Visual Artists Ireland STUDENT PACK

A resource pack for visual and applied art students and recent graduates

Visual Artists Ireland Student Pack © 2010

VAI Student Pack

Welcome This pack has been put together for the benefit of visual and applied arts students and recent graduates making the transition into professional practice in Ireland.

With more visual and applied arts courses available than ever before, the number of aspiring artists continues to grow. The visual arts attract many talented and creative people so the sector can be very competitive.

This pack is intended to give students and recent graduates an idea of the practical areas they will need to consider and the options open to them following graduation.

Your qualification is just your first step to becoming a professional artist.

The Business of ART Making art and making an art career are two different things. A professional artist is responsible for the day to day business of their career such as financial management, applying for grants and funding, documenting work marketing, promotion, researching opportunities, and a

list of other tasks. These areas are not always covered within the education system so, while highly educated and skilled, many graduates are not prepared for the reality of life after art school. This reality shows that many artists need to have at least one other job to support their art practice. As an artist led organization VAI is keenly aware that artists are pressed for time, trying to fit their art making into daily lives that juggle family, work and other commitments. We hope this pack will provide you with some of the tools to make the most of the opportunities that come your way, whether it be pursuing a post graduate course, getting a studio, entering juried exhibitions, initiating your own projects or getting representation through a

should never rely on an opportunity finding you -­ it is very much you creating them for yourself.

Visual Artists Ireland is the all Ireland body for professional visual artists. We provide services, facilities, and resources for visual artists, initiate artistic projects & publications, and act as an advocate on behalf of professional visual artists.

A word from one of our members

I am so grateful for Visual Artists Ireland. It has been and is a critical resource for artists.

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Table of Contents

Welcome 1 The Business of ART 1 Career Development by George Bolster 3 Artist Profile: Lynda Devenney 3 TOP TIPS FOR STUDENTS 4 So you want to be an artist? Kick Start Checklist 6 Artist Profile: Cora Cummins 6 Copyright 7 INFO~POOL 8 INFO-­POOL CAREERS PATH 9 About VAI 10 Visual Artists Ireland Education Programme 11 INFO-­POOL TEXTS 15 Postgraduate Education, Training and Scholarships 15 Exhibiting with Galleries by Hugh Mulholland 21 Awards, Bursaries and Grants By Neva Elliott 26

Visual Artists Ireland, hereafter know This text is for personal use and may not be reproduced or distributed in any way without the written permission of the writers or publishers.

Pack compiled by Alex Davis and Kate McLoughlin with the assistance of Aideen Barry and Monica Flynn. Thanks to the contributing writers George Bolster, Cora Cummins, Lynda Devenney, Dr. Siún Hanrahan, Hugh Mulholland and Neva Elliott.

Visual Artists Ireland is core funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

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Visual Artists Ireland Student Pack © 2010

Career Development by George Bolster A great deal of change has occurred in the way people practice as artists, since I first left college. One of the most pronounced ways is in how artists actively lead their early career themselves. Sometimes this is through formalised artist-­led spaces such as transmission in Glasgow and Pallas Heights in Dublin which led the way in introducing new artists, as well as more ad-­hoc artist-­led / curated projects. In a way it is inevitable that generations of artists tend to identify with each other then form allegiances, be they aesthetic or social, as a form of support. Being an artist can be immensely isolating, so becoming part of a community encourages discourse, reflexivity and exchange.

For me open submission exhibitions were a key way of getting work shown initially. There are a number of these in Ireland such as Claremorris Open, EV+A and Tulca. It is really crucial to

get selected) because you are exposing the work to professional curators. They may not select you for the show you have applied for, but may remember the work for another project. Curators talk to each other, ask each other for advice and recommendations.

The best advice I could give someone starting out is what not to do. One of the biggest mistakes one can make (and I have made it plenty of times) is to not be clear about what you want to make / or have made. Knowing in your head does not mean communicating that knowledge to another person. Putting forward a chunk of art theory or mangled half-­hearted explanation of your work does not do you any favours, be clear and concise, rather than confuse or baffle.

Another key way of introducing your work to others is to curate exhibitions. This creates new networks and develops existing ones as additional artists are added into the mix. To reach out to others is very important otherwise things can be, and will remain very insular. So be brave and ask those with you.

Soon you realise you have created your own community, which banishes in some measure the post college void and soon others will approach you.

Extract from: George Bolster talks about constructing his installation

Reckoner at Mass MOCA. Visual Artists News Sheet, Jan-­Feb 2010.

Artist Profile: Lynda Devenney

I completed a BA Honors Degree in Fine Art in England in 1997. I received an MA in Art in the Digital World from NCAD in 2003 and commenced working part time for IADT in 2005.

What work experience have you had? I have worked in a lot of various jobs, the main one in Web Design, which led me to fortunately becoming redundant in the last Dot Com bust of 2000. I was lucky to get a good redundancy package, which enabled me to focus on my art again. I joined the Black Church Print Studio full time, before this I could only work there weekends. I set myself a year of not worrying about money and to develop new work.

What did you do when you finished your degree? I moved to Dublin without a plan or knowing anybody, I still question the reasoning behind this. I ended up doing a FAS course in Multimedia & Web Design because of pressure from the social welfare office. I then obtained an intern job, which started a cycle of 3 years working in a commercial company. The knowledge I learned there has come in useful for many aspects of my work.

Did you feel prepared for the real world? Not in the slightest. It became apparent very fast how important money was in order to be able to make artwork. I also quickly became aware of how you can get trapped in a 9 5 job for the money and not have the time to make artwork.

What are you doing now? I am currently based in a studio in Temple Bar Gallery & Studios. I am still a member of Black Church Print Studio and working as an associate lecture in IADT.

What advice would you give to students who are in their final year of art college? Enjoy both the freedom and uncertainty of being an artist as it never leaves. Keep in mind your original motivation to become an artist and stay focused on your work. Remain open to trying new experiences even if unrelated to your art. Look inward for validation not outward. Be aware of change and transformation and take chances.

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TOP TIPS FOR

STUDENTS 1 Make use of the college facilities before you graduate!

college facilities for

when you graduate. So use the equipment to finish off works in progress. Use the photocopier to make copies of your CV. Avail of internet, computer and printer access to prepare submissions, proposals and job applications. easy to take tutors and their valuable feedback for granted! So make the most of them too. 2 Document your work Maintaining an organized, running history of your work for promotion, grants, reference, and exhibition purposes, is an important part of professional practice. Make sure to document your work

work. Consider having the work professionally photographed these photographs can be used for promoting your work and accessing future opportunities. You can find information on the best ways to document your work in the Info-­ 3 Prepare an Events Calendar Set yourself goals for the coming academic year. Plan the year out with targets and submission dates in mind. You can find out about submission deadlines for public art commissions, gallery calls, residencies and funding opportunities by signing up for the twice weekly VAI e-­bulletin (www.visualartists.ie). You can also use The Common Room Events Calender to keep a track of upcoming deadlines (www.thecommonroom.net). This will help you allocate your time while identifying opportunities to which you can submit your work. 4 Network Networking is one of the most effective ways to open up career opportunities in a competitive industry. Whether you're connecting at an art fair or getting to know your co-­workers at an internship, you never know when that person might be able to help you. Get yourself on mailing lists for gallery openings and previews. You have to get out there and meet new people to get your work known. Networking might seem hard at first, but once you get the hang of it (and start recognising familiar faces at events) it becomes more natural. 5 Build a critical profile Establish a list of contacts from college for collaborations, critique and support. Consider setting up a peer review group with other graduates to give critical feedback on each others work. The evaluation will help you understand how others view your work. Your peers bring a fresh perspective to bear and will often be able to point out whether something is clear or not. The input can be highly motivating.

6 Learn the art of writing Press Releases and the Artist Statement The ability to write good press releases and artist statements is a key element in getting ahead. The written word is one of the most important elements that employers, galleries, museums, and graduate schools look for in an artist. The information you provide in a press release should be factual, clear and have some sort of edge that will attract critics / press to the show. Always avoid using superlatives in press releases. Write something interesting and engaging for the body of the release. The first two sentences are the most important;; you have to hook the viewers to make them want to know more.

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Visual Artists Ireland Student Pack © 2010

as your work progresses. Your statement could be updated at about the same rate that you might update a CV. A good statement will give you the ability to discuss and have confidence in your work.

7 Get your work reviewed A conundrum for emerging artists is that you need a show to get reviews, but you need reviews to get a show. So initiate and curate your own show with your classmates and use this opportunity to get your work reviewed. There is no quick way of attracting curators, critics or other art professionals to shows. There are only really a small handful of writers and critics and there are hundreds of shows around the country each month. Develop a good contact list by researching all the major art publications, writers, press officers, galleries etc. Each contact should be sent a press release and a personal invite to the show. Tell them a bit about the show and invite them to meet you there for a glass of wine and a chat.

