Applications

Imi Maufe Moon Poster

Visual Arts in Rural Communities (VARC) Artists’ Residencies

VARC’s primary aims are to:

promote interest, awareness and understanding of visual arts in a rural community through engagement with an artist.

develop visual arts projects in rural communities.

 offer a unique opportunity to an artist wishing to develop his or her practice by working and living in a remote rural community.

The Residency

The main way in which VARC achieves these aims is through funding a twelve-month Artist's Residency at Highgreen.  The post is advertised every two years in a-n publications and through email networks.  From applications received approximately ten artists are shortlisted and invited for an interview.   As a result of the interviews trustees invite one artist to take up the post for that coming year and one artist to take up the residency for the following year.  

The deadline for applications for the residencies 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 is now passed.  The post of Artist in Residence in the Community 2012-2013 will be advertised in Autumn 2011.

Further Information about the Residency

The resident artist is expected to spend a minimum of six weeks during the year working on projects with people (15 days contact time). What form this would take would depend on the artist and the nature of his or her work but could include projects with specific groups, open studio days, practical sessions, talks and participation in local events. The Trust hopes that the experience of having a practising artist living and working in this rural community will offer people an insight into how professional artists work as well as adding an enriching creative element.

In addition to work in the community the artist  produces a body of work for an end of year exhibition to be held at Highgreen . The artist is contracted to spend a minimum of 22 hours per week on work for the exhibition and the community aspects of the residency, but VARC would expect that to fully utilise the opportunity and integrate with the local community, the artist would wish to devote their time fully to the residency. There is a part-time Liaison Manager to support the artist, liaise between the artist and the Trust, arrange community projects in consultation with the artist, promote the artist’s work and the residency, produce the catalogue, help organise the exhibition and facilitate other avenues the artist may wish to pursue.  The artist is contracted to provide documentation about the experience of the residency in an agreed format.

The residency is based in converted stable buildings, part of the estate of Highgreen in the North Tyne. Highgreen is remote with stunning views across the moors. There is an immediate community of about 20 people.  The hamlet  of Greenhaugh with an inn is about three miles away and a mile beyond this at Lanehead there is a village hall.  The local shops are in Bellingham, some 10 miles away and Newcastle is 40 miles away. It is strongly recommended that the artist has a car as public transport is infrequent and only runs from Bellingham and Otterburn.

There is a 498 sq ft studio for the sole use of the artist, as well as fully-furnished one-bedroomed living accommodation.  Heat and light for the studio and flat are included and council tax is paid by VARC.  Telephone line rental (including broadband internet access), computer, printer and scanner will be provided but phone bills are paid by the artist. 

The financial package for Residency 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 is:

£9,000 per annum artist’s fee and materials.
Materials and expenses for community projects are paid for separately by VARC.
A catalogue will be produced.
Reasonable costs associated with the exhibition (transport, presentation of work) is paid
Accommodation (flat and studio) worth £6,000 per annum.
The studio is equipped with basic tools and furniture.

Selection criteria

 Criteria on which shortlisting is carried out:

Final selection of artists is also be influenced by the desire to create a balance across media and artistic approach from one year to the next.