DIY: 2007 – Reworking the ‘day job’

Ten artists will ‘rework the day job’ in a bid to find methods that allow the day job to motivate artistic practice.

Led by Holly Darton.

Saturday 23 June, Saturday 7July, Saturday 21 July, Saturday 11 August, and Saturday 18 August 2007 (dates to be confirmed with participants).
London.
Deadline: FULLY BOOKED.

The Project
Reworking the day job invites artists to share, consider, challenge and examine the ‘day job’, in an attempt to find methods that allow the ‘day job’ to feed into artistic practice. A London based project.

Participants will meet up for five days over the course of two months to share and discuss current ‘day jobs’. This will include a session of micro teaching in which participants will be asked to demonstrate their knowledge/role/skill with the rest of the group. The group will consider these and attempt to identify ways in which the ‘day job’ can feed into practice, either in terms of contexts for new work or skills to support professional practice.
Participants will then work together to create new work to be performed at a final meeting at Artsadmin studios.

The first meeting will take place at Holly’s flat where there will be a sharing of backgrounds, practice and ‘day jobs’ over lunch and a brisk walk. The following meetings will be arranged as a group and will include visits to participant’s workplaces.
Participants should come with a light-hearted approach to challenging the ‘day job’ and a willingness to make new performance explorations / pieces in response to the findings.

Application Procedure

Participants should be working a minimum of three to four days along side an artistic practice and be one to four years out of an art/performance degree. To apply please email a short description of your current ‘day job’, a brief outline of you artistic practice, and how you think the workshop will benefit your practice along with a current CV to [email protected] before 6pm on 21 May 2007. Please place ‘DIY 4’ in the subject line.

About the Artist

Holly Darton is a fine artist that has, during the last five years been making artwork alongside a ‘day job’. Holly works with Ben Connors as part of ‘Ben and Holly’ an ongoing four-year collaboration, making performance, video and sculptural work. Holly also creates solo work exploring her own insecurities, vulnerability, and general day-to-day living experiences.
Last year Holly completed a PGCE in further education alongside her collaboration, her waitress job and tutoring one day a week. This has enabled her to consider the juggling of roles, which always revolve around a longing to continue making artwork. Ben and Holly have presented work at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Colchester Arts Centre, Fresh festival Bracknell, The Chisenhale Gallery London, CCA Glasgow, and Expo Festival. Holly currently tutors at Hertford Regional College. Ben and Holly are an Artsadmin early career bursary receipitant. www.benandholly.co.uk

Any Questions
If you have any questions about reworking the ‘day job’, please e-mail Holly:[email protected].