Reviews are beneficial not only because they bring your work to a wide audience but also because they are evidence that you are engaged with and part of the professional art discussion and dialogue. Reviews are recognition and acknowledgement by your peers. They can also come in very handy as supporting documents when making funding applications! Getting a review in the local press is a good way to start. There is a handy list of arts media contacts in the practical listings section of the Info-­Pool.

8 Price your work In many professions unions tend to advise members on rates of pay, however most artists must take on this responsibility for themselves. There are many variables involved in establishing the price for your work, be it a painting, carrying out a public art commission, licensing a reproduction or giving a workshop. You will need to take into account your time, your profile, materials, overheads, provision for social insurance and income tax etc. Many artists start out on their career taking whatever jobs they can, and often for inadequate pay. Most people feel uncomfortable discussing money but a successful negotiation does not only affect the fees you will be getting it will impact your self esteem and influence others perception and value of you. There is a text on the Info-­Pool of the VAI website which offers practical advice

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9 Get Help ! epresentative bodies out there.

Many are listed on the Info-­Pool. The best way to find out about the education or training provided by arts service organisations is to place your name on any e-­bulletin or similar notification lists available to you and/or to check their websites. VAI provides professional development courses (at a reduced rate for members). See the enclosed Education brochure for more info on courses.

Join the Common Room a new social networking space on the VAI website. Integrated with other social networking sites, the Common Room offers the opportunity to engage with peers on a local and world wide basis. www.thecommonroom.net.

10 Join Visual Artists Ireland Access the help desk along with numerous other benefits such as discounts on material suppliers and service providers, 6 copies of the Visual Artists News Sheet posted to your door annually, a reduction on fees charged for workshops and events, access to digital editing facilities and equipment hire, entry into the Living Artists Archive, your personal website listed on the VAI website. By joining you will also be strengthening our voice to lobby on your behalf.

6 So you want to be an artist?

Kick Start Checklist A checklist of priorities position to make the most of any opportunities that come your way.

Create a CV with an updated biography that outlines all your previous exhibitions, education, collectors, and awards.

Research and prepare a mailing list of friends, gallerists, curators and potential collectors and keep it regularly updated. Networking is essential !

Carefully document your work and organise digital files in a coherent manner where they will be easily found. Make sure your images are saved in the correct format, i.e. Pixels, size, filename etc. Use the photographic equipment in college or offer to pay a photographer with one of your artworks.

Subscribe to the VAI e-­bulletin for regular news, opportunities and exhibition openings.

statement.

Establish an internet presence. If you

domain there are plenty of free website hosting options such as Blogger, Google Sites, LinkedIn or Word Press. Create a profile on The Common Room the online social network for visual artists.

Create a simple consignment note and bill of sale. There are plenty of template ones available online which can be adapted to suit your purposes. There is a sample Letter confirming sale of an artwork available on the Info-­Pool

Assert your copyright wherever your work appears in publications, media releases, submissions, online etc. More information on copyright can be found within this pack.

Artist Profile: Cora Cummins What's your background? I studied Fine Art at DIT and then a Masters in Fine Art at NCAD.

What work experience have you had? I worked as an art teacher for adult VEC night classes, ran workshops with the National Gallery Outreach programme, worked in continuing education at NCAD, lectured part time for 6 years at IADT and DIT.

What did you do when you finished your degree? I joined the Black Church Print Studio, I worked on various Community Employment Schemes including Art Squad, Temple Bar Galleries and The Black church Print Studio. I worked on various art workshops with adult community groups.

Did you feel prepared for the real world? When I left college in 1995 I had no expectations, in fact we were set up to believe that chances of survival in the art world were slim and that if you could survive it for ten years then perhaps you could make it. I worked on survival on a year to year basis with a notion that I would do a graphic design course or a teacher training year if things did not work out. So I suppose I did have training in being flexible and taking opportunities when they came my way.

What are you doing now? I am working as an assistant lecturer in Visual Arts Practice at IADT. I have a studio at Temple Bar Gallery & Studios and am working on a forthcoming exhibition at Galway Arts Centre.

What advice would you give to students who are in their final year of art college? Join a group studio, this can help to bridge the gap between college and life after graduation. Don't expect things to work out immediately, persevere, and be selective with choice of exhibitions you show in. I think that a gap of a few years between graduating and pursuing post graduate qualifications is a good idea.

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Copyright Too often the first time an artist thinks about copyright is after discovering that their work has been copied without permission or infringed in some way. Knowing the basics of copyright from the start can save you a huge amount of grief further down the road and can also be financially rewarding. So what do you need to know?

What is copyright for? Copyright addresses the need for creators to retain control over their ideas and to receive fair compensation for the use of their work. It is illegal to use works of art without the consent of the copyright owner, which is usually the artist. Copyright remains with the artist even when the physical artwork is sold. The only way to transfer copyright ownership is in writing.

Protection is automatic There is no system of registration of copyright protection in Ireland as copyright arises automatically on the creation of an original work. You do not need to publish your work, to put a copyright notice on it or do anything else to be covered by copyright protection is free and automatic, provided that it has resulted from simply copied from another work. It is still advisable to assert your copyright whenever possible using the copyright symbol , your name and the year of creation.

How long does copyright last? In Ireland, and throughout the European Union,

years.

Legal rights of copyright owners

Economic rights Subject to certain exceptions, copyright gives the creator the right to prevent others from exploiting their work without permission. This includes copying the work;; making the work available to the public;; distributing the work;; or adapting the work. These restrictions enable an artist to charge a fee, or royalty for the any reproductions of their work. Moral Rights The moral rights of interest to artists are: the paternity right (the right to be identified as the creator of the work), the integrity right (the right to prevent mutilation, distortion or other derogatory alteration of the work) and the right of false attribution (the right not to have a work falsely attributed to you).

Assigning and licensing rights Copyright owners can assign or licence their rights. Assigning rights means someone else becomes the owner of the copyright;; licensing means another person can use the work for the licensed purpose, e.g. reproduction in a printed publication, merchandising, advertising etc. Assignments and licenses can apply to all the rights in the material or to just some of the rights. For example an artist may give a license to reproduce their work in a publication but retain all other rights.

Artists Resale Right This right was introduced in Ireland in 2006 and entitles artists to receive a royalty each time their work is resold (i.e. any sale subsequent to the first sale by the artist) by an auction house, gallery or art dealer. Artists can collect the resale right themselves directly or can mandate an artists rights organisation such as IVARO to do so on their behalf.

The Irish Visual Artists Rights Organisation (IVARO) is a non-­profit organisation for the protection and promotion of the copyright and related rights of visual artists and their heirs, in Ireland and worldwide. IVARO offers copyright licensing services and collects the Artists Resale Right on behalf of its members. Membership of IVARO is free and open to all visual creators.

www.ivaro.ie

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INFO~POOL The Info-­Pool http://www.info-­pool.ie is a valuable online resource for emerging artists that provides information on all aspects of their professional development. It is divided up into four areas:

The Practical Information listings cover such areas as galleries, studios, networks, arts officers, materials suppliers, service suppliers, funding sources, colleges, courses, training, international resources, publications etc.

The Professional Pathways section provides overviews of the different approaches to practicing as a professional artist. Topics such as undertaking residencies, undertaking commissions, exhibiting with galleries, selling work, setting up a studio, organising an exhibition or event.

The Development Tools section provides advice and guidance on cultivating the necessary skills and strategies to survive and develop as an artist. Includes texts on such issues as pricing and costing your work, preparing proposals and applications, earning opportunities, marketing your work, budgeting and financing, approaching galleries etc.

The Legal/Technical Guides section provides every thing an artist might need to know on the more technical and legal issues affecting their profession. This would include issues such as, tax, self-­employment, copyright, art handling, importing and exporting work for exhibition, insurance, health and safety.

This pack includes the following three texts from the Info-­Pool :

Postgraduate Education Training and Scholarships by Dr. Siún Hanrahan

Exhibiting With Galleries by Hugh Mulholland

Awards, Bursaries and Grants by Neva Elliott

JOIN NOW!!! Through our website www.visualartists.ie By filing in the form in The Visual Artists News Sheet Concessions Rate -­ for students living on

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INFO-­POOL CAREERS PATH Below are five headings relevant to artists making the transition from education to professional practice. Below each heading are a list of some of the related texts available on the Info-­Pool: www.info-­pool.ie

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About VAI

Visual Artists Ireland is the representative body for professional visual artists. It provides services, facilities and resources for artists, initiates artistic projects and publications and acts as an advocate on behalf of individual artists. The organisation was established in 1980 and has a current membership of over 1,500 artists.

VAI has regional representatives in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Our representatives are able to offer help and assistance to students and graduates and are available to visit art colleges around the country. Contact info@visualartists.ie for more information.

