Opportunity for Writer in Residence – Age Concern ... - Helix Arts

Fix my space!
Opportunity for visual artists
(non-aerosol based work)
Brief:
To work with young people accessing the Moving On arts project to
transform the reception and workshop areas of the Sunderland Youth
Offending Services building into a welcoming and young person-friendly
space.
Timescale: The commission is to be completed by 29 August 2008.
Workshops will take place as two half-day sessions per week from 1:00-
3:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 22 July to 28 August.
Fee:
Workshop delivery £1,284 (at a rate of £107 per session x 12 sessions)
Materials, equipment, production £2,500
Please note: there is budgetary provision for two artists to
undertake this commission. We welcome applications from pairs of
artists but if you do NOT know who you want to work with you can
apply as an individual and we will try and match you up with
another artist. In your proposal please indicate if this is an
individual or joint proposal.
Overview
Moving On is an ongoing arts programme working with serious and/or prolific young
offenders (aged 12-18 years) to raise self esteem and encourage personal and social
development. It assists participants to ‘move on’ changing their attitudes, thinking and
behaviour by developing new skills and interests, consolidating their offence-focused
work and promoting re-integration into the local community by providing opportunities
to facilitate movement into further education, training or employment.
The project is a collaboration between Helix Arts and South of the Tyne ISSP
(Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme).
Moving On delivers a series of arts activities in Sunderland for 45 weeks per year for
over 30 young people accessing Sunderland Youth Offending Services. Participation
levels average at eight young people per workshop.
Previous arts activities have included:
DJing
Filmmaking
Graphic design
MCing
Street Dance
Visual arts
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The broad aims of Moving On are to provide young people with the opportunity to:
Develop new skills and interests;
Experience working alongside professional artists;
Increase confidence and self esteem;
Improve communication and social skills;
Consolidate offence-focused work and further reduce their risk of re-offending
Assist re-integration into the community by moving on into education, training and
creative/leisure activities
Challenge discriminatory and anti-social attitudes and lifestyles in a creative,
dynamic and enjoyable environment.
In addition to these core aims, the programme also aims to:
Encourage motivation, participation and completion of ISSP programmes;
Create, advocate and disseminate information about the value of the arts as a
mechanism for positive work with disaffected young people
Offer an integrated service between different agencies involved in working with
offenders and support the young people’s transition back into the community
Opportunity for visual artist
Following a recent consultation process, young people criticised the building where
they undertake activities as very depressing and uninviting. We are looking to appoint
two professional visual artists to work together and with young people accessing
Sunderland Youth Offending Services to transform the reception and workshop areas
of St Cuthbert’s House, East Cross Street in the Sunniside area of Sunderland into a
welcoming and young person-friendly space. It is anticipated that the artworks will
capture the character/environment of Sunderland and the lives of the young people.
As the Sunniside area is undergoing redevelopment, St Cuthbert’s House is set to be
demolished in 2010. Any artworks produced will need to be portable to the new venue.
They will also need to adhere to Sunderland City Council health and safety
requirements for public spaces. Unfortunately due to inadequate ventilation/
facilities we are unable to accept applications that use spray cans and aerosols
to create the artworks.
The relevant dimensions and plans of the two areas are attached in Appendix 2.
Please note: we have arranged for artists interested in applying for this
commission to visit the space and talk to staff about requirements on Tuesday
1 July 2008. Please contact Jayne Daglish at South of the Tyne ISSP on 0191 566
3083 to arrange a time.
The artist will deliver 12 two-hour creative workshops on Tuesdays and Thursdays
between 1:00pm to 3:00pm to research, design and produce large-scale artworks that
transform the two spaces. Workshops to take place from 22 July to 28 August.
The deadline for completion of the work is Friday 29 August 2008.
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Please note: the young people are timetabled to attend the workshops as part of their
court order. As such, their levels of engagement can vary and the group will be very
transient. You could find that you are working with different young people each week
although you will tend to get a core group of young people who will see the project
through. You will need a lot of energy and ability to be flexible in your approach,
scheduling and planning of workshop sessions.
