Apply For Homotopia’s QueerCore Programme, closes 3 Mar

QueerCore is Homotopia’s talent development programme for early-career artists.

The programme runs for 12 months and offers tailored support for LGBTQIA artists in the Liverpool City Region to grow, build connections and develop new ideas.

Application deadline: 10am on Friday 3rd March

Homotopia QueerCore 2023

Well tell me more…

Starting in late March 2023, this is a 12-month programme of support, focused around a specific project including;

  • £2000 grant to spend on developing a new project, idea or strand of work.
  • mentor appropriate to your needs as an artist/artist collective.
  • Access to specialist workshops on fundraising, marketing/PR and financial management for artists.
  • Mixers with other local queer artists, creatives and producers.
  • A learning and development residential in…Blackpool!
  • chance to present some form of work/work-in-process at Homotopia Festival 2023.
  • Join an alumni network of 20+ local queer creatives changing the world.

What are the details?

Over the course of this programme, you will have access to the Homotopia team, mentors and other LGBTQIA artists and producers. Rather than generic support, we aim to focus your QueerCore programme around a specific project or idea, so that we can guide you through something practical and hit the ground running when you join the programme.

QueerCore is also about creating a community, meeting members of QueerCore old and new, and the vast variety of artists, producers, and venues we work with in Liverpool and beyond.

We are flexible and adaptive and expect to change and tweak elements of the programme over the course of the 12 months, as well as finding more opportunities for artists on the programme; the informal as well as formal elements of the programme are important to us.

Our 2022 – 2023 cohort (read all about them here) benefited from opportunities to perform, host workshops and/or exhibit their work during Homotopia Festival 2022. QueerCore alumni have received Arts Council England funding, directed a play on the Everyman main stage, worked with the BBC, won commercial commissions, and even starred in a major Netflix show. While on the programme, many received additional press coverage and an increase in their social media followers.

Am I eligible?

This programme is for artists who are ALL the following criteria:

  • Define as LGBTQIA+;
  • Are based in Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, St Helen, Wirral);
  • Would say they are at an early stage in their career.

This opportunity is NOT just for under 25s, all early-career artists are welcome whatever their background. We would especially love to hear from applicants who belong to groups underrepresented in the arts, including QTIBPoC, queer D/deaf and disabled, and Trans* folks.

How can I apply?

Simply fill in our Queercore Application Form and return to hello@homotopia.net as a Word document or PDF (other formats are not accepted) by the deadline. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted about a short phone interview. This is just a chance to find out more about you – selection will not be based purely on this interview.  You must also complete the online Equal Opportunities monitoring form.

If you’re not able to complete the application form and wish to apply by video or audio, please send a Dropbox folder link or similar to hello@homotopia.net. Keep this to a maximum of 8 minutes and include essential contact details (phone and email), name, and address in the email. You must also complete the online Equal Opportunities monitoring form.

Got questions?

Dates for information sessions are listed below and registration opens soon.

Timeline

For Applications:

Applications open: December 2022

In person info session: 5.15pm on 17th January 2023, at the Homotopia office in Liverpool City Centre. Sign up here. 

Online info session: 5.15pm on 7th February 2023

Applications close: 10am on Friday 3rd March 2023

Interviews: Week commencing 13th March 2023

For the programme:  

Start: Beginning of April 2023

First Mentor Meetings: By the end of April 2023

First specialist workshop: Early May 2023

Idea for festival confirmed: End of July 2023

Residential training weekend: In the week of 31st July 2023, for 2 nights/ 3 days.

Homotopia Festival: November 2023

Planning next steps: December – March 2023 

Useful documents

Queercore Application Form

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Contact hello@homotopia.net for general questions.

All information can be found at www.homotopia.net/queercore-application/

Apply Now For Sound City Launch Training, closes 6 Mar

Applications for Sound City Launch Training are now open!

Sound City Launch Training 2023

The exclusive 10-week course is the perfect way to expand your knowledge of the music industry and take your first steps towards your career in music.

