We have an exciting opportunity for you to be part of a unique collaboration project with Engineers from all sorts of disciplines. Engineers are people solving real-life problems in areas such as aerospace, tech, chemical engineering and building design. We will be bringing you together with some of these amazing people so that you can share ideas and explore how to tackle some of the greatest challenges society faces. We want to see where this fusion of art and engineering takes you and are excited to see what unexpected outcomes this collaboration brings.
If you’re a young black artist - working in any medium - you are eligible to apply for this unique and life-changing experience. We’re looking for ambitious, open-minded talent and in return we can offer you the financial boost and unique connections to take your art to the next level.
You will receive a £1250 bursary and you will be individually matched with an Engineer that compliments your artistic medium and area of interest. You will work together to create a piece of public artwork and be awarded an additional £250 to bring it to life. The BLAST Events and Production team will provide the guidance and support you need to exhibit your piece at the BLAST Weekend event in Summer 2022.
You will also be matched with a Creative Mentor who will share their knowledge and help you develop your particular area of artistic talent. And that’s not all, during your fellowship you will be invited to exclusive masterclass sessions to inspire and facilitate your creative journey.
£1250 FINANCIAL BURSARY
You will be given money to help support your creative development. It will be up to you how you spend the money and it could be used for equipment, materials, your own time, rehearsal space or training. It can be whatever you need to elevate your work and help get the most out of your collaboration and mentoring during the fellowship.
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ENGINEER
You will be matched with a real-life problem solver, an Engineer, who you will collaborate with to explore the societal issue that you choose to address in your art. You will then work together to create a piece of public art to engage others in the issue you have chosen to explore.
CREATIVE MENTOR
Based on your artistic medium, you will be paired with a Creative Mentor working in your field to provide artistic guidance and inspiration. Each relationship will be different but could include 1-2-1 mentoring, group training or site visits to the mentor’s workplace.
PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF YOUR ARTWORK
With an additional £250 to bring your ideas to life, you will work together with your Engineering Mentor to explore a societal issue and create a public exhibit. This can be in any medium and will form part of the BLAST weekend in July. You will also have the benefit of expert guidance and advice from the BLAST events team to help you produce your exhibit.
MASTERCLASS SESSIONS
During your fellowship, you will have exclusive access to masterclass training and inspiration sessions from leading scientists, engineers and public engagement professionals. You will have an unrivaled opportunity to not only hear their stories but to ask them questions about their lives and work.
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE BLAST MEDIA FELLOWSHIP:
We will be awarding four fellowships in total, and have created a simple application process.
Just send us a covering letter, telling us about yourself, your artistic talents and what attracted you to the fellowship in relation to the theme of Engineering, Environment and Social Change.
Please email your Cover Letter to anita@blastfest.org.uk
You can also email us some examples or links to your artwork if you wish. Feel free to use our WeTranfer link to send us larger files: https://blastfest.wetransfer.com
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 4 pm, 31st March 2022
If you have questions about the application process, please email anita@blastfest.org.uk