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Still from Harton Moor 2022 Erin Dickson 1

FACT Together: Online Commissioning Scheme Returns For Third Year

by FACT

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If artists have any questions around accessibility or specific working requirements, please contact residency@fact.co.uk.

KEY INFORMATION

FACT is inviting artists living or working in the North of England to create new digital work in the latest round of its FACT Together commissioning scheme. FACT Together will offer 4 early-career artists a grant of £2500 each plus a production budget to develop an idea that will be presented online.

  • FACT Together is a 3-month online artist residency

  • Open to all early-career artists in the North of England

  • Four artists will each receive a fee of £2500, a production budget of £1500 plus 3 months of mentorship and support

  • Artists will create work that will be presented online, and as part of FACT’s Live Season (March-May 2023).

  • There will be future opportunities to share the outcomes in FACT’s adaptable new creative space, situated in the upper gallery

  • All forms of online artwork are encouraged including audio, video, text, games, apps, virtual or augmented reality, performance, animation and social media

  • No previous experience of making digital work is necessary. We welcome applications from artists working across all mediums, who are interested in exploring their practice in a more digital context

  • We are particularly interested in artists whose work is performative in nature, and who would use the opportunity to explore performance across both physical and digital formats

  • Submit your application online

  • Deadline: Apply by midnight, Sunday 24 July

OVERVIEW

After the success of 2020 and 2021’s edition of the scheme, we are excited to announce that FACT Together returns for its third year, supporting 4 more early-career artists based in the North of England to create digital work. Originally set up in 2020 in response to the financial uncertainty caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19), the scheme has so far supported 14 artists across the North of England, many of whom have not previously created work to be presented online. Selected artists will receive a grant and production budget, plus 3 months of curatorial and production support to create work that pushes online presentation, and experiments with how digital art can engage audiences.

For this call we are proud to be partnering with Modal at the School of Digital Arts (Manchester Metropolitan University). Modal is a new digital gallery and dynamic production centre that showcases artists working at the forefront of creative technology, and facilitates innovative work in traditional and emerging art forms. The selected artists will have access to SODA’s advanced labs for extended reality, video making, sound art and design, motion capture and more (full list of facilities available here). Modal Curator Valentino Catricalà will form part of the selection panel, and will offer a mentoring session to the selected artists.


ARTIST BRIEF

FACT Together will offer four early-career artists a fee of £2500 and production budget of £1500 each to create a new work that pushes online presentation, and experiments with how digital art can engage audiences. No previous experience of making digital work is necessary, and we welcome applications from artists working across all mediums, who are interested in exploring their practice in a more digital context. We are particularly interested in artists whose work is performative in nature, and who would use the opportunity to explore performance across both physical and digital formats.

The main output of this work will challenge artists to consider the multiple ways we share artistic practice in an increasingly digitised world: both online, and physically as part of FACT’s 2023 Live Season. We welcome applications from artists keen to develop their practice in these areas, who are interested in pushing the boundaries of what physical and online spaces can offer in terms of interaction and engagement with audiences and experiences of togetherness.

Each artist will receive mentorship from FACT who will support the development, production and promotion of their proposals. This includes virtual group sessions with fellow FACT Together 2022 artists, creating a support network; and a programme of talks and workshops focused on practice and professional development. The physical production and outcome of the residency will be mainly online, though presentation as part of the Live Season may require a site visit to the gallery - the cost of which will be covered by FACT. There will also be an opportunity to present the work in FACT’s new adaptable creative space later in 2023.

If you'd like to contact a member of our team about FACT Together, please email residency@fact.co.uk.

PROCESS

We welcome all forms of online work and encourage a diversity of media: audio, video, text, games, app design, virtual or augmented reality, performance, socially-engaged practice, web or desktop interventions, animation, social media takeovers and workshops. We are particularly interested in artists whose work is performative in nature, and who would use the opportunity to explore performance in both physical and digital formats. As part of the application process we will ask you to provide a CV and description of your practice, a short proposal, and images of your work. We will be looking at the way in which projects develop individuals’ practice, and how they consider approaches in art-making: particularly in creating individual and/or shared experiences.

Proposals will be assessed by FACT and Valentino Catricalà, and selected on their response to this brief, how well they articulate their practice in the context of exploring the relationship between physical and digital outputs, and their feasibility within the budget and timeline (with a view to share the work from March 2023).

ELIGIBILITY AND ACCESS

  • FACT Together is open to all artists living and working in the North of England (as defined by Arts Council England which includes North West, Yorkshire and North East).

  • This scheme is aimed at early-career artists. We define an early-career artist as someone in the early stages of their professional career as an artist. This is usually someone who has been working on their practice for more than 2 years.

  • FACT is flexible to the different circumstances in which people work. If your application is successful, we will invite you to share with us details of any access requirements you may have, however you define access.

  • No previous experience of making digital work is necessary, however, an awareness of online channels is important.

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

Please visit our online submissions form. The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 24 July.

If you need any further support with the application process, please email residency@fact.co.uk with the subject line 'FACT Together 2022'.

BUDGET & GRANT

Each artist will receive a fee of £2500, and a production budget of £1500.

The fee will be paid in two instalments. 50% on selection and 50% upon completion of the project. Fees will be paid 30 days after the receipt of a valid invoice. Production budget can be managed by the artist or FACT, subject to agreement.

KEY DATES

Deadline for proposals: Sunday 24 July 2022, midnight

Outcome of decision and all applicants informed: From Monday 15 August 2022

Initial conversations with selected artists: From Monday 22 August 2022

Physical and online works ready to go live: From March 2023

Funders

FACT is funded by Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council with support from Culture Liverpool. FACT Together 2022 is presented in collaboration with Modal at SODA, supported by The Fenton Arts Trust and Idlewild Trust.