Artists Required For Workshops

Jun, 21 2016

~For those of us who live and work in Preston we’ll be all too familiar with the Preston Market. Perhaps we’re regular customers and we’re known by name. Maybe we have our favourite local produce or we assist older ones as they go about the market place. Whichever way we visit the Preston Market we’re always assured of good service and a guarantee of  providing for our cherished city.

However, there could be some who may not be aware of the Preston Market. They could be new students to the area or parents who wish to shop somewhere convenient and accessible for their children.

Thankfully, due to a new initiative starting in July and running for the next 8 months the Preston City Council is seeking to commission 12 interactive workshops to take place at the Preston Market. The workshops are intended to draw families into the market creating new or renewed awareness of the market and its offering.

Applications are welcome for individual workshops or for sets of up to 12. The workshops will take place during the following periods:
School Summer holidays (Tuesday 26 July – Thursday 1 September) x 6 workshops to take place on a weekly basis with 2 running in the week before the bank holiday
October half term (Monday 31 October – Saturday 5 November) x 2 workshops to take place
Christmas (Saturday 10 December, Saturday 17 December and either Sunday 18 or Friday 23 December ) TBC x 3 workshops to take place
February half term (Monday 13 February – Saturday 18 February 2017) x 1 workshop to take place.

Now here are some workshop specifications you may want to jot down :-

An interactive arts workshop
Workshops should be seasonally themed but also incorporate the market offer. The market’s history, its traders and current product offer could all be considered when putting together a workshop.
High quality, innovative and dynamic offer
Workshops to be open to all however must have a particular focus on young people and families
Individual workshops will ideally run between 11am and 3/4pm

Workshops are to be run as drop in sessions initially, however we will consider timed sessions to make it more manageable
All equipment and materials required for the workshop are to be provided by the Artist/group, the costs of which should to be factored into the proposal.
Where possible all equipment and material should be purchased from the market.
Overall Budget is £3000 or £250 per workshop

I hope you’ve got all that. Here is some  important information about the application process :-

To apply please submit no more than one side of A4 (500 words) outlining how you will meet the above specification, in particular how you will theme the workshops. In addition a budget breakdown must be included.
Deadline
Please send proposals to Rebecca Fitton r.fitton@preston.gov.uk by Thursday 30 June at 5pm.
Decisions will be made and applicants informed by Wednesday 6 July.
So there you have it. Nothing to it really. Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes. You have just over a week to get your proposal in . All the best to you and your arts based workshop.
^Alex Ashworth