Visual Artists Ireland is core funded by the Arts Council /An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Programme Activities

Services Facilities and Resources

These activities are designed to be timely, useful, practical and relevant to artists. They are designed so as not to replicate other services. They are easy to use, easy to access and simple to administrate.

Visual Artists News Sheet the industry standard magazine for visual artists;;

e-­Bulletin twice weekly emails of news, opportunities and listings;;

Opportunities including information on commissions, residencies, exhibition calls, studio spaces etc;;

info~pool a comprehensive on line information resource;;

Help-­desk offering advice, information and support on professional issue;;

Training a national programme of professional development training workshops;;

Discount Scheme material suppliers and service providers;;

Equipment/Facilities affordable access to video editing, cameras, computers and other equipment.

Artistic Programmes

These are designed so as to keep the organisation imbedded in the arts sector and engaged with the very individuals that we represent. The programmes allow us to make new

contacts, develop new networks, and give us credibility and presence within the sector. They also allow us to help in the delivery of projects that might not otherwise take place.

Visual Artists Ireland also has a policy of working with artists and artist run organisations on the development and delivery of collaborative projects. VAI also undertakes different strands of support mechanisms dealing with specific art disciplines & practices. These are aimed at providing on-­going career development within these subjects, dealing with the specifics of skills and production.

Advocacy, Lobbying and Representation

Visual Artists Ireland operates a programme of advocacy, lobbying and representation. This programme is designed to give a collective voice to the individual artist. It is recognised generally that artists face particular difficulties in relation to living and working conditions as a result of their working practices and their status as self-­employed individuals. The programme aims to redress this balance, to be proactive, to accumulate artists concerns for representation within relevant forums.

The organisation takes on the key issues that concern professional artists generally in relation to their status, rights and income. It monitors policies and undertakes research into issues

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Visual Artists Ireland Student Pack © 2010

that affect artist. It also represents the interests of individual artists on a case-­by-­case basis in relation to specific, one-­off issues.

It operates a programme of regional and international representation

through appointed artist representatives and has a policy of building strategic partnerships with other organisations so as to better represent the interests of individual visual artists.

The e-bulletin Visual Artists Ireland's e-­bulletin is a twice-­weekly service providing the latest information on news, opportunities, exhibitions and events relating to the visual arts in Ireland. The bulletin is sent every Tuesday and Thursday.

To subscribe to the e-­bulletin visit www.visualartists.ie or send an email to info@visualartists.ie

The Visual Artists News Sheet Published six times a year, The Visual Artists' News Sheet (VANS) is one of two publications produced by VAI. The VANS has been devised primarily as an information resource for artists in Ireland. It is useful, practical and relevant, it is regularly produced and widely distributed, it draws on a diverse range of contributors and assumes a broad readership amongst visual artists. This publication is a valuable and much needed resource for all artists practicing in Ireland. A subscription to the VANS is included in VAI membership and it is also available across the island of Ireland as a free sheet.

Printed Project is the journal published by Visual Artists Ireland. Printed Project is an ongoing collaboration amongst artists, critics and curators, writers and readers devoted to making sense of contemporary art and culture.

Printed Project is published twice a year and is edited on a rotating basis by invited curatorial editors. It gathers and presents thought and opinion on issues and arguments that enliven dialogue and debate on art and the wider culture of our present day.

Printed Project is available to purchase from from the VAI website and select bookshops (such as the IFI, Noble & Beggarman, IMMA, Douglas Hyde Gallery).

Visual Artists Ireland Education Programme Visual Artists Ireland operates a wide range of professional development and education events for visual artists at all career levels, throughout the year, including: workshops, peer discussion groups, seminars, talks and networking events. The delivery of this programme is greatly supported by our relationship with local and international visual art professionals and partner organisations throughout the island of Ireland. VAI works in partnership with Local Authorities, visual arts venues and others, combining resources to support the professional development of visual artists at regional level.

In 2009/10 workshops took place in Belfast, Cork, Carlow, Derry, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Limerick, Portlaoise, Tyrone and Waterford.

The VAI Education Programme works in tandem with the other professional development resources listed in this pack including: the VAI info~pool, VAI Help Desk and professional practice articles in The Visual Artists News Sheet.

12 Recent workshop themes and topics have included:

Communication Skills Writing about your work Statement & CV

Presentation Skills for Visual Artists Preparing Proposals

Finance Money Matters for Visual Artists Managing your Accounts

Legal Issue Legal and Contractual Issues Copyright and the Internet

Promoting Your Work Web design for Visual Artists

Art Publishing & Having your Work Reviewed

Digital Photography & Photoshop Documenting Work

Strategies for Showing Work

Technical and Installation Skills

Initiating Artist Led Exhibitions

Working with Public & Private Galleries

Discussion Event for Artist Groups

Peer Support & Critique Peer Critique. Painting Peer Critique. Photography

Peer Critique. All Media Peer Critique. Multi Media & Installation

Peer Support for Collaborative Artists

Cross Generational & Reminiscence Work

Roundtable on Collaborative Photography

DIY Photography. Image Making with Groups

Public Art Approaches to Public Art

Arts Professionals who have contributed to our workshop programme Age Exchange -­ Arts and Reminiscence Org U.K

Joanna Karolini Artist

Jackie Barker -­ Director Millennium Court

Eilis Lavelle -­ Curator

Sylvia Grace Borda Artist -­ Collaborative Arts with Young People

Jason E. Bowman -­ Artist, Curator Julienne Lorz -­ Curator Hausderkunst München

Tara Byrne Curator Peter Murray -­ Director Crawford Gallery Cork

Caroline Campbell -­ Internet Copyright Lawyer

Claire Nidecker -­ Artist, Arts Consultant

Annette Clancy -­ Arts Consultant Theresa Nanigian Artist

Patricia Clyne-­Kelly -­ Gallerist, Arts Consultant, Artist

Paul Nugent Artist

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Diane Copperwhite Artist Kerry McCall -­ Arts Manager and Arts Consultant

Caoimhin Corrigan -­ Arts Officer & Curator

Conor McFeely -­ Multimedia and Installation Artist

Mark Cullen -­ Artist, Founder Pallas Studios

Dobz O'Brien -­ Artist and Curator

Kirsti Cumming / Artist, Veer North, The Shetlands

Ruairí Ó Cuív -­ Curator and Public Art Officer

Richard Deacon Sculptor Jerome O'Drisceoil -­ Director GreenonRed Gallery

Keith Donnelly -­ Artist & Public Art Consultant

Marianne O'Kane Boal -­ Arts Writer and Curator

Brian Duggan -­ Artist, Founder Pallas Studios

y Artist

Neva Elliott Artist Roxane Permar / Artist, Veer North, The Shetlands

Niall Flaherty -­ Artist & Web designer John Quinlan / Director Vangard Gallery Cork

Gillian Fitzpatrick -­ Artist & Art Technician

Heli Rekula -­ Multimedia & performance artist

Mike Fitzpatrick -­ Curator Linda Scales -­ Intellectual Property Lawyer

Mark Garry Artist Sarah Searson -­ Curator and Public Art Consultant

Lyne Harris Artist Cliodhna Shaffrey -­ Curator & Public Art Consultant

Martin Healy Artist Gaby Smyth & Co. -­ Arts Accountancy Firm

Ed Kiely -­ Art Technician IMMA

Workshop Fees

Workshop fees are subsidised by Visual Artists Ireland and set at a level that recognises visual artists means. Currently workshops are p -­

Workshop Availability

VAI professional development training and events are regularly publicised through the VAI e-­bulletin, on the VAI web site and in The Visual Artists News Sheet. You will also find details of the VAI Education Programme via the VAI Professional Development Group on Facebook and on the www.thecommonroom.net calendar. In general workshops are run during periods Jan -­ June and Sept -­ Dec.

For further information contact:

Monica Flynn / Education Officer

Visual Artists Ireland, 37 Nth Great Georges Street, Dublin 1

T: +353 (0)1 8722296

E: monica@visualartists.ie

http://visualartists.ie/education/

14 The Common Room Social Network for the VisualArts

Visual Artists Ireland (VAI) has launched a new social networking site for the visual arts www.thecommonroom.net. Visual Artists Ireland has been helping professional visual artists since 1980 with an ever widening level of services. Following discussion and research, VAI wished to supply a further level of public service to the visual arts. Noting the benefits of social networking sites for

and connecting users to familiar and new people through mutual acquaintances and common interests, VAI created The Common Room Social Network for the Visual Arts.

Facebook and Twitter are significant

points of contact that an ever growing number of people use each day. We felt that this was an excellent opportunity for a specialised site that can support the visual arts, as well as providing a platform for discussion and presentation that is both

CEO of Visual Artists Ireland.

With forums, blogs, image & video galleries, special interest group creation, and links to other networking sites such as Twitter, thecommonroom.net provides a convenient one stop area for people working in the visual arts to keep in contact, as well as providing a free platform for presentation, discussion and group support.

