FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER IN RESIDENCE @ OPEN EYE HUB, WIGAN
Fee £4,000 P/T 2 Oct 2023- June 2024
CALL OUT FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: DIVERSE VOICE
ABOUT THE COMMISSION
Open Eye Hub, Wigan – a partnership between Open Eye Gallery Liverpool with Wigan Council and Wigan & Leigh College, wish to commission an emerging photographer focused on developing their socially engaged practice to undertake a 9 month P/T residency.
We are looking for responses to the theme of Diverse Voice developing work with South African Black Communities or Afghan and Ukraiinian communities who have settled in the borough. There is scope to link to existing and developing partnerships (i.e Wigan & Leigh Archives, Turnpike Gallery, SWAP & Sheba arts) and to develop work with local diverse communities.
CONTEXT
Wigan is an Arts Council Priority Place with low cultural engagement, in which 32.5% of the population live in neighbourhoods within the 20% most deprived in England.
Wigan Borough is changing rapidly. The 2021 census data that revealed that the number of people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in Wigan borough trebled in the past decade.
This change brings opportunity for projects such as this to share stories that celebrate the diversity of our borough and to foster and promote better representation and cohesion across all of Wigan’s cultural communities.
THE RESIDENCY
The residency is a unique and timely opportunity to engage with recently settled and newly displaced communities who are making their homes in the borough. Due to the sensitive nature of the work we are looking for a photographer who can demonstrate previous relevant socially engaged practice with experience of gaining trust and building relationships with diverse communities.
Open Eye Hub is an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and we want our organisation and its audience to reflect the diversity of our local community in Wigan Borough. We strongly encourage applications from those from the Global Majority, LGBTQ+, d/Deaf or Disabled and those from low-income backgrounds.
It is envisaged that the initial 3 months of the residency (October 2023- December 2023) will focus on Research & Development with the remaining 6 months focusing on engagement and developing a body of work. Opportunities to show the work will be explored throughout the residency. Other means of sharing information about the work produced will be explored which could be in the form of blog posts, instagram etc.
Duration: From October 2023 to June 2024
Time Commitment: The photographer will be expected to manage their own work schedule, with regular review meetings and support from the Lead Artist, Mario Popham and Creative Producer for the Open Eye Hub Wigan, Annie O’Neill
Employment status: Freelance contract, photographer responsible for own tax and national insurance.
Fee: £4,000 to be paid in instalments as per contract. This is to include all travel and associated expenses incurred by the photographer.
It is expected that the photographer will live within reasonable travelling distance to Wigan & Leigh.
SUBMISSION DETAILS AND SCHEDULE
Deadline for submission of interest: 22nd September 2023
Please submit:
- Up to 2 A4 sides describing why you are interested in the role and potential lines of enquiries /approaches to practice you would like to deliver through this project
- A current CV
- Up to 6 images / video links exemplifying your work which you feel is most relevant to this project
Please submit all applications to: jobs@openeye.org.uk
SELECTION PROCESS
Selection of applicants will be made by Open Eye Hub, Wigan partnership. Applications will be considered against the following criteria:
- Response to the theme of Diverse Voice and relevance of proposed lines of enquiry/approach to practice
- Evidence of genuine interest in developing socially engaged practice
- Capacity to deliver the R&D and production phases of the project over 9 months
- Openness to collaborate with partners and communities
- Live within reasonable travelling distance to Wigan & Leigh
- Applicant is over 18
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submission by 6th October 2023.