Main Responsibilities
The successful candidates will be required to:
Lead, deliver and engage young people in 12 two-hour creative workshops.
Plan, coordinate and oversee all aspects of the production and installation of
artworks resulting from the sessions.
Work in partnership with another artist.
Work in close consultation with Helix Arts and South of the Tyne’s Intensive
Supervision and Surveillance programme.
Person Specification
The successful applicant will be a professional artist and able to demonstrate the
following skills and experience:
Essential
Minimum of three years experience of delivering projects with young people at risk;
Ability to lead workshops and encourage young people from a variety of
backgrounds to engage creatively with a project both in groups and individually;
Ability to facilitate the production of large-scale artwork of the highest quality;
Experience of working with vulnerable and/or socially excluded young people;
Ability to work successfully both independently and as part of a project team;
Experience of working with other artists;
Experience of working with public/voluntary sector agencies;
Desirable:
Previous experience of working with young offenders in community settings;
The successful applicant will be subject to the Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced
Disclosure procedure, must obtain public liability insurance for a minimum of
£5 million and ensure their equipment is insured against loss or damage from fire, theft
and other usual risks, for the duration of the contract.
Application Process
A shortlist of five artists will be selected on the basis of their experience and proposal.
Their proposal and examples of past work will be shown to a group of young people
for them to choose the style and artist(s) that appeals to them most.
The appointment will be made on the above basis, and there will be no formal
interview process.
All those submitting a proposal will be notified of their success, or otherwise, by
18 July 2008.
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Please send the following:
CV showing relevant experience
A proposal/workshop plan (up to 3 sides of A4) outlining:
o What you intend to create with the participants
o Draft workshop plans for the twelve workshops
o How you will address issues of engaging transient young people
Up to five examples of recent work with similar groups.
Please send responses to:
Kate Roebuck
Project Manager
Helix Arts
2 nd Floor, The Old Casino
1-4 Forth Lane
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 5HX
Or email kate.roebuck@helixarts.com
Deadline for submissions is 12 noon Monday 7 July
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Appendix 1 – Management and Administration
Management/Support
The Moving On programme is managed and administered by Helix Arts and South of
the Tyne ISSP. A number of key structures are in place to support and deliver the
programme successfully. These include a Management Team representing all parties
and a Link Person on site to liaise with and support the artist on a day-to-day basis.
Within this framework careful monitoring will take place at regular intervals throughout
the programme duration, to ensure it is proceeding to the satisfaction of all parties and
to address any issues that may arise.
Project Partners
Helix Arts
Helix Arts specialises in the development of projects and initiatives exploring the role
and potential of the arts in a social context. Long-term partnerships, particularly with
the public and voluntary sectors, enable Helix to produce projects designed to
engender broad participation, collaboration and sustainability.
Established in 1983 (as Artists’ Agency) we have worked with more than 200 artists in
the delivery of over 150 projects with an increasing focus on international partnerships.
Helix Arts has charitable status and is revenue funded by Arts Council England, North
East. For further information, visit www.helixarts.com
ISSP
The South of the Tyne Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) is
targeted at prolific and serious young offenders aged between 12-18 years. Managed
by a consortium of local authorities (Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside)
working with partner agencies to provide a strict and closely monitored regime, taking
the place of a custodial sentence. Most of the young people spend six months on ISSP
with the aims of reducing the frequency and seriousness of offending within this group;
tackling the underlying needs of offenders, particularly education/training; and
providing reassurance to communities through close surveillance and rigorous
enforcement.
Project Funding
The 2008/09 Moving On programme is funded by South of the Tyne Intensive
Supervision and Surveillance Programme, Arts Council England, North East and
Northern Rock Foundation.
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Appendix 2 –
St Cuthbert’s House, East Cross Street, Sunderland
Plans and Dimensions
Approximate dimensions
Pool Room – length 6.5m x width 5.75m x height 2.3m
Basement workshop room – length 4.6m x width 4m x height 2.3m
Reception area – length 8m x width 2m x height 3m
Pool Room Floor Plan
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Basement Room Floor Plan
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