The Common Room

An online social network that lets you interact with other artists through forums, blogs, videos and photos. Meet

people, exchange ideas, join interest groups, stay up to date with events and opportunities.

JOIN FOR FREE TODAY!

www.thecommonroom.net

Mary Cloake, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Ireland, com The Common Room Social Network for the Visual Arts shows a timely insight and represents a strong commitment to the support of visual arts in Ireland. Both local and international access will prove itself to be a valuable resource to people working in the visual arts, as well as to the wider international audience of people who have a common interest

Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland The Common Room marks a constructive and welcome step forward in strengthening communications between artists on these islands and linking up with artists around the world. Connecting the loose ends of various networking sites will improve the flow and sharing of information, as well as creating opportunities for artists to showcase their projects on a world-­wide

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INFO-­POOL TEXTS Postgraduate Education, Training and Scholarships By Dr. Siún Hanrahan

What is the Point of Further Study? To Develop Your Practice -­ Ideally, engaging in further study, whether specialist training, postgraduate education or professional development programmes offers the opportunity to develop your practice through enhancing your skills and/or through critical engagement with others.

To Enhance Your Chances of Employment -­ Many artists earn a living or supplement their income through working in arts administration or third level education. In both of these areas, further education, in the form of a Postgraduate Diploma or Masters Degree, is becoming a minimum requirement. Furthermore, the rapid pace of technological change in areas such as New Media means that updating your skills can be advantageous

What are Your Options? Training is largely about skills enhancement. During the relatively short four years of a BA programme art students are introduced to a wide range of skills. Nonetheless, there are two reasons that further training may be of benefit to your art practice. If your practice is discipline specific, it may enable you to become expert in particular techniques that are central to your practice. Alternatively, if your practice tends to be inter-­disciplinary, it may enable you to acquire or develop the skills to realise particular ideas.

While postgraduate education and professional development programmes may supplement and enhance your skills, it is critical engagement with others that is the main vehicle offered for developing your practice. Within taught Masters programmes and many professional development programmes this happens through critiques offered by peers (fellow students) and tutors, and through your contribution to such critiques in relation to others. In research based programmes, such as MPhil and PhD degrees, critical engagement is centred in the relationship between you and your supervisor(s).

How Does Postgraduate Study Differ From BA Programmes? For the most part, the difference is a matter of depth and breadth of understanding rather than a matter of kind. If, at undergraduate level, you are expected to be aware of the boundaries of learning in your field and of what is required to push back those boundaries;; at postgraduate level you are expected to demonstrate a level of knowledge and understanding that is at the forefront of

Authority of Ireland offers a useful account of the difference between BA, Masters and Doctoral level qualifications, www.nqai.ie).

With regard to learning and teaching, while some postgraduate programmes place a strong emphasis on acquiring particular skills others do not, but all expect a large degree of independent learning on the part of the student and an ability and willingness to engage critically with the programme.

The Benefits - Why might it be a good idea to embark on a course of further study? Key benefits offered by postgraduate education for your art practice are a relatively structured framework for a focused period of work, and a sustained critical response to your artwork and art practice. Depending on your circumstances, the first of these may be more or less important for the development of your work. The latter is an important consideration for anyone considering postgraduate education. Outside of an educational context it can

16 be difficult to get critical feedback in relation to your work. The main avenues for such feedback friends answering the question "so, what do you think?", reviews, and commissioned essays often lack depth and rigour. Yet it is through engaging in a critical way with questions raised by your art practice that you learn. As an individual you can develop your understanding of issues that are of interest or relevant to your practice but in the wider critical context offered by a postgraduate programme you should be confronted with questions and ideas that you otherwise might not encounter;; questions and perspectives that challenge your understanding of what you are doing.

In a similar vein, engaging in a postgraduate programme will require that you articulate a critical response in relation to the work of others. While it is possible to do this to some extent on a day-­to-­day basis, the context does not always support a careful teasing out and development of your insight. Yet, engaging in such discussions extends your understanding of contemporary art practices, the wider context in which your own work is situated, as well as giving you tools with which to critique your practice afresh.

Returning for a moment to the challenge posed by questions and ideas that you otherwise might not encounter: this suggests that it is worth looking further afield than the institution at which you did your BA for a postgraduate qualification. From an idealistic point of view, going elsewhere will ensure that you encounter new perspectives and conceptual challenges. From a practical point of view, it is better in the eyes of employers (and peers) that you have sought a broad range of experience. This is an important consideration!

The Practical Benefits of Postgraduate Education The practical benefits of postgraduate education vary according to the nature of the programme. While many programmes offer a studio space, some do not. Indeed, for some people being offered a studio space is a major incentive, whereas for others it is inconvenient to be required to relocate a significant

Access to resources specialised equipment and technical expertise -­ is a major practical benefit offered by postgraduate education. Certainly, you should give careful consideration to the resources being offered by a given programme or institution in relation to the nature of your practice and the programme of work you envisage undertaking.

Where funding is available, this is obviously of major practical benefit in enabling you to spend uninterrupted time making work.

Finally, and as mentioned at the outset, a major practical benefit of postgraduate education is that it enhances your prospects of securing paid employment in the arts sector, be that in arts administration or in education. For better or worse, a Masters level degree is becoming a minimum requirement for teaching in third level art education and within the next decade a PhD or Doctoral level degree will be needed to gain advantage.

When Is The Right Time? There is no wrong time. The right time depends upon your practice and what it is that you wish to achieve. For some people, it makes sense to go straight from undergraduate into postgraduate study. If you have a particular vision of what you want to achieve and are clear upon the way in which a given programme will enable this then there may be no reason to delay.

For most people, in my opinion, there is something to be gained from not enrolling straight away on a postgraduate programme. The real learning about what it is to be an artist, what it is to pursue your art practice and make work, begins once you leave college so that staying in college may simply serve to put off the uncertainties and difficulties this involves. Importantly, having learned what it is to be an artist and develo

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good position to exploit the opportunities offered by postgraduate education. An established art practice allows you to identify precisely what it is that you want from a postgraduate programme, and knowing what you want will put you in a good position for choosing the right programme to meet your needs. It also places you in a strong position to engage with the programme based on your experience to date both in making sense of and in exploiting the critical responses received in relation to your work, and in offering the same to your peers.

At the right time and on the right programme, the intense engagement offered by postgraduate education is energising and, as such, can give a new lease of life to your practice.

Academic Study or The Real Experience Both! The real and unending learning takes place in pursuing your art practice over time and in the face of obstacles and uncertainties. Moreover, a real and enriching learning is offered by academic study it is a wonderfully selfish opportunity to pursue your interests with the benefit of other people thinking toward your ends.

Training & Workshops During the course of your undergraduate education you will have been given a sound basis in the skills that are part and parcel of being an artist from the physical and technical know-­how to knowing how to operate as a professional artist within the contemporary art sector. And yet, it probably ought not end there. As indicated above there are various reasons why you might want to enhance or update your technical skills to become expert in particular techniques that are central to your practice, to extend the range of skills necessary for an inter-­disciplinary practice.

Depending on the nature of the skills you are looking to acquire or extend, there are a range of providers and modes of study. FÁS offer a range of excellent courses, ranging from arc welding to web design, with means of delivery from day and evening time courses to on-­line courses. The various arts centres and sculpture centres around the country occasionally offer courses, ranging from the practical to professional development.

intended to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to orient themselves in the contemporary arts sector. And yet, the importance of acquiring a thorough understanding of these skills may not hit home until the safety net of college has been left behind. Workshops offering this kind of professional development are available through Visual Artists Ireland and, as mentioned above, may also be available through local art centres.

MA / MFA Programmes For most people looking to re-­engage in a critical way with their practice within an academic context, a taught MA / MFA programme is the most suitable postgraduate programme. The objective of a Masters programme is to support students in developing a practice that is founded on a deep and focused enquiry at the forefront of their discipline. Alongside this, most Masters

within the work and its place within contemporary art practice.

The reason that an MA / MFA programme is the appropriate postgraduate programme for most artists is that the process that the students (artists) are being asked to engage in is an extension of what it is to make art. That is, the student is required to come with an art practice and a proposal for a body of work s/he wishes to carry out. S/he carries this out in the context of the programme and is offered an ongoing critique in relation to the processes engaged in and the manifest outcomes of that process. Further, the theoretical framework that s/he is

18 required to engage with tends to involve concepts and discourses that are central to the contemporary art sector.

What is the difference between an MA and an MFA? In the United States of America there is a clear difference between these two awards. The programme of study required for the award of an MFA is twice that required for an MA, and the MFA is currently considered to be a terminal degree, that is, the highest possible qualification in fine art. In the UK and Ireland, however, the difference is not clear-­cut. Programmes of equal duration and substance may be called an MA or an MFA.

A Masters qualification is coming to be a basic requirement for lecturing positions in art and design at third level, and a pertinent Masters is desirable for many positions in arts administration.