The Launch Training Programme will offer a wide range of industry insights into musical performance, production, music business and more. Weekly sessions will be led by our expert mentors who will guide trainees through the immersive programme, sharing their extensive knowledge of all corners of the music industry and offering constant feedback and support.

The programme is completely free and acts as a fantastic alternative to university or other paid forms of higher education for people of all backgrounds. Please do not apply if you are already in Higher Education but do check Sound City for future opportunities/ Training courses.

Past trainees have gone on to perform worldwide tours, play at Reading and Leeds Festival and establish careers at Spotify, BBC and Nintendo! If you are aged between 16 and 24 and feel like you are ready to launch your career in the music industry then apply to be part of our next wave of trainees now.

Launch Training 2023 will run from March 13th until May 15th and will take place weekly on Monday evenings 6:30pm – 8:30pm in Liverpool (Venue TBC). If you application is successful, more details will be available via email with your course leader / tutor.

Apply For Sound City Launching Training Here.

Apply To Play Sound City 2023

With the incredible names announced for our 16th Anniversary line-up, Sound City is continuing to champion and bring together the biggest and the best in thrilling new music – something that extends to their Apply To Play Platform, open to prospective bands and artists to win the opportunity to play at Sound City 2023.

Sound City 2023 - Apply To Play

Not only curating a phenomenal bill but reaching out to grassroots bands and artists to take that step into playing at the leading festival for new music discovery, it once again connects artists to the best new opportunities possible.

Sponsored by the passionate team at Tunecore, the Apply To Play Platform is open now!

Apply To Play Sound City 2023 Here.

Presenters – Arts for Social Change Showcase, held 23 Feb

Are you passionate about using the arts for social change?

The Arts for Social Change Showcase is an evening of quick-fire presentations from people using arts and creativity to make a difference. Collective Encounters are accepting Expressions of Interest for presenters at their event.

The showcase is a great way to grow your ideas, share and celebrate your achievements, rage or highlight something that needs to change.

If you are interested in contributing to this event please fill out this simple google form.

The event is held online, 23 February, 7.30 – 9.30pm. To attend the event, you can book tickets here

Stallholders – Knowsley Feelgood Festival

The Knowsley Feelgood Festival will be in its 9th year and will take place on Saturday 5th August from 11am -5pm and their annual Flower Show is back again on Sunday 6th August.

If you want to reserve your stand now, please email Katy McLoughlin – Katy.McLouglin@knowsley.gov.uk with your name/ the type of products you will be selling and a contact number and they will reserve you a  space on their plan.

Please be aware they only have a limited number of spaces within the Farmers Market area ( 22 spaces for 3mx3m and 2 spaces for 6mx 3m).

If you wish to discuss anything further don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Work with Convenience Gallery in 2023-24

At Convenience, they are looking ahead to the future. They want to create a programme of events, exhibitions, workshops, projects and opportunities representative of the needs and wants of the local community.

They want to champion your ideas, projects, needs and dreams. So if you have an idea and want to work with Convenience Gallery then please get in contact.

Want to work with them?

They are running their annual open call and expression of interest to work with Convenience across all of their public programme of arts and culture that will take place in 2023/ 2024

For next year we are working on the theme: ‘The Town is the Gallery’. The Town is the gallery intends to create art access across the town of Birkenhead across multiple venues and will be a multi project initiative. They believe anywhere can be a space for culture. This programmes will aim to make arts and creativity a part of everyday life.

What will this programme look like?

Exhibitions
Installations
Events
Film festival
Community groups
Multi venue arts trail

They are open to all disciplines and practices across the diverse field of creativity so please share your ideas and proposals with us.

How to apply?

Expressions can be made via a short google form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdWjsJJrn9XGKJKUxe3oQctWza_Atho4_kGcRBRpZ8m9NT4A/viewform?usp=sf_link

If you have any issues or question around the google form please email: conveniencegallery@outlook.com

Closing date for expressions: Tuesday 31st January 2023

Work with them meetup: Head along and have an informal chat to the gallery team about your ideas on Wednesday 18th January. Venue TBA.

