Happy Opportunity Tuesday!
28 May 2024
Hi team
Hope you all had a lovely bank holiday weekend.
Sorry for the unexpected OppTues break - unfortunately my organisation RivelinCo had a bit of a disaster. A water pipe burst above our premises and destroyed most of the things in our office and community space - more info and a little crowdfunder here (sorry, I know this is cheeky and everyone’s skint, but even a few quid or a share would mean the world to us right now!)
Personal catastrophe aside, everything else in the world is feeling pretty catastrophic too. I can’t keep my eyes or thoughts from the war. I have a lot of fear and anger about the general election in the UK - though also a little hope. Like all of us, I’m being batted left right and centre with funding rejections, with nothing but strong, positive feedback. It all feels a bit impossible sometimes.
If it’s the same for you I’m so sorry, I hope it’s just a moment in time. There is only so long the cultural sector in the UK can survive on goodwill and burnout! Perhaps something good is just around the corner for all of us - for the arts, for this country, and for the world. Perhaps there’s a start for you in this week’s list?
Big love and solidarity, always x
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 early career Black & Brown curators:
Take part in an exciting, new curatorial fellowship opportunity at ICF, addressing the legacy and contemporary relevance of Ten.8 Magazine, in partnership with The New Art Gallery Walsall and The Photographers’ Gallery. Get £20,000 annual fee, plus the opportunity to curate an event, digital programming, a new publication and a major exhibition!
DEADLINE: 23 JUN
For performers:
The Herd are looking to employ a company of 4 actors to bring their ‘Counting Sheeps’ story to life: a new show for 0-2yrs, which tells the story of two sheep, who despite their reputation for sleep expertise, are having a really tough time nodding off. They’d like to meet performers who are playful, have strong comedy instincts and are comfortable performing without words.
DEADLINE: 14 JUN
For artists and creative organisations:
Stellar Creates are commissioning artists to create Happy Rooms in Middlesbrough, as part of a vibrant and interactive project that delves into the essence of happiness. Happy Rooms will be a series of creative installations focusing on colour, joy, playfulness, and creativity. They are offering commissions at £5k, £10k or £15k, and artists are welcome to apply for more than one commission. The fee should cover all design, materials, fabrication, travel/transport and installation/deinstallation.
DEADLINE: 7 JUN
For writers:
The Hot House is a development lab led by Climate Spring, which aims to stimulate new, engaging and commercially viable climate stories for film and TV. Get £1,000 plus three months of development support.
DEADLINE: 30 JUN
For visual artists:
Sheffield Museums intends to commission a 3 new responses to the collection on display at Graves Gallery, which will open up new ways for visitors to engage and will enhance the visitor experience. Up to £3,000 available, including £500 towards development.
DEADLINE: 3 JUN
For South Asian artists:
Brighter Sound are commissioning artists to explore collective memory through music and storytelling, championing the sounds, stories and voices of South Asian creative communities. Take part in group workshops and archival research, get one-to-one mentoring to support your creative process, and get a £1500 fee.
EVENT: 16 JUN
For early career directors:
Witness for the Prosecution are looking for an Assistant Director to support Matt Hassall (Associate Director) on the recast of Lucy Bailey's Olivier nominated production. The rehearsal and preview fee is £2,500, followed by a weekly retainer of £300.
DEADLINE: 3 JUN
For artists interested in working with light:
Lightpool in Blackpool are commissioning new pieces of work - from light artists or newcomers - to be showcased at Lightpool Festival 2024. Get £5,000 fee, support from Lightpool and Lightworks to realise the idea, and production budget of up to £15,000!
DEADLINE: 17 JUN
For digital artists:
The British Library are looking for digital artists/designers working in immersive digital formats to produce a piece of work suitable for experiencing through a VR headset, inspired by the old independent shops of Leeds. Shortlisted proposals will be invited to present their ideas in person to the youth steering group in Leeds and paid £250, then there’s a £4,500 fee for the final piece of work.
DEADLINE: 9 JUN
For playwrights:
Apply for Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award for new writing, to get £8,000 for an exclusive option for Soho Theatre to produce the prize-winning play, a full London run of the play staged at Soho Theatre, and workshops and rehearsed readings of the play in India and the USA.
DEADLINE: 17 JUN
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. Let me know if you’re successful with your applications - I love hearing from you! And as always if you enjoy Opportunity Tuesday please share to help it 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!)
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. I don’t normally share ‘traditional’ salaried roles such as marketing, development, finance etc as they are often not relevant for artists. Thanks!