MPhil Programmes (Masters by Research) Doing a Masters by Research is still a relatively recent development within art and design. An MPhil in Fine Art (or design) is different to a traditional MPhil research programme in that it involves art-­making or design-­work, and different to a traditional Masters in Fine Art (or Design) in that the artist engages his or her practice as research. That is, research is carried out through the art practice rather than simply for the art practice. At a crude level, this involves a substantial written thesis (typically, from 20-­30 thousand words) to be submitted alongside a body of artwork. What is important is the anticipated relationship between the written words and the artwork that, together, comprise the MPhil submission. This precise nature of this relationship will be determined, in significant measure, by the research question.

Research involves posing a question, selecting an appropriate method of answering or addressing that question, gathering evidence, and relating the evidence to the question so as to draw conclusions.

Within the context of fine art, an MPhil (or PhD) research programme requires that you have a relatively clear research question a problem to be solved or an idea to be explored. You must know and be able to articulate what it is that you want to investigate. If you are interested in doing an MPhil (or PhD) it is important to invest time in developing your question, and it is advisable that you do this in consultation with your potential supervisors (see below). You want to arrive at an articulation of your research question that is feasible firstly, that the question can be addressed in a way that is open to inter-­subjective examination and judgement, and secondly, that the formulation of the question requires the kind of activity (in terms of art-­making and text-­based research) that you wish to engage in.

An MPhil (or PhD) research programme also requires that you have a reasonably clear sense of how you will go about addressing your research question. You may not know exactly how your research process will unfold at the outset but you do need to have a strong sense of how you expect to proceed, what you anticipate happening, and how you think this will relate to your research question. Your initial activity within the studio and within your text-­based research may largely serve to orient and sensitise you to the issues to be addressed, allowing you to modify your research as you go along, but it is important achieve clarity regarding your methods and their relationship to your research question.

As you carry out your research, within the studio and through investigating the thoughts and works of others relating to your enquiry, it is important to document your process thoroughly. This will allow you to keep track of the path your research followed and give an accurate account of it if necessary. Such documentation should include a research log (a form of diary) and a reasonably wide range of visual documentation.

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At the end of the research programme, a two-­year period for a full-­time MPhil, the outcomes of the research are submitted. The precise form of the submission will require careful consideration. Where appropriate (and in most cases) direct access to the artwork should form a part of the examination but it is important that the submission includes good enough documentation that a reader/viewer who does not get to see the artwork at first hand can make sense of the research in the future.

So what of the vexed text? It seems to me that if art practice is to be engaged as research, then there ought to be an integral link between the thought processes in the studio practice and the thought processes in the reflection (the written text). The benefit of this is that if the structure of the interaction between the making and the written component is negotiated on the basis of the particular art-­practice, then the words penned alongside the artworks can function as a part of the artwork working. Nonetheless, as I said above, what will determine the appropriate relationship between text and artwork is the research question.

The Role of the Supervisor. Whether you are enrolled on an MPhil programme or a PhD programme, your supervisor will have a major impact on your experience and on your research. For this reason it is worth spending time identifying potential supervisors (in a range of institutions, ideally) and meeting with them to get a sense of your compatibility and their likely contribution to your research. Certainly, it is advisable to involve your potential supervisor in the development of your research proposal as this will help with refining your research question and will allow you both to judge your ability to achieve a shared understanding of the project and to work together.

In general, time spent on developing your proposal and finding the right

moves on very quickly and the more you have done before you officially start the better.

PhD Programmes The process of doing a PhD is much like that of doing an MPhil, but more is demanded of the outcomes and the duration is 3 years. What is required of PhD research is that it makes an original contribution to knowledge. That is, the research must extend the frontier of knowledge in your field. The information given above in relation to MPhil programmes from the formulation of the research question to the role of your supervisor is equally applicable to pursuing a PhD.

If engaging your practice as research is the right thing to do for your practice, then engaging upon an MPhil or a PhD is a very rewarding undertaking. If it is not the right thing to do for your practice then it can be intensely frustrating. At masters level there is a strong alternative an MA. At doctoral level there is much work yet to be done to determine an appropriate, discipline-­specific and equivalent alternative, a DFA. This is an important issue because as more people do creative PhD's and more art and design institutions get involved in research, having a doctorate will become an important advantage in seeking employment as a lecturer.

Art (or Design) as research is still a new field and, as such, it does not yet have a developed literature regarding appropriate methodologies (the method is the way in which the research is carried out, the actual structure employed by a researcher in carrying out a particular enquiry;; methodology is the study of methods, it entails theoretical principles and a framework to guide how research is done in accordance with those principles). It is nonetheless important to engage with the question of methodology and a research programme (at MPhil or PhD level) that offers a taught element in relation to this.

20 Useful Sources in Relation to Art as Research

Elkins, Ja -­Project, no. 4 (2005): 7-­19.

Printed Project, no. 4 (2005): 20-­34.

Hannula, Mika, Juha Souranta and Tere Vadèn, Artistic Research theories, methods and practices, Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, Finland and University of Gothenburg/ArtMonitor, Sweden, 2005.

European Journal of Higher Arts Education, no. 1 (2002).

MacLeod, Katy and Lin Hodridge (eds.), Thinking Through Art: reflections on art as research, Routledge, London, 2006.

The Journal of Visual Arts Practice (and its predecessor Drawing Fire) has been a significant vehicle for discussing issues relating to art as research since the mid-­90s.

Professional Development Programmes For those interested in developing their practice through a sustained critical engagement with others, there are very highly regarded organisations offering exciting and internationally recognised programmes that do not lead to an academic award. The Independent Study Programme at the Whitney Museum in New York, for example, involves pursuing your practice (studio, curatorial, critical

ng discussions and debates that examine the historical, social, and intellectual conditions of artistic

recognised artists, critics and curators that lead their seminar programme). In a similar vein, the Rijksakademie in The Netherlands offers an annual residency programme hosting 25 artists and offering artistic, technical and theoretical support across the full range of contemporary artistic practices.

On international programmes such as that of the Whitney or the Rijksakademie, the critical experience gained can match that to be gained on an MA programme and, for the most part, will be recognised as such within the art world.

Ireland or Abroad? All sorts of factors affect the decision as to where to go for postgraduate study. There is a wider range of choice if you go abroad many more taught programmes to choose from, diverse understandings of how to pursue art as research at MPhil or PhD level, a large postgraduate student body etc. However, the range of options to choose from without leaving the island is getting better. Considered on an all-­island basis, there is a reasonable range of postgraduate programmes to choose from without going abroad. Furthermore, there is funding available from County Councils and many colleges offer a range of scholarships.

Nonetheless, there is a lot to be said for the experience gained through being exposed to new structures and new people. From a financial point of view it can seem easier to stay put but it is worth spending time identifying where you would most like to go, regardless of location, in order to then determine whether it is possible to source funding, either from that college or through international agencies.

In arriving at your decision, take your time and do your homework. Time spent deciding where to go is not time wasted. Having identified the MA programmes that interest you, it is an idea to look around the studios and facilities during the academic year, to see end of programme exhibitions and to talk to lecturers as well as students of the programme. If you are interested in postgraduate research

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then bear in mind the impact your supervisor will have on your experience. Spend time identifying the experts in your particular field;; if a key person in your field works in art and design higher education then s/he may be willing and able to supervise you.

Postgraduate education is a major investment of time and money so it is worth investing some effort in getting your decision right.

Practical Considerations Postgraduate education can be costly. On an all-­island basis, education-­grants are available from local authorities these cover fees and provide a small living allowance. Scholarships are also available from a number of art colleges for postgraduate research.

If you wish to study abroad, then it is worth talking to the institution to which you are considering applying to discover what scholarships they offer, and for suggestions regarding other possible sources of funding.

Another way of keeping costs down is to study part-­time. The fees for part-­time study are significantly less than for full-­time study. Some MA programmes offer a part-­time and a full-­time pathway. In general, part-­time study requires greater discipline and motivation of a student so, if possible, pursue your studies on a full-­time basis. This is particularly true for postgraduate research. Research is quite a solitary pursuit and making progress requires sustained concentration. It may be possible to switch between being full-­time and part-­time so this is worth considering if full-­time study is not feasible for the duration consider a period of full-­time study at the start of the programme and again towards the end.

Online education is a growing field with some potential application for art and design. Where there are particular skills to be learned that do not require face-­to-­face demonstration, this can be a good option such programmes can allow you to structure your time effectively and on your own terms. There are also plenty of online options for traditional (text-­based) postgraduate research. For a studio-­based education, on-­line programmes are not particularly developed at postgraduate level. If you are investigating an online option (whether studio based or traditional) it is important to explore how student activity is structured so as to support the emergence of a learning community;; what does the programme require you to do that will create a context for peer exchange and the learning that comes from negotiating shared understandings. In addition to overcoming isolation, peer discussion is a crucial source of learning.