Event

Thanks for taking the time to read and they look forward to seeing your submissions.

Andy and Ryan, Convenience Gallery

Male vocalists – The Grand National Chorus

The Grand National Chorus are actively recruiting new male members for their four part harmony a cappella chorus.

If you, or someone you know, is interested, please go to their website www.liverpoolinharmony.co.uk for further details, including access to their Facebook page.

Rehearsals will be held at Prescot Town Hall.

Artists – Our Dance Democracy 3, closes 27 Jan

Our Dance Democracy was founded in Liverpool 2018, a city of defiance – solidarity and home to radical and diverse dance, performance and cultural heritage practices.

Our Dance Democracy 3 – Courageous Conversations Positively Democratising Narratives –  addresses dance, performance and heritage practices which positively disrupts Western canons, and promotes the artist voice, agency and endeavour which enhances critical art practices.

Dance and performance practices under the auspice of globalisation have increased global and intersectional discourse in art making practices, and as such has powerfully contextualised the systemic and institutionalised effects of Global majorities, Gender, Disability, Racial injustices, Maternal in the art making sectors.

In Our Dance Democracy 3 we invite dance, performance and heritage practices which explore expansive understanding of human experiences, that speak to an equity of belonging, and champion diversity and identity politics. In this event, we would like to encourage the power of Courageous Conversations and at the same time advocate a safe and transformative space.

 Our Dance Democracy 3 will be a two-day conference, dedicated to deliberating on the role of dance artists and scholars in ways including, but not limited to –

29th March Liverpool Hope University – Care, Compassion and Culture

Transformation, Identity, Endeavour and Risk

Activism and activist art making practices

Reimagine teaching and learning practices

30th March Edge Hill University – Decolonising our Stories

Transformation, Identity, Endeavour and Risk

Diasporic, First Nation and other dance practices

Appropriation and marginalisation of knowledge-systems

Submission of Abstracts: 27th  Jan 2023

Email tagline: Our Dance Democracy 3 

For further information, please contact

Dr Sarah Black blacks@hope.ac.uk

Karen Gallagher – kgallagher.k@gmail.com

 

Photography enthusiasts – Liverpool City Region Photography Awards, closes 9 Jan

Launched by Open Eye Gallery with the support of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the competition celebrates the talent and creativity of photography enthusiasts from across Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

Residents have until 9 January 2023 to enter any of the eight categories in the competition:

People and Places, Still Life, Living Sustainably, Sport, Portrait, Urban Living, Creative and Wildlife and Nature

Entry also makes a submission to one of the three subcategories, Mobile, Analogue and Youth depending on whether the image was taken using a mobile device, traditional film or whether the entrant is under the age of 16.

There are a number of prizes including:

Showing as part of Liverpool City Region Photo Awards 2023 exhibition across multiple venues

£1,600 in cash prizes

Stay and breakfast at INNSiDE x2

Free memberships at dot-art Darkroom

Darkroom materials from Harman Technology

For more details and submission form please visit the competition website: https://site.picter.com/liverpool-city-region-photo-awards-2023

Comedy training sessions – The Comedy Trust

Do you want to kickstart 2023 with an energising and memorable session? The Comedy Trust are hosting comedy training sessions.

An award-winning comedian will show your team:

How laughter makes us feel and the associated health benefits
How laughter helps us connect and build lasting relationships
How humour builds resilience and helps us problem solve
How to integrate humour into their daily routine
Or perhaps you want to give staff a boost to their public speaking / presentation skills? They do that too!

Through unique, comedy-led training sessions, your team will learn:

How to make your personality work for you
How to use storytelling to make unforgettable presentations
Recall methods and how to improve memory
Harnessing nervous energy and using it to your advantage
How to build confidence over time
Preparation tips, long and short-term
Engaging vocal delivery, body language and gestures

For more information or to book, contact: sam@thecomedytrust.com