Gasworks is pleased to announce an open call for artists based in Central America.
This opportunity is for an artist in the early stages of their career based in Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama) and offers a fully funded 11-week residency at Gasworks in London from 8 January – 25 March 2024. Shelagh Wakely (1932 – 2011), was a British artist whose experimental practice combined visual art, sculpture, and design with architecture.
Wakely travelled widely in South-America, with special interest in Brazil, and her residence in London became a meeting point for Brazilian and Latin American artists. The Elephant Trust administers the Shelagh Wakely Bequest, and the Shelagh Wakely Residency was created in partnership with Gasworks to provide an emerging artist from Latin-America with a three-month residency opportunity in London. Gasworks’ residencies are opportunities for self-led professional development, artistic exchange, and experimentation.
Gasworks programmes up to sixteen residencies each year, inviting emerging and early career international artists to work alongside a community of nine London-based peers for three months. The residencies are non-prescriptive and process-based and focus on enabling artists to research and develop new work. They are made public through open studios and events, these opportunities encourage interaction, dialogue and professional networking.
Gasworks provides significant pastoral and curatorial support throughout the residency, however artists are also expected to be proactive and self-motivated and lead the research and production of their work while in London.
The Residency Comprises of:
24-hour access to a fully accessible private studio at Gasworks, alongside other visiting artists and Gasworks’ permanent studio holders
A public Open Studio event displaying work produced during the residency at Gasworks which will take place on the tenth week of the residency.
All visa costs covered and support during the visa application process.
Economy return flights from the artist’s home city to London, including 1 cabin and 1 hold luggage
Single room accommodation within Gasworks’ Residency House (a 2-story house, shared with 3 other artists-in-residence), with share of the communal bathrooms and kitchen
A weekly stipend of £150 for living expenses
A materials budget of £800
Access to Gasworks’ tools and AV equipment, subject to availability
A prepaid travel card (TFL zones 1+2) for unlimited travel within central London for the duration of the residency
Administrative, pastoral and curatorial support from Gasworks (during office hours, Monday-Friday, 9:30am-6pm)
A dedicated residency page on Gasworks’ website
A short video interview and presentation in advance of the Open Studio to introduce the artists’ work. The video will be permanently added to the residency page on Gasworks’ website
At least 2 individual studio visits with curators and arts professionals (meetings will be in person however on occasions and when relevant they will also happen virtually)
Opportunities to meet with other artists, arts professionals, patrons and collectors through at least 2 organised lunches and/or dinners
At the end of the 11 weeks a written report will be required summarising the artist’s experiences during the residency, a template will be provided.
Eligibility Criteria
This residency is open to contemporary visual artists working across all disciplines, who currently live and work in Central America. This includes Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Applicants that currently reside outside of these countries are not eligible for this opportunity, and aspiring artists producing high quality work who have not had the opportunity to work in London before will be prioritised. While they welcome applications from all disciplines, it is also important to note Gasworks’ restricted facilities. Applicants should have at least a moderate level of spoken English and should feel comfortable engaging in artistic discussions in English. It is important that all applicants research Gasworks thoroughly before submitting their application so as to be fully aware of the context which they would, if successful, be entering.
The selected artist should be able to engage discursively and speculatively with Gasworks’ environment and London’s wider artistic and cultural context. With this in mind, applicants should submit a project proposal within their application, outlining their specific research interests and intentions for the residency. Those who fail to submit a considered proposal that is specific to this residency and the London context will be disqualified.
They encourage applications from all backgrounds. Gasworks’ building is fully accessible, and arrangements could be made to provide fully accessible accommodation if necessary. Due to limited resources and facilities, they are unable to offer residencies to artistic duos or collectives. The funds available for each residency and room in the shared accommodation are for one person only. Similarly, they are unable to accommodate partners or children in the accommodation due to limited space, although artists requiring such accompaniment may still apply if they are able to arrange their own accommodation. They welcome enquiries and are open to discussing ways in which their residency programme can be adapted to cater to all artists’ needs.
Selection Process
The artist will be selected based on their application. Gasworks will establish a selection panel to ensure a wide perspective on and in-depth knowledge of the contemporary art scene in the UK and Central America. It will include representatives from Gasworks as well as external advisors. Please note that only the successful artist will be notified by 21 August 2023 Due to the expected high number of applications, they are unable to respond individually or provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
