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Summer Residency Programme

Naomi Pearce, Nine Parts Navvy (2018). Photo: SSW

The deadline for Summer Residency in 2020 has now passed. 

Coming together on residency at SSW, artists live and work onsite and have daily access to our facilities coupled with support from our technical and curatorial team. We aim to foster conditions for conversation, peer exchange and experimental making across a diverse range of processes and practices both those associated with contemporary sculpture and beyond.

Our Summer Residency programme is for artists wishing to spend a month working on the development of their practice – whether this is for production, research or experimentation. The programme runs between June and September, with each group residency lasting four weeks.

The Programme

In each Summer Residency we welcome five or six artists, who are here alongside project artists and Open Access participants. Whilst being focused on self-directed practice, the Summer Residency follows a loose structure of group work including activities to encourage exchange between residents and artist led activity; introductory group breakfasts and talks/exercises to share your work, studio sharings, communal dinners, collective walks, film and sauna nights. Residents are given the freedom to work in an open environment, and to develop dialogues with both peers and staff. Residents are offered timetabled support from technicians and the opportunity for one to one advisory sessions with SSW curatorial staff.

During the first week you will undertake workshop inductions and have dedicated time with technicians to develop a making schedule (should this be required) to ensure workshop processes can be completed in the residency period. Please feel free to contact us prior to arrival, especially if you have a specific production project in mind.

Access

We have two family rooms available and are happy to discuss how SSW can support artists with families to access this residency.

As an alternative to a written application, you can submit by video application. To do this please use our online application form (link is below). You can upload your cover letter and artist statement in the format of video (no more than 5 minutes long). In the fields Cover letter and Artist Statement please write [see video].

If you have any specific access requirements you would like to discuss please contact us prior to making an application. Information on disabled access at SSW can be found here.

Brexit update

We welcome applications for residency from artists based internationally.

The UK government has made assurances that there will be no changes to visa requirements until at least 2021 following Brexit. If you are based outwith the UK we advise you check the most recent guidelines on visiting the UK after Brexit, if you are awarded a place on residency.

Dates

Group 1: 8 June — 6 July 2020
Group 2: 20 July — 17 August 2020
Group 3: 24 August — 21 September 2020

Please state your preferred or available dates in the application form.

Criteria

We welcome applications from artists of all disciplines and practices. There are spaces for five or six artists per residency month. Applications should outline a clear reason for attending SSW, demonstrating an understanding and response to the location, critical programme and/or facilities. We warmly welcome international and collaborative applications. 

Cost: Residency costs are highly subsidised by SSW but artists pay £560 per 4 week residency. There are three Emerging Artist* places allocated on the Summer Residency, which are further subsidised and cost £370. 

* Emerging Artists are stipulated as: Current BA and MA Students /or BA and MA graduates within two years of leaving studies.

Residency costs include shared self-catering accommodation, access to all SSW facilities, technical guidance and curatorial support. Materials, consumables and process-related costs are additional and will be charged based on usage following the residency period.

How to Apply

The deadline for applying to Summer Residency in 2020 has now passed.

You are advised to complete your application off-line until it is ready to be submitted, as the contents of the form cannot be saved before submission. You will be asked to submit:

  • A cover letter outlining your areas of interest and reasons for applying to the programme, demonstrating an understanding and response to the location, critical programme and/or facilities. (500 words max.)
  • Artist statement summarising your practice. (250 words max.)
  • A digital portfolio (4 – 6 work samples, e.g. images, text samples or links to online content)

If you have any questions or wish to discuss your application prior to the deadline please contact SSW Programme & Communications Manager Jenny Salmean: jenny[at]ssw.org.uk

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