The Walk
An Open Call for London based visual artists with lived experience of migration. Deadline: May 16th 2021
Deptford X, in partnership with Lewisham Borough of Culture, The Migration Museum and The Walk are delighted to announce an opportunity for an ambitious commission by a London-based visual artist/artist collaboration with lived experience of migration.
The commission is for an artist or artist collaboration to create a temporary art work in the public realm that will serve as both stage and prompt for the performances and arrival of The Walk to Deptford, Lewisham, on 22nd October 2021. There will be additional live activities programmed for The Walk’s arrival by the project partners.
For further details can be found below, we also encourage you to download and read through the Open Call Information document provided at the bottom of this page under Application Materials.
Listen to the Open Call Information here:
Open Call
This opportunity is for artists with lived experience of migration who are resident in London. Applications by artists who live in, are connected to, or able to demonstrate connections to, Lewisham will also be prioritised
The commissioned artwork will be central to the welcome provided to Little Amal in her arrival in the London Borough of Lewisham. The selected artist will work closely with the Artistic Director of The Walk, who sets the broader artistic vision of the project as a whole, to develop this commission for the Lewisham stage of the project.
When developing your proposal, you are invited to consider the impact your installation/art work will have on 9 year old Little Amal when she encounters it. As a child, she may well be at once curious, enchanted, bewildered and delighted by the sights, smells and people of Deptford. There will be people to greet and welcome her but how will she interact with your proposed art work? What impression will it leave on her? Amal will have previously arrived in the UK via Folkestone, Dover and Canterbury before stepping foot in London. She will first arrive in Deptford, Lewisham, one of the city’s most diverse and lively neighbourhoods. Her first impression of London will be Deptford on market day, and your artwork.
Submission Criteria
Applicants will need a flexible and collaborative approach to the creative process.
This opportunity is for artists with lived experience of migration.
Applicants must be resident in London.
Applications by artists who live in, are connected to, or able to demonstrate connections to, Lewisham will also be prioritised
Proposals must demonstrate how the artwork is relevant to the context and people of Lewisham.
Applicants must explain how they will use research and workshops to develop the work in the context of Lewisham.
Applicants must explain how the finished artwork can be engaged or interacted with by both Little Amal / The Walk and residents of Lewisham.
Application Process
We welcome applications with different language backgrounds and different access needs. We also welcome applications by video or audio recording. Please get in touch with Deptford X to discuss any application or access needs. We will be happy to accommodate: admin@deptordx.org
You will be asked to answer the following questions and supply the information listed below via the Online Application Form linked below:
Name, email address and telephone number
Submit up to 5 artworks – documentation or full works if digital.
Summarise your proposal in 50 words or less.
A proposal of up to 500 words describing the work you would like to make.
Up to 300 words explaining how both residents of Lewisham and Little Amal / The Walk will interact with your artwork.
Up to 300 words explaining how you will use research and workshops to develop your work in the context of Lewisham.
Link to your website or social media where we can see examples of your work.
A CV (up to two sides of A4) OR a short biography telling us about your past artistic and engagement experience and artistic practice (no more than 300 words).
A completed monitoring form. This will be processed separately from your application and will not affect your eligibility for the opportunity.
Please note that we do not expect applicants to have attended formal arts education but do need to see evidence of past artistic projects and practice.
The total artist fee for the project, including workshop delivery, is £4000.
The production budget for the work and its installation will be in addition to this, and agreed with the selected artist as the project progresses.
Application Materials
The Walk Open Call Application Information (PDF in English and with English Audio)
The Walk Online Application Form (Online Google Form)
The Walk Large Text MS Word Application Form (Word doc in English)
Timeline:
The project will run from June 2021 until 22nd October 2021
Deadline for applications: Midnight 16th May 2021
Research: Context, partnerships and narrative: June – July
Collaborative workshops with local groups: July – August
Artwork developed and confirmed: August – September
Project delivery: October 22nd 2021
Applicants will need a flexible and collaborative approach to the creative process. This opportunity is for artists with lived experience of migration who are resident in London. Applications by artists who live in, are connected to, or able to demonstrate connections to, Lewisham will also be prioritised
