We believe that the arts are uniquely placed to connect communities, celebrate their immense collective power, and create positive social change, and with our friends at ARC Stockton we are putting our money where our mouths are and creating an experimental project led by artists. You will be working hand in hand with local people and supported by the whole organisation to create together, build connections, draw out local talent, and ultimately help realise the power and potential of our local community.

We want to work with artists as practitioners, as producers, artists as curators, and as community connectors; to collectively seize this critical moment in the arts to make significant and long-lasting changes to how we build our programme with artists and communities.

We want to shift the power around artistic programming, to democratise and diversify artistic leadership. We want to place more long-term decision-making powers in the hands of our communities, and to work in a collaborative way that enhances the artistic experiences for everyone involved.

Lots of great examples of this already exist at the Albany but we want to do more.

We are seeking artists who are also driven by this mission and are bold, talented, experienced and well-placed to create work with the local community of the Albany. For each commission we are offering a fee of up to £10,000 with an expectation of 50 – 60 days’ work, plus a £4,000 budget to be spent on the delivery of ideas.

Interested?

Here’s more information about what it would involve:

  • Working within the Albany – including with staff, our communities, resident arts and community organisations, and other artists – over a six-month period
  • Getting to know us and being embedded in the Albany and the local Deptford and New Cross area; working closely with our creative, marketing, engagement, and technical teams to challenge and support us to develop more responsive and democratic ways of working
  • Working with communities to co-create/ curate work that is relevant and accessible, supporting more local people to see the Albany as a home for exploring their creativity. This could include inviting other artists to perform or show existing work, as well as collaborating and creating new work.
  • Working with support from Albany creative producers to devise an outline of how you will work including the communities, artists and/ or organisations you will work with; key moments that you will produce public outcomes; and how you will manage your budget
  • We’re deliberately keeping the brief open. Although we do expect outcomes that the public can engage with, it is important that these are not pre-conceived but are born out of engagement and collaboration, which could include performances, exhibitions, a series of workshops, a film, a party, a carnival… anything!

Who are we looking for?

  • We are looking for two resident artists/ collectives to work with us each for six months, ideally November 2020 – April 2021 and February – June 2021
  • At least one commission will be for an artist/ artists from a Black, Asian or other Minority Ethnic background
  • We are looking for artists who are from, live in, or who have a demonstrable connection to South East London
  • We imagine this being an opportunity for individual artists from a performance or multidisciplinary background, but we are open to approaches from duos or collectives.
  • We are looking for artists who have at least three years’ experience of working collaboratively with other artists and communities.
  • We welcome applications from artists from a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives including age, sexuality, disability and socio-economic background. We will work with you to support any access needs.

How to Apply:

Please get in touch and tell us:

  1. Why are you interested in this opportunity
  2. About your previous work where relevant to the project (include links as appropriate)
  3. Considering the information above and openness of this brief, how do you imagine your residency would look with us?
  4. What particular perspectives or lived experience would you or your work bring to the project
  5. What is your availability for either November 2020 – April 2021, or February – June 2021?
  6. What is your connection to South East London

You can do this in writing with no more than 2 A4 pages or by sending us a video link (max length 5 mins) to lucy.warren@thealbany.org.uk

Deadline: midday Friday 2nd October

What happens next?

 Expressions of interest will be shortlisted by a panel from the Albany’s Youth and Meet Me programmes.

Shortlisted artists will be asked to prepare a presentation and invited to an interview (at the Albany observing social distancing or via Zoom) with the senior creative team and shortlisting panel. We expect interviews to take place on the week beginning 19th October.

All shortlisted artists will be paid £100 in addition to any travel expenses.

If you have any questions you can contact Lucy Warren, Senior Producer, at lucy.warren@thealbany.org.uk / 020 8692 4446 ext. 267

Downloadable version – available here