CATAPULT.visual’arts Consultant

Objectives:We are seeking to recruit a consultant or an entity to support the British Council Lebanon’s Arts and Culture Department and its partner ARTLAB with the design and implementation of a 5-days professional development workshop for 10 visual artists in February 2022.

The Arts and Culture Programmes at British Council Lebanon aim to initiate and celebrate the best of Lebanon and UK arts. It explores new models of programming and partnerships to support the creative sectors, while generating strong visibility for the projects to ultimately strengthen the creative economy, maintain current and attract new partnerships and instigate interest from the stakeholders in the cultural sector, artists and creative practitioners and the general public.

Our programmes in Lebanon focus on enabling mutually beneficial cultural projects.  Our new initiative CATAPULT is thought as a talent development program in collaboration with existing hubs in different creative sectors. It recognizes potential in each of the sectors and responds to the needs and ambitions of those who work in it. It aims to support creative talents from Lebanon while building strong connections with the UK. Our programme falls into British Council’s focus on creative expression, exchange, and enterprise.

Our initiative is about upskilling, growth and thrive. Each program will focus on different aspects of propelling careers in the field it serves.

Programme Objectives:

CATAPULT.visual’arts is a collaboration with ARTLAB. The project started with the launch of an Open Call that will allow the selection of 10 artists to participate in a professional development programme and culminate in the presentation of 10 exhibitions at ARTLAB’s space in Gemmayze.

Artists working with different mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, installations, based in Lebanon, are invited to apply.

A selection committee of experts from the field will be in charge of choosing the beneficiaries.

The program celebrates the plurality of artistic expression responding to the current local and global challenges.

We are looking to develop a 5-days workshop that aims at equipping these 10 emerging visual artists with the necessary capacities to move forward with their careers, work towards financial sustainability, and be able to navigate the digital era.
The consultant must develop a programme relevant to the needs of the artists, aligned with their practices, ambitions, career positions and long-term goals.
The programme should offer development planning, business support, networking events and critique of work while taking into consideration the current context of Lebanon with important exchange with the UK.

At the British Council, it is our purpose to find ways for communication and collaboration in spite of different cultural traditions and worldviews. We want to work together with our partners around the world to find ways to bring people closer and find solutions to our common challenges. Differences in profession, status, race, ethnicity, political loyalty, etc, should not stop us from finding common ground to make this a better world for ourselves and for our children.

Important Dates:

Deadline for applications:

10 December 2021

Beginning of Assignment:

01 January 2022

End of Assignment

15 March 2022

Deliverables and Scope of Work:

Activity: Workshop Development

Scope of work: 

• Organize an exchange session with the 10 chosen artists. Include other artists, and key people from the field to identify the needs and ambitions of the beneficiaries.
• Use the findings to design and develop (in collaboration with British Council Lebanon and ARTLAB) a 5-days professional development workshop providing access to career-, community-, and confidence-building tools.
• The workshop should create linkages with the UK inviting professionals to intervene. British Council will advise on this. 
• The workshop must include:

Theoretical and practical sessions targeting the following topics:

1. Balancing current context and artmaking.
2. Day-to-day financial challenges.
3. Determining career path.
4. Access to tools, equipment, or specialized facilities.
5. Researching/applying for exhibition/performance/publishing opportunities.
6. Marketing oneself and one’s work (developing personal website/blog, using social media).
7. Researching/applying for grants, fellowships, and prizes.
8. Researching/applying for residencies.
9. Access artistic community / peer network (networking in-person with local arts supporters and key people form the field).
10. Networking regionally/internationally.

Working time: 80%

Activitiy: Evaluation and Reporting

Scope of Work: 

• Produce a detailed report on the findings of the session, the design and implementation of workshop and the impact on the participants.
• Other deliverables may be agreed during this consultancy between the British Council SRO and supplier.

Working time: 20%

Criteria:

Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

• Experience as a practitioner in the visual arts field.
• Experience in developing workshops for visual artists.
• Experience of effective and efficient delivery processes, evaluation and reporting.
• Excellent interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Good standard of written and verbal communication including experience in making formal presentations in art and culture related subjects in English and Arabic.
• Experience of developing and delivery of events/community engagement projects desirable.
• Ability to live and work in Lebanon.

The consultant will understand and make decisions which are affected by Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) legislation and policy. Additionally, he/she will exploit opportunities brought by diversity and build them into all planning.

The consultant will understand the importance of child protection and ensure polices and processes are in place to offer maximum protection of young people at all relevant events and venues and ensure compliance with BC Child Protection policy.

The consultant will be working according to a preset schedule validated by the Arts and Culture Programme Manager. They will collaborate very closely with the Deputy Director, the Project Support Officer and the Communications Officer and other Programme Managers.