DIY: 2009 – Call for Participants

DIY 6 is an opportunity for artists working in Live Art to take part in unusual training and professional development projects conceived and run by artists for artists.

All projects will take place in August and September 2009.

Our Call for Participants is now closed.

More info about DIY.

More info about DIY 6: 2009.

Projects are aimed at both emergent and experienced practitioners, and take place across England. The DIY 6 programmes take many forms, including a 24-hour immersive experience, a 1000 mile bike ride, as well as a series of workshops, discussions, and encounters.

The following DIY projects are now fully booked and closed:

Kayle Brandon, Heath Bunting, James Kennard and Vahida Ramujkic: BUSINESS AS USUAL

Avon Gorge, Bristol
A series of workshops encouraging participants to spend time in the wilds of the Bristol as indigenous human beings: an opportunity to get scratched, burnt, dirty, afraid and enlightened.

FULL DETAILS

Tim Jeeves: Know Thyselves
Brighton
24 consecutive hours of skill share, storytelling and unconventional networking.

FULL DETAILS

Steven Levon Ounanian: Ritualride – A 30 day 1,000 mile ecological pilgrimage by bicycle
Nationwide
A ridiculous journey into the outer limits of Great Britain, visiting farms, solar panelled mosques, micro-climates, motorways, and McDonalds.

FULL DETAILS

Brian Lobel: Camp Live Art
Colchester
Generate interactive performance material by exploring group activities, camp games and the idea of audience as community.

FULL DETAILS

Caitlin Newton-Broad & Howard Matthew: Live Art for Children
London
A weekend workshop for live/visual/performance artists and their children – including childcare.

FULL DETAILS

LOW PROFILE, Rachel Dobbs and Hannah Jones: What do you do with the leftovers?
Plymouth
Examine, re-trace, take stock of, and realise the potential of the ‘stuff’ that is leftover from the artistic process of making.

FULL DETAILS

Helena Hunter: Practice-based Research for Emerging Artists.
London
Share, facilitate, and practically discover new and innovative ways to approach research and develop artistic practice.

FULL DETAILS

Lorena Rivero De Beer: Exercises to Activate the Political Imagination of the City Wanderer
Liverpool
A collaborative workshop for artists who are interested in cultural politics and critical thinking to research and respond creatively to the city’s public sculptures.

FULL DETAILS

Rajni Shah: Not Knowing
London
A workshop about the act of not knowing, and about the value in not having the answers. A choreographed series of encounters and spaces for reflection in the city of London.

FULL DETAILS

General DIY information follows below.

A workshop that dazzled, energised, rocked me, changed me, made me a better artist and a better person. A fantastic, friendly atmosphere that allowed each of us to be trusting, generous, original and sharing. (Chloe Dechery, DIY participant)

Information for all projects and applicants 
Follow the links on the DIY projects page to find details of each DIY project. Each project description has specific information relevant to that project and on this page you can find information about all projects and answers to frequently asked questions.

Requesting further information 
The lead artists are happy to respond to questions about their DIY projects. If something is not clear or if you would like further information (eg about dates and the time you will need to commit) then email the lead artist. In each project description the contact email of the lead artist is included. Please make sure you put ‘DIY 6‘ in your email subject line.

Who can apply?
DIY is a scheme for artists working in Live Art. However, many of the DIY projects are relevant to artists who are interested in Live Art but may not have an extensive track-record of Live Art practice. In each case read the project description closely to understand if there is a specific ‘target’ of participants (eg at a certain stage in their career).

Each project will prioritise artists from within the region in which it is based (except for London which is open to all artists). However, other artists are not excluded from requesting a place on the project. Past experience tells us that there are often places available for all artists who want to take part. Therefore we strongly recommend that if you are interested in taking part in a project – even if it is not taking place in the region in which you live – then you should make a submission.

Deadline and notification
Most of the DIY projects have an application deadline of Friday 17 July 2009. If you would like to take part in a DIY project you need to contact the DIY project leader and submit your application to them.

Each project has slightly different selection methods – most often you will be asked to submit a cv or biography and a short statement. You should check each project description carefully to work out what is required for your submission. If in doubt, email the lead artist as early as possible with a question to clarify what is required.

Each lead artist will respond to your submission and let you know if you have been accepted to participate. They will usually do this within a week of the deadline. Sometimes they will request further information to help them work out if the project is right for you.

The deadline is the final date for submission. We encourage you however to make your submission at any time leading up to the deadline.

How much does DIY cost?
Generally DIY projects are free to take part in; however, for some projects you will be asked to contribute to the cost of food and other direct expenses. Mostly you will also be asked to cover your own travel costs to and from the place where the project is taking place. Some projects provide participants for specified costs such as travel.

Where relevant, details of costs are mentioned in the project descriptions; however, if you are in doubt email the lead artist to check.

What happens if I can’t attend all days?
DIY projects are short and designed for small numbers of participants. It is therefore ideal if you are participating that you attend all days/sessions of the DIY project. If this is not possible but you really want to take part, please contact the DIY project leader and outline your availability to determine if they will accept your application.

Access requirements
Unfortunately, some projects require certain levels of physical fitness and/or are not accessible for all artists. If you have access requirements please contact the lead artist to discuss the suitability of the project.

How can I lead a DIY project?
The artists leading DIY projects were selected through an open call. You can read the archive page including the guidelines for the call for DIY project leaders on this website. We hope to run DIY in 2010 and will again select DIY lead artists through an open call. Join the Live Art Development Agency e-list to remain informed of our projects and activities.

If you require further information about any of these projects or artists, please contact the Live Art Development Agency at [email protected]

DIY 6 is a Live Art Development Agency initiative developed in collaboration with Artsadmin, New Work Network, The Basement, Colchester Arts Centre, Nuffield Theatre & LANWest, and PLATFORM.