Established in 2019, FACT’s Curator in Residence programme invites Curators, based in the UK and Europe, to develop a major exhibition and a public programme of events that engage with their diverse audiences: both in Liverpool and internationally.
Until 2025, the position will be funded by the John Ellerman Foundation as part of FACT’s Curatorial Development Programme; allowing them to continue to champion new visions and voices within the arts.
Context
FACT is one of the UK’s leading centres for artists, curators and researchers working at the intersection of art, science and technology. As well as supporting artists at different stages of their careers, FACT recognises the importance of curatorial practice in maintaining a vibrant cultural scene.
Curators impact how an artwork is made, shown, and talked about. They have the ability to make unique connections between ideas, people and projects which are specific to their interests or research. As such, they are a vital part of any art ecology, and FACT is eager to support the next generation of curators to develop their practice in sustainable ways, building on the expertise within the organisation.
Through our Curator in Residence programme, we aim to further discourse around digital cultures and the impact of new technologies on society, and to offer a supportive environment for individuals or collectives to explore their curatorial practice. By continually expanding the network of artists, researchers and curators we work with, FACT hopes to become a hub for new perspectives and approaches.
Introduction to the role
We welcome applications from individuals or collectives working within the context of digital cultures and new technologies, at an emerging- to mid-career stage, who are excited about working with and around artists: supporting them to develop their practice, make new work, and deliver events and exhibitions. Applicants might not naturally consider themselves a curator, but have experience in any of the following: supporting creative practice; designing activities for groups of people; the production of artistic outcomes; or other transferable practical creative skills which are in-keeping with the aims of the residency.
Looking towards our onward programme, we are keen to work with creatives who critically and playfully explore the possibilities of interfaces between the digital and the haptic. We’re especially interested in those who aim to create different types of sensorial experiences – both physically, and in the virtual realm – and think how they might bridge audiences’ encounters with both worlds. This could include considerations of embodiment and how our bodies are mediated by technology. It could also explore the ways in which AI and data conflate personalisation to recognisable commodified patterns.
The Curator in Residence will work towards an exhibition across FACT’s ground floor Galleries, and an accompanying public programme. This hybrid residency will be based between on-site working at FACT and independent research and development working remotely. It runs from January 2024 for 10 months, culminating in FACT’s Winter exhibition, due to open in November 2024. FACT will support the curator’s vision and practice, seeking to bring in new references or perspectives, and disrupting our usual ways of working.
During the residency, the curator will work closely with FACT’s Exhibitions, Learning and Marketing teams to develop their exhibition and public programme. They will also integrate into FACT’s Studio/Lab programme, engaging with researchers and early to mid-career artists or curators through mentoring and informal sharing sessions. The residency will allow for remote working but should include multiple extended stays in Liverpool during development, production, installation and the exhibition run.
Person Specifics
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This role is open to curators from any background or discipline – although the role is curatorial, we are keen to open this out to people who may not have a formal curatorial practice but are able to create connections, construct narratives and work with us to invite audiences into an artistic experience
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The role is open to individuals or collectives. If applying as a collective, please be aware that the fee and travel, accommodation & research budgets remain the same, so this should be considered when allocating members’ time to the project
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Applicants should be interested in the overlapping fields of art and technology, approaching this from a critical and/or social perspective; and their work should seek to push FACT’s current programme and approach
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Applicants should be mid-career (3-5 years experience), having worked on the delivery of some public-facing or large-scale projects in their chosen specialism or field of research
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Flexible and collaborative: someone with experience of working as part of a large team, organisation or on a project with many stakeholders
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Clear vision and ability to communicate this to a wide range of audiences
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Committed to Equality, Diversity, Access and Inclusion both in their programming and their approach to working with artists, colleagues and participants
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Applicants must be based in the UK or Europe
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Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as FACT cannot currently support visa applications
Deliverables / Expectations
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To take part in a flexible, hybrid residency lasting approx. 10 months with around 30% of time spent on-site in Liverpool
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To become embedded in the organisation, and in Liverpool, forming connections between their curatorial approach and the work FACT is already undertaking, as well as locating their work within FACT’s specific context
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To curate and deliver an ambitious, audience-focused presentation of 2-3 artists or a collective (either a new commission or significant restaging) to take over FACT’s Ground Floor which includes Gallery 1, the Foyer Gallery, and Public Spaces
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To design and take part in a public programme that expands the scope of the exhibition and is focused on audience interaction and engagement, rather than interpretation and explanation through events
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To propose and develop ways to utilise online platforms to disseminate and create critical artworks, or artistic experiences for our entirely digital audiences: either through the new commissions or events programme
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To take part in the Practice Development Programme of FACT’s new experimental production space, Studio/Lab. This will include acting as a mentor (as planned and assisted by the Studio/Lab Manager) for the Research Curator, Curatorial Assistant and Studio/Lab Artists in Residence
The above should not be regarded as exhaustive or inclusive as there may be other duties associated with the post that FACT will require the post holder to perform.
Benefits / Resources
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£10,000 Fee
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£3,000 Travel, accommodation & research budget
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A workspace in Liverpool along with any basic technical equipment required
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Ongoing, adaptable support from the team at FACT. The team will help to realise the curator’s vision for the Winter exhibition, and also nurture the curator’s developing practice: how they work with artists, institutions and audiences.
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This support also includes insights from across the whole organisation, with opportunities to work with or alongside teams focused on participation, fundraising, communications, technical design and visitor services.
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Access to a wide network of artists, curators and research through FACT’s Programme and through Studio/Lab, where they have the opportunity to work alongside other residents and become embedded in the organisation
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Access to FACT’s partners in Liverpool, from academic institutions to creative technology labs and other arts organisations
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A space to experiment – working directly with the FACT team’s knowledge of our audiences, and our eagerness to try out new approaches to develop and test out curatorial practice in a way not possible in some other gallery spaces
Timeline
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Closing date for applications: 29 November 2023
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Conversations with shortlisted applicants: w/c 11 December 2023
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Successful applicant offer and contract: w/c 18 December 2023
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Residency begins: January 2024
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Exhibitions and Public Programme outcomes: November 2024 onwards
How to apply
To apply, please use the following form:
You will be asked to submit a current CV or portfolio (this can be a link to your website) along with a proposal. The proposal must be no longer than five pages, or if you would like to submit a video or audio file, no longer than 5 minutes. Proposals can include images and artist names as reference materials.
A 360° scan of FACT’s ground floor gallery can be found here.
If you require access support for your application, or have any queries, please email us at residency@fact.co.uk or call FACT on 0151 707 4444.
Closing date: Wednesday 29 November 2023, 23:59.
To find out more visit https://www.fact.co.uk/news/2023/10/open-call-curator-in-residence