Visual Artists Consultancy

JOB TITLE: Visual Artists Consultancy

Duration of assignment: 1.5 months

LOCATION: Beirut/Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, or Bekaa.

ABOUT ABAAD

ABAAD – Resource Centre for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC-accredited organization that aims to achieve gender equality as an essential condition to sustainable social and economic development in the MENA region.

JOB PURPOSE:

Scope of Work for visual artists - “Recolor Your Life”

As part of a project entitled “Recolor Your Life" supported by UNFPA, ABAAD is recruiting visual artists to create and execute artistic installations. The project is implemented at the occasion of the 16 Days of Activism, which aims at raising awareness and fight against Gender-Based Violence.

Women, including survivors of violence and abuse will participate in various art-form workshops, facilitated by renowned local artists and artisans, and be given the tools and materials to design art installations and artwork. Messages of hope, perseverance, and a willingness to survive and overcome adversity and challenges will be underscored and shared across all creations.  The curated art displays will be showcased as part of the 16-Days of Activism campaign. The project will focus on the involvement of all stakeholders in the mobilization of ending violence against women in the current context of Lebanon’s crises. The messages of hope from survivors will aim to raise awareness on Gender-Based Violence and its detrimental long-term effects on women and girls, and ultimately, the nation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

It is requested from the visual artist to:

• Develop an artistic concept installation: concept design, preparation, and execution 
• Coach and train a group of women to participate in the different steps of the artistic concept installation: developing the concept, selecting theme and colors, and implementation and execution. The process will be a collaboration between the artist and the participating women in the project.
• The concept will revolve around the idea to ‘Recolor your Life’ and carry messages of hope and resilience and overcoming difficult moments and situations.
• Carry on and follow-up on all steps of the preparation, implementation and execution.
• Prepare the detailed list of material to be purchased for the installation. Prioritize eco-friendly and locally procured resources and materials for utilization.

 Some of these proposed region-specific artistic initiatives are:

• Yarn bombing: Using yarn to design and develop artistic installations.
• Quilts for winterization: Designing and producing quilts to be used for winterization.
• Outfit upcycling and design: Utilizing and upcycling second hand and/or previously owned clothing items. Old clothes are given new life to narrate a story of hope and survival.
• Green Wall: Creating a “green thumb” wall along inner city streets to promote reductions in carbon footprint, while also highlighting a sense of ‘renewal’ and life and future aspirations.
• Mural Graffiti: Designing and painting on walls, with messages of hope and inspiration by survivors.
• Artistic installation: Utilizing discarded resources and materials to develop artistic installations.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Ability and proven record in developing creative artistic installations
• Interest in sharing knowledge and building capacity of local communities in Art for healing
• Interest in women rights issues and gender equality
• Efficient in meeting commitments and observing deadlines

REPORTING LINES:

• Post holder reports to:   Media and Communication Units

Timeline & Location

• The project is to be implemented in one location.  Each of the artists hired for the project will be assigned one region among locations in Beirut/Mount Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon, or Bekaa.
• Timeframe: The artist will develop a detailed planning for the project execution as per the following delivery date requirements 
  • Start date of the project: Asap, from November 1.
  • Concept development phase: to be completed along with the women by first week of November
  • Training phase of women and project preparation: until November 20.
  • Installation and execution:  should be completed in a period between November 25 and December 15.
  • Total number of work days over the contract period from November 1 to end of project on December 15: 25 day

Remuneration range and other arrangements (such as transportation costs) will be discussed during the selection process. Cost of material will be budgeted separately.