Dr. Siún Hanrahan. This text is for personal use and may not be reproduced or distributed in any way without the written permission of the writer or publishers. Though every care has been taken in its preparation, Visual Artists Ireland can in no way be held liable for any consequence, or and claims, damages, expenses or other loss arising from its use.

Exhibiting with Galleries by Hugh Mulholland

Introduction It is little wonder that visual artists are unsure of what the relationship between themselves and a gallery should be, when there seems to be a concerted effort in the art world to create a hierarchy of galleries, of both private and public spaces, for the promotion of a small number of artists. In this system artists sometimes find themselves not only trying to navigate their way through a complex network of galleries, but also having to second guess the motivation of the individuals running them. With curators of public spaces programming as if they are running private foundations and directors of commercial galleries taking

22 a perverse pleasure in their aloofness, approaching galleries can be an intimidating prospect.

This may seem a cynical introduction and whilst I accept that not all curators are self serving egotists and not all commercial spaces are unapproachable, unfortunately this is sometimes the reality. So, my problem, and yours, if you are a struggling artist trying to get your work noticed, is the seeming lack of opportunities and spaces which exist to meet your expectations as your practice develops.

This reality does make it more difficult to get your work noticed, but it does not make it impossible, and whist the trappings of success may often seem to come more easily to those artists who display more ambition than talent, I am convinced that in the end good work wins out, it just takes longer!

However, deciding to become an artist means accepting you are part of the art world and accepting that no artist operates outside it. Whether claiming to be mainstream, alternative, accepted or marginalised;; artists, galleries, curators and critics are dependent on each other.

Approaching a Gallery If you are to become a successful, or fulfilled, artist you must take control of your own career. It is not enough to hope that curators will discover your work and seek you out. To a large extent you will have to create your own opportunities, but you can only achieve this by truly understanding what your own ambitions for your practice are. Therefore, I suggest before you go any further it is important that you ask yourself the following questions. An honest appraisal of your aspirations will inform the path you take.

What kind of work do you do? In what art context do you see your work operating? Can you identify a historical and contemporary context for your work?

Why do you want to exhibit? To get feedback

To communicate with an audience

To make sales

To develop new ideas

To develop work which needs a particular kind of space

To further your career

What are your long-­term aims and ambitions?

To gain national or international recognition

To develop a fulfilling and enjoyable career

Are you ready to exhibit? do you have a coherent body of work?

do you feel confident about your work and your ideas and are you able to articulate them clearly?

It is important that you understand that your working relationship with galleries evolves along with the development of your work itself, it is a lifelong activity and your exhibiting profile will mature as your work does. It is important therefore to have a clear strategy for the promotion of your work and to identify galleries which are compatible with the development of your practice.

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Artist-Run Spaces

break can be daunting, and should be done in an environment which is f

a studio group or through an artist-­run space.

Increasingly artists wishing to have more control over exhibiting opportunities are setting up and running galleries themselves. It goes without saying that artist-­run spaces are generally more supportive of artists and their work. These spaces are

particularly those which do not sit easily within a conventional gallery setting, such as time-­based or performance art.

Having an active involvement with an artist-­run space means you can benefit from the opportunity to exhibit in annual members shows as well as artists exchange exhibitions with similar venues internationally. Some of the disadvantages of artist-­run spaces can arise when the intense workload of trying to simultaneously fulfil the role of artist and administrator, often without financial remuneration, can take its toll on the organisation. Whilst these galleries and studios are subsidised, they are often managed on a voluntary basis with very limited resources. As a result, it can be difficult for them to develop a consistent programme which meets the expectations of the exhibiting artist. This environment has however provided artists with valuable exhibition, as well as curatorial experience, which have informed their working relationships with other galleries and fostered significant artist networks internationally.

Examples of studios & artist-­run spaces:

Pallas Studios, Dublin Fire Station Studios, Dublin The Market Studios, Dublin

Flaxart Studios, Belfast

Catalyst Arts, Belfast Cork Artists Collective, Cork Backwater Artists Group, Cork EmergeD, Glasgow Transmission Gallery, Glasgow Collective Gallery, Edinburgh The Embassy, Edinburgh Cubitt Gallery & Studios London Studio Voltaire, London Castlefield Gallery Manchester Apartment, Manchester Trace, Cardiff

Subsidised / Public Galleries As you gain more experience of exhibiting you should begin to direct proposals to more established galleries within the public sector. Subsidised or publicly funded galleries are those which draw financial support from central or local government, arts councils, and regional arts boards for example.

All galleries operating at this level will require artists to have a very clear idea about the context in which their work is made and to demonstrate a long-­term commitment to their practice.

It is at this point in your career that you should expect a more meaningful and supportive relationship with the gallery and curator. An opportunity to exhibit with a prominent public space should involve their personal and financial investment in the development of your work. The relationship with the curator may evolve over a period of time and should result in a genuine discourse about the work,

24 building a relationship of mutual trust and make the daunting process of presenting your work in a public space easier.

Whilst their personal commitment to the successful exhibition of your work is paramount, there is also a financial obligation, which one should expect from a

e funding, you should receive an artist fee, financial support towards the production and transport of your work and importantly, the production of a catalogue. However, you should not assume that every publicly funded gallery can offer you all of the above. In the early stages of your career the opportunity to work with an established curator and to have your work seen in a high profile space, may be of more benefit to your profile long-­term than financial benefits at that time.

Irrespective of what you can expect a gallery to deliver, it is possible to safeguard a positive exhibiting experience and offset a negative one by clarifying all aspects of the arrangement up front. Insist on a contract or written agreement on what is the responsibility of the gallery and what your responsibilities are. For example, will the work be insured in transit? If you are asked to give a gallery talk,

commission?

Selection Procedure. The selection of artists to exhibit in this type of gallery generally comes through the direct invitation of the curator. However, most subsidised galleries will also receive proposals from artists either on an ongoing basis or at specified times during the year.

It is important that you make your work known to curators, as early in your career as possible. A good curator will have knowledge of you as an artist, and the development of your work long before they may be in the position to offer you a show. It is vital to keep them updated about the progress of your work. Add them

be afraid to make appointments to show curators recent work. However, be sensible about how often you make contact before it can be misinterpreted as stalking! Be aware that these galleries are inundated with applications on a daily basis so it should go without saying that if there is a delay in them replying to your application, responding with frustration will not serve you well.

Examples of Subsidised /Public Galleries:

The Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast Project Arts Centre, Dublin Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin Crawford Gallery, Cork Triskel Arts Centre, Cork Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo Model Art and Niland Gallery, Sligo

Commercial Galleries While a good public gallery or individual curator can create a close working relationship with an artist during the course of their exhibition, subsidised galleries by the very nature of their public function cannot develop ongoing relationships with particular artists, unlike those which exist with a commercial gallery.

As your career develops, and you gain critical acclaim for your work, you can or should expect interest from commercial galleries. There is no doubt that representation by a creditable commercial gallery marks an important point in

become seduced by the interest of a commercial gallery, and that before you

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enter into any arrangement you are sure that it is best for you at that point in your practice. There are obvious benefits to commercial representation, but there are also disadvantages, which should be carefully considered.

As the primary aim of a commercial gallery is to sell art, these principles affect not only what they show and how they select artists but also what commission they charge. Most commercial galleries are now taking percentages of 50% or more on the sale of artwork. What you get in exchange for this percentage will vary depending on the gallery.

When a gallery decides to represent you on an exclusive basis, you should expect at least one solo exhibition every two to three years, depending on your productivity. In addition, the gallery should place your work in gallery group shows in the alternate years, as well as taking your work to important international art fairs. Whilst having your work shown at international fairs is extremely important in terms of your marketability you should not confuse this with international profile rising. Art fairs are essentially about selling not about presenting coherent bodies of work.

Your career development depends, in part, on being included in important collections, including museums. Cultivating relationships with other dealers, museum curators and critics is just as important as selling the art to collectors. It is the ultimate sign of support if your gallery is willing to embrace the responsibility of stimulating interest in your work outside of their area of exclusivity.

If picked up by an important commercial gallery the advantages are clear;; sales of work, prestige and a regular showcase for your work, ads in international art publications and reviews as well as the opportunity to show in major international art fairs. The disadvantages can include problems when changes occur in your work -­ If your early work sold well but your latest work is not as commercially successful;; the gallery may only be interested in keeping you on if the work continues to be profitable for them.

Selection Procedure Most commercial galleries will not accept unsolicited applications. Thus, relationships between artists and commercial spaces evolve slowly, as commercial galleries will often take time to weigh up your commercial viability. This should not prevent you from making yourself known to gallery owners. Go to their openings and be seen but remember what I said about stalking -­ this applies to all galleries, not just public spaces!

Some commercial new artists. This can often lead to being represented by the gallery.

