b-side multi-media Festival 2012 – Artist Commission Brief

b-side is a biennial multi-media, site-specific arts festival, animating public spaces in Weymouth and Portland. Inspired by the ‘flip’ side of vinyl recordings, b-side offers opportunities for artists and audiences to explore the less commercial aspects of South West coastal resorts.

b-side is offering a number of commissions to create new, temporary, site-responsive work to be showcased, alongside other events and activities, as part of a programme for the 2012 b-side Festival. The festival will take place as part of the ‘Maritime Mix’ London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by The Sea during which, Weymouth and Portland will be hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing events.

b-side festival 2012 is programmed for:
July 30th – August 11th 2012 in Weymouth during the Olympic period
Sept 1st – 8th 2012 on Portland during the Paralympic period

Proposals are invited from artists working across all media [visual art, performance/live art, sound, film, digital media, text based work, social media and
socially engaged practice].

Key concepts: Portals, entry and exit points, bridges, mapped and off the map, boundaries, borders and barricades, peripheries and margins, outposts. If your work
resonates with any of themes, we want to hear from you!

Fees:
We are inviting proposals for three categories:
Category 1: Up to £1500 Category 2: Up to £3000 Category 3: Up to £5000

All fees include production, installation costs, travel and accommodation – we are looking for exciting deliverable ideas that explore or highlight the flip side of Weymouth & Portland.

NB There is a limited budget to support extended stays in residency or research and development prior to making the work should this be necessary to realise your idea. Successful applicants will have access to curatorial support, installation assistance, venue facilitation and help with finding accommodation.

To apply:
• Please provide ONE document formatted as a PDF to include the following:
• 500 word max proposal outlining your idea including type of space, installation needs, technical assistance, maintenance and any possible health and safety issues.
• An outline draft budget including breakdown of equipment, materials, production costs, installation costs, artist’s fee (which should include your anticipated
travel/accommodation expenses)
• Up to 6 images of previous work within the pdf document (inc links to websites etc)
• Sound or film files may be sent as separate attachments, although links to soundcloud, vimeo, you tube or other appropriate web sites is preferred
• An up to date CV
• Total submission should not exceed 5MB

PLEASE NOTE: PROPOSALS RECEIVED IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS OR WHICH EXCEED THIS LIMIT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT
Deadline: 5pm Saturday November 5th 2011
Interviews: artists proposing work for the 3rd category (up to £5000) will be invited to an
interview – interviews will take place week beginning November 21st

Please send your proposal by e-mail only to the b-side commissioners:
Amanda Wallwork , Sally Watkins , Julie Penfold and Sandy Kirkby Festival Producer at
Please mark your email subject line: b-side FESTIVAL PROPOSAL
Supporting material may be sent by post if required to: Sandy Kirkby, b-side Festival Producer, The Little Keep, The Barracks, Bridport Road, DORCHESTER, Dorset DT1 1SQ

please include SAE for return

Guidance for Artists
b-side 2012 will use entrance and departure points to and from Weymouth town centre and onto the island of Portland. Commissions will be developed in response to these specific sites. During the Olympic games, Weymouth is expecting 30,000 extra visitors per day. Visitors will arrive by Park and Ride to the Swannery Car Park and be directed by Inner Harbour walk to Westham Bridge, then to the Live Site on Weymouth Beach. Others will arrive by train or boat. b-side wishes to explore, reveal, and mark these routes by commissioning a series of contemporary, innovative, accessible artworks that become part of a semicircular pedestrian route around the town centre.

On Portland some sites are more hidden and require the audience to be more active in engaging with them. There is a list of prospective sites below, although we would welcome other suggestions from artists. During the Paralympic games, visitors are expected to be less numerous, the borough council are committed to a full cultural programme and to using this period to highlight issues around disability and the Paralympic values. B-side also welcomes applications for Portland from deaf and disabled artists whose work relates to the key themes and/or the Paralympic sailing events.

The proposed sites are as follows:
Weymouth:
1. The promontory end of the Pleasure Pier near the ferry terminal (potentially including the café, but this is to be negotiated)
2. Westham Bridge and Inner Harbour walk
3. The Town Bridge
4. Weymouth Railway Station
5. The Pier Bandstand

Some images of above can be seen at: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjwo57hU
Portland:
1. Through Chiswell at the eastern end of Chesil Beach and Fortuneswell – the high street, the ‘Opes’ and alleyways that surround and lead off from Chiswell
2. Chiswell Community Garden
3. Black Barge Beach
4. Brackenbury Centre (the old Brackenbury Infants School Building)
5. A mobile unit which could travel throughout the island
6. Royal Manor Theatre Building
7. Portland Castle
8. Castletown area of Portland
9. Naval Graveyard

Proposals can be for work made for intimate spaces as well as larger public spaces or incorporate a route or journey. Artworks should be site specific/sensitive/responsive and temporary, exploring the fabric, history or contemporary use of the space/place and aim to intrigue and engage audiences.

The curatorial team selecting commissions this year are:
Amanda Wallwork Visual artist and Director/Curator for Sherborne House Arts, b-side Director
Julie Penfold Director/Creative Programmer PVA MediaLab, b-side Director
Sally Watkins Independent artist (site-specific/responsive work), b-side Director
Sandy Kirkby b-side Festival Producer

Queries and Questions:
We have tried to ensure that you have all the information you need at this stage to make a proposal but if you do have questions then please contact any of the b-side team listed below:

Sandy Kirkby or 07770 856 253
Sally Watkins or 07974 698526
Julie Penfold or 01308 459071
Amanda Wallwork or 07816224015