.0 under constrution. Courtesy McCoy Wynne.
Expectations/Outputs:
There will be opportunities to present work, or work in progress, as follows:
Open Eye Gallery: LOOK Photo Biennial – Labs – Liverpool Jan/Feb 2024
There is an artist fee of £20,000 per residency, to include VAT (if payable) all expenses, materials, production of new work and exhibition and acquisition.
There is a modest additional budget for engagement and communication across the project.
It is anticipated that each residency will last around 18 months.
We will agree an appropriate schedule of work with the selected artists, however the fee is based on an expectation of averaging about one day a week.
Accessibility:
Please let us know if you have any access requirements that we can help you with during the application process. We will work with the selected artist to support accessibility requirements or reasonable adjustments during the project. Access needs will be discussed after interview stage.
To express interest, please supply: – A short statement explaining your interest in this opportunity and what you might like to achieve (no more than 500 words) – Your CV/ link to your biography – Up to four images that might support your application
Please send your application in standard file formats (e.g Word, PDF and JPEG). Please do not send very large files or Wetransfer/Dropbox/etc as these may not reach our inbox.
CLOSING DATE: Monday 28th November 2022
INTERVIEWS: will be held on Wednesday 7th December in person at the University of Salford. We will endeavour to let all applicants know whether or not they have been shortlisted by Friday 2nd December.
Please send your application with the subject line “Energy 2.0 Residency Application” to: r.t.pritchard (at) salford.ac.uk by 11.59pm on Monday 28th November.
For further information please contact: Rowan Pritchard as above.
Artist-in-residence Gwen Riley-Jones has been working with the University of Salford Art Collection since 2021, using the Collection as a starting point to engage with young people about what matters most to them.
As part of the LOOK Photo Biennial 2022: Climate at the University of Salford, a digital showcase of three series of images created in collaboration with young people and communities across Salford is on display in the New Adelphi Building Atrium. These include:
Planting for the Planet – images of chlorophyll prints exhibited for the first time;
Salford LGBTQ+ Youth Groups – images created during photography workshops on the day of Salford Pride during Youth Week August 2022,
Salford Youth Council x Tindall Street Allotments – images created when Youth Council teamed up with an allotment run by and for military veterans.
Planting for the Planet was produced collaboratively with youth environment group Action for Conservation, in partnership with RHS Garden Bridgewater. Together they explored how art and creativity can help communicate issues around climate change.
Image: Daniel, Planting for the Planet
Using socially-engaged photography practice and sustainable plant-based printing methods, the group produced a series of images originally shown at RHS Garden Bridgewater in Summer. The photographs on display were taken by group members exploring their own relationships to natural environments; including green tinted portrait images made using spinach juice instead of ink, on recycled paper.
Alongside the digital showcase in New Adelphi, there is a physical display of the spinach prints (anthotypes) alongside a series of chlorophyll prints; a method of creating a photographic print within a leaf using naturally occurring light-sensitive pigments.
Gwen adds: “During my residency I have also been working with groups of young people in partnership with Salford Youth Service, together we have explored wellbeing and ways of using photography and nature to connect and feel better.
Image: LGBTQ+ Youth Groups Salford
The digital showcase presents a series of images created by members of Salford’s LGBTQ+ Youth Groups during a photography workshop as part of Salford Pride celebrations in August 2022. I met many enthusiastic and talented photographers during the workshops, and we are discussing ways we can work together again in the future.
As part of my ongoing collaboration with Salford Youth Council there is a selection of images included in the digital display created when the group helped out at Tindall Street Allotments, during the summer holidays. The allotment is run by Vinny Nield and a group of Military Veterans. Vinny and the team shared their knowledge of plants and growing with the group, as well as getting them involved in the practical aspects of running an allotment. The group created photographs to explore this environment and the positive effects on both mental and physical health.”
Image: Hayden, Salford Youth Council
Additionally, there is a second physical display of the ‘Photowalk for Wellbeing’ created in collaboration with Salford Youth Council. The photowalk activity is for anyone who wants to take some time out to take ‘notice, connect and feel better’.
The group created the prompts by responding to photographs they had taken in and around Salford. They created an accessible design, taking into account the needs of people with dyslexia.
Image: Salford Youth Council creating the Photowalk for Wellbeing, Gwen Riley Jones
Image: Example prompt card from the Photowalk for Wellbeing
The cards are displayed in an open vitrine for you to pick up and take on your own Photowalk for Wellbeing, alone or with friends. Share with us by tagging us in the images @uos_artcollection@salfordyouthcouncil@gwenrileyjones
Gwen will also be hosting a guided Photowalk for Wellbeing on Thursday 10th November 2.00-3.00pm, starting in the New Adelphi Building Atrium.
To book tickets for the Photowalk or the launch event on 3rd November, and for more information on the other exhibitions on display click here.