Examples of Commercial Galleries:

Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast The Third Space, Belfast Green on Red, Dublin Kerlin Gallery, Dublin Rubicon Gallery, Dublin

Conclusion The exhibiting opportunities offered by the types of galleries outlined above will depend on where you are in relation to the development of your work and your ability to bring your work to the attention of influential curators, gallery owners and directors. If you are a recent graduate, it is most likely that your first exhibiting experience will come as a result of relationships developed with your contemporaries at college. These collaborations are very important in gaining experience and confidence. Showing with a group of your contemporaries takes a lot of the stress out of making your work public for the first time. In addition to creating these opportunities for yourself, it is advisable to make connections with artist-­run spaces in your area.

26 Many artist run spaces will also have a membership programme, which is a good way of keeping in touch with exhibition opportunities at home and abroad, such as open submission exhibitions, which provide an important platform for emerging artists. Examples of Irish and UK based open exhibitions, which offer emerging artists profile raising opportunities include, ev+a, Limerick, The Project Space at Norwich School of Art & Design, ICA London, Eurojet Futures, RHA, Dublin, and the Crawford Open, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork. These shows often have selection panels made up of international artists, curators and critics, who you need to make aware of your work at an early stage.

This type of exposure will inevitably lead to invitations from curators to exhibit in spaces that are more prominent either in a group or solo capacity. It is important to remember that while all artists would ideally like the glory of a solo show, it is often more beneficial in the early stages of your career to be included in a coherent and pertinent group exhibition selected by a respected/trendy curator.

It should go without saying that before approaching any gallery you should be confident that your documentation and supporting material is going to represent your practice in a clear and easily accessible way. Do not assume that the gallerist is going to take the time to wade through hours of video footage or even go to the trouble of popping slides into a carousel. Your documentation should provide enough information to excite the interest of the curator, which if you are successful will result in a meeting or studio visit providing you with the opportunity to expand on your practice and ultimately lead to your work being exhibited.

Hugh Mulholland. This text is for personal use and may not be reproduced or distributed in any way without the written permission of the writer or publishers. Though every care has been taken in its preparation, Visual Artists Ireland can in no way be held liable for any consequence, or and claims, damages, expenses or other loss arising from its use.

Awards, Bursaries and Grants By Neva Elliott Introduction Awards, bursaries and grants are not only ways of supporting your career but can also signify success and contribute greatly to the development of your practice.

An award can vary from a monetary endowment to a residency period, exhibition or workspace provision. Those offering awards or funding do so for a wide variety of reasons. Awards are granted to enable you to support your practice in some way;; perhaps providing you with the necessary funds to put on an exhibition, to make new work, to take up a residency, to travel, to create a publication, for further education, a research period or to fulfil a proposed project.

To break into such a funding system may seem extremely daunting;; however the main thing to keep in mind is that it is your practice you are trying to support and you will know which award will best suit your work and help you achieve your aims.

Once you have reached some sort of understanding as to what kind of award would be most beneficial to you, you need to look at what kind of awards are available and who is providing them. Each funder will have their own set of criteria for who and what they fund and what they expect from you.

It is worth keeping in mind that the most valuable award is not necessarily the one with the largest financial pay out. Other aspects should be taken into account -­ perhaps the award will give you the opportunity to develop a relationship that will lead to future work? Perhaps the project will be widely viewed and critiqued? A

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financial lump sum might come with strings attached or compromises that would be unacceptable to you and damaging to your work.

The ultimate benefit of any award needs to be considered in relation to your own practice. Will it provide the time, space, money or support you require? Will it help you to come to the attention of your sought after audience, be that the public or arts professionals or will it help you develop through continued learning or exposure? It is important to have a focused approach to selecting awards for application, although there may be a myriad available, only some will fit the criteria of what you need or desire.

The Funders Get into the know about funders and funding opportunities;; get on email news lists from arts organisations and search hub info web sites. Get used to who is out there and what they are offering;; this is a continuous task as new awards crop up all the time. In this text, I will outline some of the main and important funders that artists should be aware of and also the broad categories under which they fall.

Government Bodies The Arts Council of Ireland is an independent government body under the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. It is the Irish State's principal instrument of arts funding and an advisory body to government on arts matters. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the Northern Irish equivalent and the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland.

The Arts Councils are the most important funders for artists in Ireland in that they

important from the point of view that panels of arts professionals and artists select the awardees;; therefore, selection can also be seen as a seal of approval from a professional authority. Both Councils publish lists of those who receive grants and bursaries on their websites, making interesting reading for all.

The Arts Councils support not only the visual arts but also architecture, dance, drama, film, literature, music, opera, community arts and multidisciplinary projects through a number of awards and revenue funding to arts organisations. To apply to the Arts Council of Ireland you must be born in, or be resident in the Republic of Ireland and be in possession of a valid PPS number. The Arts Council of Northern

As an emerging artist or recent graduate you may feel that you do not have a chance of winning a grant or that only more established artists receive them. This is not the case. The criteria for assessment of awards can be found on both

-­ key areas being the quality of the work and proposal (both the idea and planning) submitted and evidence of how the proposal may advance your career. It will of course be necessary to submit a CV but an emerging career does not put you out of the running. In fact the Arts Council of Noemerging artists and/or first time applicants. The emphasis on track record has been removed and applications will be judged solely on the quality of works

The Awards programme run by the Arts Council of Ireland for individuals or groups of artists includes: Bursary Award (to allow artists to buy time, space and freedom to concentrate on developing practice or body of work);; Projects: New Work (to enable individuals or organisations to carry out stand-­alone projects);; Commissions (to encourage creative partnership between diverse range of commissioners and artists) and the Travel & Training Award (to improve professional development and formation;; to encourage networking opportunities). The Arts Council also offers schemes managed or run in partnership with other organisations. For example, the Location One Fellowship is administered by the Irish American Cultural Institute on behalf of the Arts Council -­

28 an annual fellowship which provides a studio space for ten months at Location One, New York including accommodation and a monthly stipend. The Banff Residency is offered in association with the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta and The Artist in the Community Scheme which is managed by CREATE is for artists working collaboratively with communities.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland supports individual artists through a Travel Award;; International Awards (to develop exchanges and take up residencies);; an International specialised research, personal artistic development and certain materials/equipment);; Major Individual Awards (open to established artists to develop ambitious work) and residency awards run in partnership including the Banff Residency, Winnipeg Exchange Residency and The British School at Rome Fellowship.

strengthening of Irish as a community language in Gaeltacht Communities and its

of Ireland set up a partnership and subsidiary company called Ealaín na Gaeltachta in 1997. Its aim is to develop the traditional and contemporary arts in the Gaeltacht and provide financial assistance and advice to artists and arts groups working there. To this end Ealaín na Gaeltachta run bursary and project schemes for both groups and individuals.

A scheme that has seen many artists achieve large-­scale projects since its implementation has been the Percent for Art scheme -­ first introduced in Ireland in 1988 by the Department of Environment. This scheme allows for one per cent

budgets, to be spent on commissioning art. Alongside individual works it has also provided for important programmes to emerge such as Breaking Ground the percent for art strategy for Ballymun. Although the Percent for Art scheme may have previously been seen as a commissioning award to create monumental works attached to very specific developments, it has now developed to encompass temporary projects, multimedia and participatory works as well as ongoing programmes of commissioning and community related projects.

Culture Ireland was established in 2005 by the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism to

project with an international angle or you have been invited to show or work abroad, Culture Ireland is the organsiation you should approach to seek support. It does however have tight reporting procedures on which the grant release hinges and will request receipts of spending before it grants any money. This is not a retrospective granting of the award however;; it will grant you the award amount before the project happens but will not give you the money until it has received receipts to this amount. This means that you will have to keep meticulous accounts during your project (as yes they do go through every receipt!) and will have to find the means to bridge the gap between needing the money to fulfil your proposal and actually receiving any money. However, as with many other grants, the time between applying and finding out whether you have been successful can be considerable so depending solely on a grant can at times, be detrimental to the time scale of your work. It is wise to plan well in advance.

Local Council Both the Arts Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland work with and support local authorities. Each local authority has its own arts programme, officer

or residing in their County) through their Arts Office. It is worth getting to know your local arts officer, the arts programme they are running and the awards they offer. Bursaries offered usually cover professional development and the creation of new work and are assessed by independent, external expert panels.

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Alongside these grants some County Councils run specific awards like Laois

County Laois). Several of the County Councils run residency awards to the Tyrone Guthrie Centre (a residential workspace for artists in Annamakerig, County Monaghan).

Arts Organisations and Galleries Arts organisations and galleries may have available grants, awards or support opportunities as part of their programmes (some of these will be revenue funded through the Arts Council) or they may administer awards on behalf of others such as the Butler Gallery

-­ thus receiving an award from a gallery or arts organisation can align you with the reputation of the organisation and expose you to their audience. Oftentimes important relationships can develop through the award and into the future. The value of a supportive association with an organisation or gallery should not be dismissed, you will usually need more than money to achieve a projects aims and advice and help from the gallery / arts organisation could prove pivotal.

