Make It! In Libraries, funded by Arts Council England, is an ambitious and exciting opportunity for Wirral Libraries to showcase libraries as creative community spaces.
As part of the evolving library strategy for Wirral, the Service is becoming more proactive in exploring new ways to address low engagement levels within specific sections of the community.
Wirral Libraries want to increase resident participation in Wirral’s arts, culture and heritage offer to promote its educational, social and wellbeing offer. Make It! In Libraries will be well placed to reach those residents with lower levels of arts engagement. This project will also form part of the Wirral Cultural Partnership’s Imagine Wirral 2018 programme, celebrating culture and creativity across the borough.
The artists/makers will work with identified community groups to produce a quality piece of merchandise or series of merchandise. In the first instance the end product will be available for sale at a launch event held at Williamson Art Gallery & Museum and in a pop-up exhibition in the individual libraries. The workshops and resulting merchandise should focus on key cultural activities and/or distinct characteristics of the locality.
The project aim is to recruit participants with low library engagement but who are interested in the creative arts.
Wallasey Central Library
Wallasey Central is Wirral’s most popular and well utilised library. It is a grade II listed Carnegie Library and sits within the heart of its community, whilst only being a short distance from a number of attractions including New Brighton, Vale Park and Seacombe Ferry. Wallasey locality has a rich history and is now a thriving tourism destination.
This project will work with adults recruited from the local community and via organisations that work within the community. The participants may have mild to moderate physical and/or mental health issues.
West Kirby Library
West Kirby Library is a thriving library in the heart of this small town, which is located on the very tip of the Wirral peninsula. It is co-located within a busy leisure centre and health centre. West Kirby also benefits from a number of tourist attractions including the marine lake with Victorian promenade, West Kirby Beach, Ashton Park, West Kirby museum, St Bridget’s Church and the Wirral Way.
This project will work with participants aged 16-24 recruited from the local community and also from organisations that work within the community. This project will require a current DBS.
Artists / makers must:
- Deliver a minimum of 5 workshop sessions deliverable in July and/or August and/or September that will develop participants’ creative practice and introduce newcomers to quality artistic processes. Workshops should take the local area as their starting point
- Through the workshop process develop ideas for merchandise. This could use the work developed in the workshops directly or as a stimulus for design created by the artist
- Produce a final product or products that should be appropriate to sell at a launch event and pop-up exhibition, with design approval taking place by mid-October
- Provide social media content in line with agreed protocols
- Undertake evaluation as agreed with the project lead
- Attend a launch event at the Williamson Art Gallery (date to be confirmed) and be prepared to deliver a small talk about your commission
- Work with the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum staff to create a quality exhibition of the participants work and commissioned merchandise
- Attend or provide information for briefing and progress meetings as appropriate
The project fee for each library is £4000 to cover all expenses, including but not exclusively:
- travel and subsistence
- workshop materials
- development of print ready art work
- preparation of exhibition materials
For information on how to apply email kirstenhume@wirral.gov.uk. You can apply for one or both libraries.
Shortlisted applicants must be available for interview on:
- Wednesday 20 June for West Kirby
- Thursday 21 June for Wallasey Central
If you are not available on the interview dates please do not apply.