iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) and Towner Eastbourne are excited to announce an open call for expressions of interest from artists of African, Asian or Middle Eastern descent, British born or based, to undertake a major new commission.
The commission is offered through Future Collect, a partnership project initiated by iniva to reimagine the future of public collections at major art galleries and museums in the UK. Towner Eastbourne is iniva’s partner for the third year of Future Collect, which was established in 2019 with generous support from Art Fund, Arts Council England and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
Future Collect has three key aims:
- To produce outstanding new artwork by an artist of African, Asian or Middle Eastern descent, British born or based, to be subsequently accessioned into museum and gallery collections to better reflect the breadth of contemporary British society
- To transform curatorial practice around commissioning within major British art galleries and museums
- To cultivate a new generation of young people and their families to be self-assured visitors to galleries and museums.
The new work will be displayed at Towner Eastbourne in 2023/24, and will then be acquired by the gallery and accessioned into its collection. As well as giving an opportunity for an artist to be collected and exhibited by a major British institution, the commission will contribute to a wider public debate on collections and whose heritage is being preserved.
The Commission
This commission opportunity is open to artists of African, Asian or Middle Eastern descent, British born or based, working across all media.
The artist’s commission fee is £10,000 paid in three instalments and the production and materials budget is £15,000, plus agreed expenses to cover travel, accommodation and subsistence. An acquisition fee for the final work will be offered depending on the nature of the work and to be negotiated with Towner Eastbourne and funders.
Public Programme
A public programme will be developed with input from the artist which underpins the critical context for the commission, accessing the specialist collection at the Stuart Hall Library through artist-focused study days and reaching the wider visual arts sector through curator days and a conference.
How to apply with an Expression of Interest
We are seeking expressions of interest of no more than 500 words. Please tell us why you are interested in Future Collect and what excites you about creating a new work in response to the site, context and collection of Towner Eastbourne. Please also indicate how you might engage with the public programme associated with the project.
Along with your written statement, please send up to 10 images of previous work.
The deadline for the receipt of expressions of interest is 12pm on Friday 29 July. Please send by email to rmalikokon@iniva.org
Timescale for selection process
29 July 2022: deadline for expressions of interest.
August – September 2022: studio visits to shortlisted artists followed by invitation to selected artists to submit a detailed proposal (paid).
October 2022: commissioned artist appointed.
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About iniva
iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) is an evolving, radical visual arts organisation dedicated to developing an artistic programme that reflects on the social and political impact of globalisation.
With the Stuart Hall Library acting as a critical and creative hub for our work, we collaborate with artists, curators, researchers and cultural producers to challenge conventional notions of diversity and difference. We engage a wide audience, particularly young people, in discourse and debate on issues surrounding the politics of race, class and gender.
Through our programme we work predominantly with British-born and British-based visual artists of African and Asian descent supporting them at different stages in their careers. We offer residencies, commission new work and promote existing practices enabling artistic ambition and development. By cultivating innovative thinking, we are committed to disseminating research across a wide cultural spectrum and geographical network. Our ambition is to build a greater body of knowledge around each of the artists with whom we work to ensure the legacy of their practices for future generations of researchers and audiences. www.iniva.org
About Towner Eastbourne
Awarded Art Fund’s Museum of the Year 2020, Towner Eastbourne has been collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for nearly 100 years. It presents a dynamic programme of exhibitions, acquisitions and commissions by some of the most exciting and diverse artists working at all stages of their careers for as many as 175,000 visitors each year.
Towner 100 is a year-long celebration of the gallery’s centenary, with the Turner Prize 2023 forming the centrepiece of an ambitious exhibition programme.
Towner Eastbourne’s Collection is best known for its modern British art, including the largest and most significant body of work by Eric Ravilious (1903–1942), and a growing collection of national and international contemporary art including works by Dineo Seshee Bopape, John Akomfrah, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Tacita Dean, Anya Gallaccio and Wolfgang Tillmans, and most recently Rachel Jones, Helen Cammock, Jananne Al-Ani and Clare Woods.
Towner Eastbourne develops and supports artistic practice and collaborates with individuals, communities and organisations to deliver an inclusive, connected and accessible public programme of live events, film and learning. The award-winning gallery designed by Rick Mather Architects sits in the Eastbourne’s cultural centre, the Devonshire Quarter. The building, which opened in April 2009, is the largest purpose-built gallery in the South East. https://townereastbourne.org.uk
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Image: Detail from Ira Aldridge's eyes, 2021, Future Collect artist Jade Montserrat Watercolour and pencil crayon Image courtesy Manchester Art Gallery