Private, Independent or Corporate Foundations & Trusts Private, Independent or Corporate funds may be available as part of a legacy or charitable bequest or established by a company as a trust, foundation or charity, named as such because of their legal constitution. They are often named after the person who bequeathed the original money -­ for example the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Wellcome Trust or Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Usually the money a trust gives out is the interest it has earned from its investments. These awards are likely to have a specific aim or remit which may include contributing to a certain community or cause or to improve the image of the company. A trust may give out grants for arts and culture or if not it may be possible to apply if you are proposing an arts project relating to another category. Foundations and trusts may have set up their own administration or may be administrated by others on their behalf. Notable examples of Irish corporate awards are the AIB Prize and The Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust.

having an exhibition and publishing an accompanying catalogue. Unlike the majority of other awards artists cannot apply for the prize themselves but must be nominated by a publicly funded visual art space that is committed to holding the exhibition and publishing a catalogue if their nominee wins. Nominees must be emerging artists residing or having been born in Ireland (thirty two counties). Applicants for The Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust must also be

however applicant artists can approach bodies to nominate them. The award other barriers

Sixty scholarships will be made each year until 2010 to nominees in several categories. Artists are eligible to apply through the Creative /Performing Arts category. Scholarships in this category are awarded for degrees programmes, professional training, advanced studies or specialised professional training.

Sponsorship can also be sought from businesses outside of specific funding opportunities. Companies will often put aside money to cover a number of

but as material or service, for example getting free printing done due to a

30 sponsorship deal with a printer. Companies may be inundated by sponsorship requests therefore it is best to narrow your appeal to companies whose product or service has something in common with your project or is local to you or the area you are working in. Sponsors will also be concerned with their image and will not want to associate themselves with anything they may deem damaging to this. They will also be looking at what branding opportunities and exposure you can offer. Be careful when negotiating sponsorship terms that you are aware of what the company expects from you in return for their support.

International Opportunities If working or looking to work in another country it is a good idea to research funding opportunities in that country as well as your own. It is possible that funds will be available to support international artists. For example, residency programmes often have funds set aside for visiting artists. There are also international bodies which have funding programmes for artists such as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) which was established in 1945 to promote international collaboration through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for the rights proclaimed in the UN Charter. Awards are available to artists through its culture programme, including The UNESCO Prize for the Promotion of the Arts. International Residencies for Artists (IRA) helps fund artists to undertake residencies and solo exhibitions in countries other than their own. Applications are accepted by letter (including detailed information on the residency, exhibition etc) rather than a specific form.

Criteria Awards application criteria can be restrictive however this is not always a negative situation. Yes there may be plenty of awards that you are not eligible for but there may also be those that fit your circumstances specifically.

If you are a student, for example, you may not be eligible to apply for awards from many of the bodies mentioned in his text but there are some awards available specifically for students and recent graduates. The RDS Student Awards

to enable them to further their talent anContemporaries award is open to final year undergraduates and current

school the opportunity to show their work in the context of a professional art

Other criteria like where you are from or being a native Irish speaker could also be an advantage. Remember if you are a Northern Irish artist you could be eligible to apply to both Irish and UK opportunities.

The parameters of your work can also act as a way of defining opportunities. For example, there are awards specifically for those who use certain materials such as awards for painters, printmakers, photographers and video artists. Or the content of your work may determine the opportunities available to you -­ for example if your work has science related content you should look to a funder such as The Wellcome Trust who through their Sciart programme support

nce and

There are of course also awards to which you cannot apply but must be nominated, however there is nothing stopping you steering yourself into a ripe position for these!

Strings and Bonuses Before even applying for an award you should look into what exactly it is you are being offered. All opportunities will come with restrictions;; make sure you are

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clear of what comes with winning or accepting an opportunity and are sure it is something you can and wish to fulfil.

There is an array of residencies available to artists however what such awards offer can vary greatly from an all expenses paid trip, studio, living facilities, stipend, materials etc to those offering nothing bar the opportunity to pay for the honour of taking up their residency. Read or find out what exactly you are applying for and decide if it is worth it to you.

Remember that what you are offered goes beyond the awards pitch;; you are also accepting to associate yourself with that body. Winning an award may have a certain amount of press coverage attached to it or be well regarded by curators or your peers and thus would be good for your profile as an artist. If the award is from a prestigious or recognised body you may wish to put this on your CV as it will add to your professional image. Even if you are not selected your application will have been viewed by professionals in your field and may lead to other opportunities or at least make these professionals aware of your practice.

If an award is offered from a body or gallery you do not recognise, it is wise to carry out some research on the organisation before applying, particularly if an application fee is requested. Unscrupulous offers do exist, as do advertising opportunities disguised as awards.

Reporting Funders may be supporting your practice on the basis of your excellence and professionalism but most will still look for reports on the use of the award, how their money was spent and the fulfillment of their criteria. It is therefore important you check the requirements on applying and receiving an offer.

Some bodies will request that you complete a formal report and include documentation of the work created and copies of press coverage or catalogues. Some funders such as Culture Ireland will look for a breakdown of expenditure and original receipts. Grants may require you to adhere tightly to your proposal or timeline or what you stated the funding was for whereas others may be completely hands off once the money has been allocated.

You may think that reporting is not important especially if you have already received the money. However, be aware that this information will be kept on file and may be referred to if you apply a second time so it is worth keeping in good stead with your funders. It is also good practice for you to document your work and keep financial records.

Practically all awards/grants or bursaries will ask for some acknowledgement, this can take the form of a logo on an exhibition catalogue, on your website or exhibition documentation. Make sure to check with the funding body as to the stipulation on this (some funders will even put in a clause to state that the funding is redeemable without this). It is particularly important to check this if being funded by a business -­ will they be happy with a logo on the back of the catalogue or will they expect it stuck next to the work? . On the other hand, some funders expect a very low level of acknowledgement

y also put certain restrictions or requirements on you and your proposal. You may be requested for example to contribute to an education programme through workshops or talks, delivering a paper or having your project be of a certain length or involve a particular community or number of participants. A degree of flexibility may be needed to conform to these requirements.

Considerations When deciding to make applying for awards, grants and bursaries part of your practice, it is important to take into consideration that the process of application is very time consuming. Winning awards is not guaranteed and many have conditions that you might find constricting, frustrating or unacceptable. On

32 consideration you may not find them necessary or you may find them too much of a hindrance to your work and decide to eschew them entirely and work without their assistance through selling, exhibiting and undertaking commissions.

A big part of applying for awards is being organised and prepared as the work involved in making applications can be extensive. You have to continuously research opportunities, be aware of deadlines, fill out endless forms as well as prepare supplementary information. Deadlines and the gap between applying for awards and receiving notice of your success or failure can be lengthy and is a frustrating part of the process. In any year you may have a deadline before you are ready to apply (perhaps the concept for your project has not solidified or you do not have the material for application ready) or you could be waiting months to hear from an award to assist a project you wish to proceed with now.

Only a percentage of applications are successful and some successful applicants receive only a portion of what was requested thus contingency plans are important. However, being unsuccessful does not mean that all is lost -­ at the very least the experience of going through the application process will help you to plan your project and focus your practice. Going through the selection process can also have other positive effects;; it may bring you to the notice of jurors who are well thought of in your field who will see your development and determination. If you are unsuccessful one year with a particular funder it does not necessarily mean you will be unsuccessful the next as your practice will have grown and your proposal will differ.

In conclusion Just because an award is available is not a reason to apply for it. Not only would it be time consuming to apply for every opportunity available but it would also dilute your focus and muddy your projected path. Remember you do not just want the award you want it for a specific reason.

Awards, bursaries and grants can allow for a certain type of work practice;; perhaps freeing you from commercial considerations and constraints, or allowing you to work on a scale, in a location, within a timeframe or with an organisation or community you would be unable to consider without the assistance of an award. Awards can allow you to set your own agenda and become part of a patchwork of systems to maintain your practice, bringing you into contact with organisations and individuals that could be key to your development. They can also act as an accolade, career milestone and developmental accelerator and are recognition from professionals on the value of your work -­ their value going beyond the material prize and befitting you well into the future.

Applying for an award does need to be a considered process and it is one which is undoubtedly time consuming. However when woven into your practice it can also help you to be more organised, to be articulated and efficient in writing about your work and competent in handling time scales and budgets;; all key to other aspects of your work.

You may not end up completely supporting yourself and your practice through awards and bursaries however, they can if successful go a great distance to support the creation and presentation of your work and lead to relationships and development that will have a lasting impact and become a building block for your future career.

Neva Elliott This text is for personal use and may not be reproduced or distributed in any way without the written permission of the writer or publishers. Though every care has been taken in its preparation, Visual Artists Ireland can in no way be held liable for any consequence, or and claims, damages, expenses or other loss arising from its use.