Day: 5 June 2020

Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival call out for ‘Love Micro-Commissions’

Callout launch: 5 th June 2020
Closing date: Sunday 5th July 2020 – midnight

Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival (D&G Arts Festival) is the only region-wide performing arts organisation in Dumfries and Galloway (D&G). Our 10-day festival in May is the largest rural performing arts festival in Scotland bringing performance to people in some of the most remote areas of the UK. Since 2016 we have developed and delivered our year-round programme, Arts Live and we are a promoter and performing arts network that supports venues, artists and promoters from across the region, who in turn enable us to curate a diverse year round performing arts programme.

D&G Arts Festival will support 11 performing artists through 11 micro-commissions for sharing with audiences July 2020 – December 2020. Performing artists could be working in dance, theatre, spoken word, music, live art, comedy, interdisciplinary performance.

MICRO-COMMISSIONS

There are 11 micro-commissions available. Six of the commissions are open to performing artists at any career stage, based anywhere in Scotland. Five of these micro-commissions will be offered to young people between 18-25 who are based in Dumfries and Galloway as part of our Stage-iT programme, with a callout to those ages 15-18 coming soon. We particularly welcome proposals from artists facing additional barriers in their work.

Young artists’ commissions x 5

  • 1 x £1000
  • 2 x £500
  • 2 x £300

For presentation July – December 2020 (Stage iT funded by the Holywood Trust)

Open commissions x 6

  • 1 x £1000
  • 2 x £500
  • 3 x £300

For presentation July – October 2020

We are inviting proposals that respond to the theme of LOVE. What we pay attention to grows. We want to pay attention to artists, the resource D&G and its festival have to offer as a place to make and perform your work and we want to pay attention to LOVE as…

…a catalyst for change (how would you love things to be?) 
…an emotion (what do you love?) 
…a feeling of hope (just add love) 
…a desire to care (handle with love)

This invitation is our first attempt to work with artists post-Covid-19 and we want to begin a journey of learning what artists and our audiences and communities might need in this new world through this process.

HOW TO APPLY

  • Closing date: Sunday 5th July 2020 – midnight
  • Contact email: Kim Simpson, Programmer (Freelance) – programme@dgartsfestival.org.uk
  • Application: CV (no more than two pages)
  • Links to/examples of work (no more than 5)
  • Proposal (no more than two pages or 10mins of video/sound recording) outlining the idea and how it meets the criteria for this micro-commission Alternative formats:

We welcome proposals in formats/languages such as BSL, Braille, sound or video recording or transcribed by phone. We have a budget for removing any barriers you might face in submitting a proposal. Please contact Kim Simpson on programme@dgartsfestival.org.uk if you would like to discuss this or submit your application by phone.

Find out more

Kim Simpson, who recently joined the team at D&G Arts Festival as Programmer, will be running two Zoom coffee shops while the invitation is open for artists considering a proposal. 14:00 – 15:00 on Tuesday 16th June 2020 11:00 – 12:00 on Tuesday 23rd June 2020 Please email programme@dgartsfestival.org.uk up to 24 hours before the session for the link, including any access requirements you may have.

The downloadable document below contains further information that will help you decide if our micro-commission is right for you and to help you with your proposal. It includes why we are doing micro-commissions, how they will work, what we are looking for, who we want to hear from, the selection process and some details about the region of Dumfries and Galloway.

LOVE-MICRO-COMMISSIONS-DGARTSFEST-4Download

BCT Receive Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Black Country Touring have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

BCT is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.

Frances Land, Black Country Touring, Co-Artistic Director Said: “This is a real boost for us, particularly as we struggle to adapt to lockdown and social distancing, when the community venues we work with are closed. Our incredible team has included 251 volunteers and we are delighted that our work has been recognised. It’s a real tribute to the hard work and commitment our volunteers bring to the community.”

Black Country Touring’s volunteers range from 7 to 70+ and can be with the organisation from 6 months to many years.

They train and support their volunteers to share the joys of having the arts as part of their lives with others in their community. The team enables local people, of all ages and backgrounds, to see high-quality theatre, dance and film in their local area at an affordable price, often in areas of high deprivation with very few professional theatres and venues.

Their volunteer programme supports and empowers people to be decision makers and create special, shared experiences that would not happen otherwise. When programming professional theatre, dance and cinema events in local venues for their community, the volunteers are supported by Black Country Touring at every step of promoting the event.

Volunteers learn how to select professional touring theatre shows and build a programme of events tailored to the local venue they use. Venues include libraries, schools and community centres.

Many people who attend would have no contact with the performing arts without Black Country Touring and its volunteers. Often these events are the only link with the outside world for people at risk of loneliness and isolation.

BCT could not operate at all without their enthusiastic volunteers. They are the people on the ground in the heart of the community who select, organise and promote the shows their audiences want to see. Black Country Touring support them to develop their skills, confidence and experience of organising events.

A key part of the work is about raising aspirations and improving people’s wellbeing through volunteering, by connecting them with other people in their local community and reducing the risk of isolation. Something that is very important during this time.

Julie Mckirdy B.E.M, Senior supervisor at Smethwick Town Libraries and BCT board member said: “I am over the moon to hear this wonderful news today that Black Country touring have been awarded the prestigious Queens voluntary award. BCT thoroughly deserve this accolade, they work so hard to bring the arts to Sandwell and the rest of the Black country.

All the team have helped with my personal development within the arts and played a massive part in how Thimblemill Library has become known and respected today within the arts cultural scene. So on behalf of all the community of Thimblemill library and beyond I would like to congratulate each and all at BCT and well done you wonderful people.”

Black Country Touring will receive the award from Mr John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands later this summer and two volunteers from Black Country Touring will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Peter Knott, Area Director for Arts Council England added his congratulations: “Huge congratulations to Black Country Touring and we’re delighted that their work with volunteers has been recognised at the very highest level possible. Black Country Touring is funded by the National Lottery; this is thanks to Lottery players so it’s right that so many people share the benefits.

The Queen’s award pays tribute to the volunteers ongoing commitment, people who offer their own time and experience ensuring that the role of arts and culture touches as many people as possible. Great work to everyone at Black Country Touring”.

Black Country Touring is hugely grateful to Arts Council England, Sandwell Council, Wolverhampton City Council and all their other funders and partners that make their work possible.