Metal New Artist Network Residencies

Metal is delighted to announce this residency call-out as part of our Metal New Artist Network, offering 6 opportunities for early career creatives.

Overview:

• Closing date: EXTENSION 5pm, Tuesday 21st June
• Notification: All artists will be notified of outcome by week commencing 11th July
• Residency period: A part-time structured residency will take place from Monday 25th July – Friday 19th August*
• Number of Residencies available: 6 available for artists across the UK,
• Offer: £500 contribution toward personal expenses eg. travel, materials etc. Use of Metal facilities and resources, staff time, workshops, access to Metal staff for mentoring.
• Commitment dates: As well as the residency dates, you will be to be available for an initial meeting on Monday 18th July, and Friday 19th August for a share and tell

This is a part-time residency and we realise that many early career artists may be juggling a job or other commitments alongside their practice. We can be flexible around your schedule although there are some dates that are committed.

Metal’s residency is a chance for artists within the network (including new members):

• To spend a focussed period of time on their practice, developing the start of an idea or working on an existing project.
• The space to experiment and try out new techniques, away from your daily routines.
• Network and meet other artists and organisations.

You will receive support from the Metal staff throughout the four weeks, including 1:1 support regarding a specific work and / or your future development as well as space to test out and create new work. The residency will be structured to maximise your time and to help you manage your creative practice around other commitments. There will also be the chance to take part in workshops, network with artists also in residence at Metal, and with other early career residency artists.

The opportunity is open to artists working in any art form, of all backgrounds, who relate to being an early career artist*. All applicants must be signed up to the Metal New Artist Network to apply. Sign up takes just 5 minutes and can be done here

Who do we mean by Early Career Artists*?

• Those who are aged 18+ in their 1st to 4th year of creative practice, post-student status (if applicable).
• Those who left school and did not enter Higher Education but still keep up a regular creative practice.
• Those who have recently graduated in the past four years.
• Those who have entered the arts later in life after pursuing a different occupation and are within the first four years of this.

*This is not an exhaustive list, and Metal welcomes artists from all disciplines; theatre, visual art, film, music, writing or a mixture of some or all. Metal is particularly interested in supporting artists from diverse backgrounds, with unique personal perspectives to offer. If you’re unsure whether you fall into the early career category, please get in touch with the site most local to you.

Given the nature of the New Artist Network, the residency will be a hybrid model, with the opportunity to spend time in one of our three locations, and some working from home or in your own studio supported by Metal staff online.

Metal’s Offer:

Each selected artist will receive a £500 contribution that can be put towards personal expenses eg. travel, materials etc.

During the residency you will:

• Be able to use the facilities in our buildings including studio and rehearsal space
• Be able to access staff time to support you and your practice, whether this is mentoring and developing next steps, brokering relationships with communities or support with funding applications.
• Take part in planned meetings and discussions around work
• Network and interact with other artists taking part in Metal’s programme, as well as meeting other early career artists on the residency

Example of previous Early Career Residencies:

Emily Smith and Hannah Gooden – theatre makers Hannah and Emily explored during their residency the intermedial relationship of technology and gender through various performance practices. Interrogating the tensions that exists between the two expansive subjects, they created a short interactive video work.

Lewis Beaver – writer and performer Lewis Beaver developed his piece ‘After the tone’ written whilst at university, this involved expanding his script and learning new ways of implementing technology into his performance whilst also exploring installation.

Example of residency structure

The below is an example schedule of how the residency could be planned. Exact details will be confirmed once residencies are awarded.

Initial Meeting Monday 18th July: An initial meeting for the early career artists to meet one another, meet the Metal team and find out more about how the residency will work. This is also a great chance to ask questions and go through any worries you may have for the residency.

Week one (w/c 25th July): Settling in

• Meeting with your allocated Metal project manager / Metal site to plan your time and if / how you may use the building and your project idea.
• Meeting fellow residency buddy and sharing a 5-minute presentation of your work and practice so far.
• Visiting local Metal sites (if applicable), meeting other Metal residency artists and lunch.
• Meeting with an associate artist of Metal.
• Attend July’s MNAN training session
• Friday check-in: online meeting with all residency artists.

Week two (w/c 1st August): Research

• Utilise resources shared via Metal and via your own research.
• Visit one event that relates to your project, this could be a film, theatre performance, exhibition or talk
• Logistical planning: are there materials needed to be purchased, new skills to be learnt, any masterclasses or workshops of interest
• Optional Friday check-in

Week three (w/c 8th August): Making

• Working on a new technique or the project for the residency.
• Each artist commits at least one full day to making this week
• Optional Friday check-in or sharing of work in progress

Week four (w/c 15th August): Making and Sharing

• Carrying on creating during the week with a share and tell at the end.
• You will create a short presentation on where you are up to or show your work in progress. With invited artists, local curators/producers
• A final check in with the Metal staff around next steps

We can be flexible with your work commitments and or schedule – this can be discussed in your first meeting with your allocated site.

If there are specific times and dates you are unable to do please note this down on your application.

We encourage artists taking part to keep a journal to help them work through the residency. You won’t be expected to share the journal with anyone, and the journal could be a physical one or kept online, such as the notes app on your phone.

How do I apply?

To apply you must be signed up to the Metal New Artist Network to apply (which takes 5 minutes here)

For the residency application we will ask you to share with us:

• How you will use this opportunity (your residency with Metal) and how it will develop your practice (250 words)
• Why you feel now is a time to develop your practice (250 words)
• A short biography (250 words)
• Examples of your previous work (images, videos, audio files, written texts)
• Your CV (optional) and access document (if applicable)

Applications in the form of video or audio files are greatly welcomed with a max of 10 minutes. If you have any questions or another way you would like to suggest making this process accessible to you, please get in touch with jack@metalculture.com or call 01733 893077

To start your application, click HERE.

*Illustrations created by Metal New Artist Network member Srija Shrestha