Place and Memory – Open Call

Phoenix is pleased to announce an open call for professional digital artists or organisations to provide support to local documentary filmmakers and digital artists culminating in the exhibition of work in our newly developed galleries between April and June 2023. This project will include providing support to two existing delegates from the REAL Initiative, a programme of support for documentary filmmakers and digital artists in Leicester and Leicestershire looking to progress their practice and grow their business.

Extended deadline for submissions of proposals: 16.12.2022

Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre is pleased to announce a call for established documentary digital artists and/ or filmmakers to provide around 12 hours of mentoring support to between 1 and 5 documentary film makers and /or digital artists on the REAL Initiative programme, culminating in an exhibition of work in our newly developed gallery between April and June 2023.

REAL Initiative is a programme of support for documentary filmmakers and digital artists in Leicester and Leicestershire looking to progress their practice and grow their business. It is focused on developing enterprise, expertise, infrastructure and collaborative networks around documentary film, factual TV and non-fiction digital art. REAL Initiative is funded by Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Midlands Engine and Arts Council England.

The purpose of this brief to commission a mentor who can encourage, equip and support local creative practitioners to produce a national level art/ film installation for April-June 2023 with the support of Phoenix’s team.

The anticipated exhibition has a current working title of: ‘Place and Memory’, and is aimed at exploring Phoenix’s history, journey, legacy, and heritage over the last 60 years. The successful applicant will therefore be skilled in researching, consolidating and supporting creatives to create historical accounts of Phoenix through a documentary-style film or digital art piece that must be shown primarily in the gallery. As this exhibition will form part of the launch programme for our new four-screen, state-of-the-art venue with expanded gallery and interactive media wall, it is anticipated that the final piece/s may also take up space in other screens or spaces around Phoenix. The first exhibition in the new gallery (Object Memory, Jan-March 23) will be connected to the

concepts around objects that have special meaning or evoke special memories, so this exhibition aims to continue this line of thought.

The exhibition will coincide with the REAL Documentary Festival Thursday 20^th April – Saturday 22^nd April. This three-day industry-focussed event will provide documentary filmmakers and digital artists from across the UK with a fantastic opportunity to network, learn and get inspired. The Festival will include a digital art stream, and we are looking for this exhibition and any associated seminars/ workshops/ talks to meaningfully engage with around 100 documentary filmmaker and digital artist delegates, as well as the general cinema-going audiences.

The successful supplier will be highly experienced filmmaker/ artist/arts organisation with a sound understanding of the creative industries and creative workflow. They will support the delegates for a 3-month period during which they will provide 12 hours of mentoring, which will help guide their work and support them in delivering a successful exhibition to be launched at the beginning of April 2023 and to run until the end of June 2023.

The successful applicant/s will be supported by the Phoenix Art team – Irina Tsokova (Digital Arts Manager) and Mateus Domingos (Assistant Producer), who are responsible for the overall creative direction of the exhibition and will work with the mentor to support the creative delegates to prepare work for the exhibition. The successful applicant will also be supported by REAL Initiative Project Managers Nick and Julia Hamer and REAL Documentary Festival Director Ulrike Kubatta.

Phoenix will support the creation of immersive non–fiction digital art works to be created by artists on the REAL Initiative programme, culminating in an exhibition to run from April 2023

Phoenix will support the creation of non–fiction films or immersive digital art works to be created by filmmakers or artists on the REAL Initiative programme, culminating in an exhibition to run from April 2023 to June 2023.

Phoenix arts programme staff and the successful applicant will identify the delegates’ personal and creative strengths and work to develop and deliver a national level standard exhibition that will be displayed in Phoenix’s brand–new gallery.

Phoenix is looking for a person/organisation to:

• Work alongside the digital arts team to plan a programme of support for the selected delegates and their work, which engage with existing and new audiences.

• Offer technical and creative support to the delegates while they develop their work.

• Advise our artists/ filmmakers, helping them to maximise the creative potential of their work.
• Work alongside the REAL Documentary Festival organising team to meaningfully engage the documentary industry delegates with the artistic themes and/ or use of technology used in the exhibition, during the weekend 20-22 April.

• Work alongside our arts team to curate the new gallery space at Phoenix for the three–month period between April–June 2023.

• Work with the REAL Initiative project managers Nick and Julia Hamer to comply with all monitoring and marketing requirements from our funders.

The delegate application process will highlight any access needs and Phoenix will support the training provider to ensure the stated needs are met.

Please download the full application brief here.

To apply for this opportunity please email [email protected] with the following:

• Confirmation that you are willing to be a mentor and exhibition provider and design and deliver a programme in line with the specifications and timescales outlined in this document.
• A brief proposal of how you would devise the support sessions and what support you can provide to our delegates. Additional ideas on how to develop the exhibition/ artworks will be welcomed.
• A link to your website/ CV etc which details your credits and any other information that may help us to understand your credentials as a practitioner, leader and trainer in this sector.
• A formal quote to deliver this training to the maximum budget of £3k plus VAT, inclusive of all expenses.
• Please complete Phoenix’s equal opportunities monitoring form.
• Details for two references, at least one should be support/mentor related.
• Confirmation that the mentor either has an up–to–date DBS check, or will comply with necessary requirements to ensure
• Phoenix is safeguarding any potential vulnerable adult delegates
  

Deadline: 1st of December 2022