Go Public
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Go Public was a two year Accentuate initiative, delivered in partnership with Arts Council England (ACE). It was led by Dada-South (now Ardent Hare) working in partnership with Artpoint. The programme commissioned three public realm projects, to be led by disabled and deaf artists, and the open call for submission attracted 80 expressions of interest and over 30 applications. The programme provided a purposeful skills development plan, along with support and guidance for the successful applicants.
Applications were considered from artists either working or living in the South East, who considered themselves to be either emerging or established. Go Public took its lead from artists, and their definitions, recognising that the experience of disability can change and that individuals engage with their experience in different ways.
Following a rigorous selection process, the artists invited to Go Public were:
- Sarah Scott, Lorna Giezot, and Zoe Partington-Sollinger, who planned a series of innovative and eclectic projects ahead of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Installation artist Vicky Vergou also won a smaller research and development award.
- Zoe Partington-Sollinger, who used shopping centres and public spaces to project viscerally-powerful audio and visual representations of journeys made through public spaces by disabled people.
- Sarah Scott, who explored the impact of outdoor yoga sessions on disabled participants. This was captured on film and in conjunction with a disabled fine artist.
- Lorna Giezot, whose work appears in collections including Tate Modern. Lorna had never before undertaken a large-scale work of public art for permanent outdoor display. She made a doorway installation made from weatherproof transparent resin.
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Lorna said: “Doors represent a spectrum of emotions depending upon how they are presented. There are notions of prevention and ‘the unknown’ when closed, secrets and the forbidden when locked, but also of opportunity, adventure, possibilities and the future.”
She added: “The ability to look through the sculpture to see what is on the other side breaks down that fear of ‘the unknown’ that is associated with many metaphors, including disability and disabled people.”
“I want to create something that everyone can connect with and relate to.”
Following the selection process, Stevie Rice, Director of Ardent Hare, said: “We are delighted that these exceptional artists have been selected. I have no doubt that the work will engage and challenge audiences’ perceptions and will give a much needed opportunity for disabled and Deaf artists to present their work in the public realm.”
Kevin Wilson, Director of Artpoint, the public art agency for the South East, added: “Go Public has enabled Artpoint to further understand the needs of disabled artists in the South East. It continues to be a very rewarding process to support disabled artists in all stages of their development.”
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Alongside these commissions an open programme of workshops was delivered between April and September 2010 which focused specifically on issues pertinent to the development and delivery of public realm initiatives. The workshops were open to disabled and Deaf artists wishing to increase their skills in this area and was wholly accessible, as well as being underpinned by strong knowledge and experience of disability-related issues.
In addition to this, Go Public also be staged networking seminars open to disabled and Deaf artists, stakeholders, commissioners, clients and funders. These events provided opportunities to share knowledge, expertise and build a network of practice in and around creative public realm delivery in the South East. They brought potential clients and commissioners together with disabled and Deaf artists increasing the potential for future engagement.
Through Go Public, Accentuate successfully exposed previously ‘hidden’ artistic practice to local, national and international audiences. Disabled artists worked in their local community and gained exposure from the process. The project has provided deaf and disabled artists with opportunities to develop new skills and promote their work and also enabled them to connect with the mainstream.
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Go Public event
‘Our View Project Person’ Freelance Disability Adviser Role
Sunday 25th July, 2010
Based within the South East region the Adviser will work closely with the Arts Council Diversity in Arts Practice Relationship Manager to ensure that this involvement process makes as much impact as possible to the work of the Arts Council, Accentuate and the project delivery organisations.
A particular focus of the role is to look at how the projects are engaging with the mainstream arts world and non disabled people. This is both a key current issue for the Disability Arts sector as a whole and for the projects.
The grant is expected to run from 1 October 2010 to 31 December 2011 and the total fee is £3,000 including expenses. The expected rate is £200 per day, with the days worked flexibly over the period in agreement with the Arts Council.
The Adviser’s access costs will be covered where possible by Access to Work. There will be support available to ensure these costs are met and to explore alternatives if Access to Work is not available.
For more details on the projects and a role description please contact Alice Wade, Corporate Planning Assistant, at the Arts Council.
Email: alice.wade@artscouncil.org.uk
Telephone: 01273 763066
To apply for this position, please send a CV and covering letter (maximum 800 words) outlining why you are interested in this role and what skills and experience you would bring to it. Please use the following formats: A4 document attached to an email, sound file, DVD or email.
The deadline for applications is: 6pm on Tuesday 31 August 2010.
We prefer applications to be emailed to us at: alice.wade@artscouncil.org.uk
or posted to: Alice Wade, Arts Council England, Sovereign House, Church Street, Brighton BN1 1RA. Interviews are likely to be held during the week beginning 13 September 2010.
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