Curated Space Open Call 2020

Arts & Disability Ireland is inviting curators, producers, arts managers and artists with disabilities to submit expressions of interest to curate an edition of Curated Space in 2020.

The focus of this Curated Space Open Call is to showcase existing work by artists with disabilities living in the Republic of Ireland. It is also possible to consider commissioning new work alongside existing work. A minimum of two artists must be featured. Curated Space is published on www.adiarts.ie.

Objectives of Curated Space
Curated Space is Arts & Disability Ireland’s online platform for Irish and international artists with disabilities. In each edition we invite a curator to commission new work or showcase existing work by artists with disabilities. Previous editions of Curated Space include:

One Beat at a Time
A music commission featuring Derrick Devine, Ailís Ní Ríain and Kevin Nolan. Curated by Dylan Tighe.

Always Imaginable?
A playwright commission featuring Mary Kinsella, Sonya Kelly and Stephen Kennedy. Curated by Gavin Kostick and edited by John Austin Connolly.

Marking Blind
A visual art exhibition showcasing the work of four contemporary artists, Raphaëlle de Groot, Robert Morris, Carmen Papalia, and Alice Wingwall. Curated by Amanda Cachia.

The role of the Curated Space curator
The chosen curator or curators of Curated Space Open Call will develop their concept, contract artists, set and monitor deadlines, write a curatorial statement, work with artists on their artists statements, gather all materials to be published and support Arts & Disability Ireland with some elements of access and marketing.

‘Today, the role of contemporary curators rests between two interpretations: the art curator takes care of the works, but also gives them a larger context, framing objects intellectually, historically, and socially. A good curator provides information, connections, and even contrasts to understand what makes art relevant today, and not only reflects meaning but contribute to debates and new understandings.’ Trends in Contemporary Curating, Sotheby’s Institiute of Art.

Budget available
The maximum budget available for Curated Space Open Call is €2,700. This amount is inclusive of the curator fee, artists’ fees and production costs if applicable.

Access for audiences with disabilities
It is important that the curator and artists consider how their work can be made accessible to a wide range of audiences. A separate budget, managed by Arts & Disability Ireland will be used to audio describe and caption the artworks, if needed. Arts & Disability Ireland will support both the curator and artists to consider access and we will approve the accessibility of artworks before publishing.

Timeframe
The first edition of Curated Space Open Call will be published on www.adiarts.ie no later than the 31st October 2020. A potential second edition of Curated Space Open Call will be published no later than the 1st December 2020.

Who is eligible to apply?
Curators, producers, arts managers and artists with disabilities working in the following artforms are eligible to apply; architecture, circus, dance, film, literature, music, opera, street arts and spectacle, theatre, traditional arts and visual arts. Applicants and artists featuring in this Curated Space Open Call must be based in the Republic of Ireland.
Arts & Disability Ireland take their definition of disability from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, which states:
‘Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.’

Who is not eligible to apply?
People who do not have an arts practice.
People who do not have a disability as outlined above.
People who are not living in the Republic of Ireland.
People who are in undergraduate education between September 2019 and September 2020.

Criteria
Applications will be assessed against the criteria of artistic merit and how they meet the overall objectives of Curated Space.
Artistic merit – You must demonstrate:

• a strong track record in your established professional arts practice through your CV and supporting documentation,
• an imaginative, ambitious and feasible approach to developing an edition of Curated Space, including concept, featuring artists, artforms, formats and timeframe.Meeting the objectives of the award – You must describe:
• the ways in which your practice and career will benefit or be developed as a result of curating an edition of Curated Space.

How to apply
In one email please send your letter of interest, CV and any supporting documentation to amie@adiarts.ie.

• In your letter of interest please outline the concept for your proposal, the names of artists you hope to feature, the artforms included, formats of artworks and timeframe. (1,000 words max)
• CV (2 pages max)
• Supporting documentation

Deadline
Thursday 16 July at 4pm.
Late applications will not be accepted.