Happy Opportunity Tuesday!
6 December 2022
Hi pals! Oof, it’s been a week hasn’t it. We all know that being freelance comes with rejection - we can’t get every commission and every pot of funding - and it’s never easy (though it does get a little bit less hard over time, I promise!)
BUT it only takes one thoughtless email to rub salt in the wounds and make it so much harder. One of the worst parts? “We don’t have capacity to provide feedback”.
As tempted as I am to go into a long rant about this (and name some names!) I want this newsletter to be a joyful thing. So instead I want to celebrate a couple of organisations I’ve encountered recently who have handled rejection brilliantly.
Derby Theatre/Derby CAN: During lockdown I applied for one of their exciting co-creation focused artist development opportunities, and I didn’t get it. Recognising the time people spent on their applications, they sent individual feedback to every rejected candidate (despite 82 applications for 12 spaces). They also opened up access to recordings of several of the sessions in the scheme, rather than gatekeeping the content. Great big YES.
ARC and the Albany: Folk who follow me on Twitter will know that I sing the praises of both these organisations for lots of reasons - and heads up I used to work at the Albany so I’m sure I have some bias - but last year I was on the other side of the table, applying for their renowned and brilliant Christmas commission in collaboration with another artist. Firstly, they paid us for our time and travel to attend the interview. When we didn’t get it, communication was clear, kind, and happened when they said it would - and we were given specific feedback which was fair and honest. A lovely experience, and would apply again in a heartbeat.
Which organisations have you had good experiences with? I’d genuinely love to know! We all get bogged down in anger and frustration about the ones that deliver the news badly - and holding organisations to account is super important too - but I think it’s also really useful to celebrate and lift up the people doing this well. Hopefully we can inspire others to change their approach.
On an unrelated note, a couple of lil plugs from me (if you can’t do it in your newsletter for other freelancers when can you eh) - my little company RivelinCo are currently building our very first Board. We’re looking for people with lots of different backgrounds and experience levels - you don’t have to have done something like this before! All details here if you’re interested (and yes, we promise we will provide feedback to all applicants!) - also large print plain text version available here. (We’re also recruiting for Casual Arts Support Workers, so if you’re Sheffield-based and would like some very lovely flexible casual work check out that JD on our website too!)
I’m also available to provide access support for a few individuals applying for Developing Your Creative Practice this round, or generally for Project Grants. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more. Here’s a lovely testimonial from somebody I supported last round!
Some other cool culture stuff from the last week:
Two great pieces of writing about accessibility: this refreshingly honest article about the unacknowledged rollercoaster of being disabled-led by Jo Verrent, and this useful research from Vocaleyes about making our heritage spaces more accessible
This well-researched, handy thread by Lily Einhorn about the maths behind freelance rates
A new low-cost counselling service for individuals who work in the arts is set to launch in early 2023
The Matilda Musical film is out and (imho) it is FANTASTIC. Also check out this sweet video of the lead Alisha Weir finding out she got the part
Now, on with the show…
Happy Opportunity Tuesday!
Every Tuesday I share 10 #artsopps, commissions, residencies, open calls and applications closing soon.
Always PAID (or free/cheap for training) and for a range of artists: emerging to mid-career, from 16 to 80+.
Here are this week’s…
For disabled artists:
Apply for an artist residency at The Story Museum in Oxford! Work with young disabled people to shape a creative response to an aspect of the museum’s gallery spaces. Paid £2,900 plus travel and access support.
DEADLINE: MON 12 DEC
For artists and theatre companies:
Apply for ARC Getaways at ARC Stockton to make use of free space in their studio theatre for R&D or rehearsals. As long as it’s available on your dates, you can also stay in the ARC artist house free of charge!
DEADLINE: ROLLING, NEXT AVAILABILITY JAN-MAR 2023
For early career artists, curators and producers:
Jerwood Arts have just announced 12 new programmes across the UK, providing a mix of residencies, mentoring, commissions, and skills training. Most will go live in early 2023, but read up about them now to make sure you’re ready to apply!
DEADLINE: TBA 2023
For artists and activists:
Greenpeace are looking for artists who create work that sits at the intersection of art and activism, to devise creative interventions that confront the role of industrial food in the climate crisis. Get £10,000 commission, plus a separate production budget, and a box of ash from burnt Amazon rainforest to incorporate into the project.
DEADLINE: SUN 15 JAN
For performers based in the East Midlands:
Join R&D for Rotten by Josie White, supported by In Good Company, Derby Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse. Paid £500 per week x 2 weeks.
DEADLINE: WED 7 DEC
For playwrights, circus performers and actors:
Apply for Circulate, a multidisciplinary artist development program at Jacksons Lane. Attend workshops, develop new work, spark new collaborations and perform work-in-progress.
DEADLINE: FRI 30 DEC
For visual arts practitioners in Bradford:
Apply to join the Bradford Producing Hub team as Visual Arts Instigator 2 days per week on a freelance contract, to start building towards the very exciting Bradford 2025 celebrations! Paid £170 per day plus travel.
DEADLINE: MON 9 JAN
For early career directors of East and South East Asian heritage:
Sheffield Theatres, ETT and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre are looking for an Assistant Director to work on their upcoming revival of Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan, translated/adapted by Nina Segal and directed by Anthony Lau. Paid £540 per week.
DEADLINE: THU 15 DEC
For blind or visually impaired artists:
Join Extant as Associate Artist to develop a project and present a work-in-progress performance at Camden People’s Theatre’s Sprint Festival in March 2023.
DEADLINE: ASAP
For producers:
The brilliant Transform Festival in Leeds are looking for a full-time producer to join their team! Paid £32k pa (4 or 5 days per week considered, pro rata)
DEADLINE: MON 9 JAN
That’s it for this week!
Really hope it’s useful. It’s a tough time for artists (and, well, everyone) at the mo so please look after each other out there. Please let me know if you’re successful with your applications, and as always if you enjoy Opportunity Tuesday please share to help us reach the folks who need it most. I started it to try to level the playing field a bit, and every little helps.
Opportunity Tuesday will always be free to access, but if you can afford to chip in a little something to support me to keep it going, that would be hugely appreciated - just click the button below to support with £1 per week. I’m freelance too, you see!
Thank you for your support, and I have my fingers and toes crossed for you. Good luck!
P.S. The part you’ve all been waiting for. Mabel says hi…
Please note: Inclusion in #OpportunityTuesday is not endorsement. I look far and wide for the most interesting and exciting paid opportunities I can find, and though I do my best to make sure they’re legit, I don’t always know the organisations well. If you have an issue with something on the list, please get in touch with the relevant organisation. You are very welcome to send me opportunities to include, but please note I will not be able to respond to every request, and I do not guarantee inclusion in the list - each week is curated to be varied and relevant. Thanks!