Subject: Artbeat Creative Workshop 2014/15 Page: 2

Subject: Artbeat Creative Workshop 2014/15 Page: 2

ALLEN & OVERY LLP

To: / Artbeat artist applicants
From: / Emma Turnbull, Artbeat Manager
Date: / August 2014
Subject: / Artbeat Creative Workshop 2014/15 – Brief to Artists

A. Project Description

Artbeat is an award-winning community arts and enterprise initiative launched by Allen & Overy LLP (A&O) in 2003 with the aim of forging a bond between A&O and its local community. Artbeat has invited over 650 local students and community members into A&O’s offices and commissioned them to create artwork for our offices under the tutelage of professional artists. Hand in hand with improving the mutual understanding between our two communities, Artbeat helps to instil confidence and a sense of self-worth in each student. Through Artbeat, A&O has sponsored in-class and after-school art and enterprise workshops at various secondary schools and sixth form colleges in Tower Hamlets, intergenerational community art workshops, and parent and child art workshops, with the goal of challenging participants to create art for display in a public exhibition and at the firm's London offices.

With the Artbeat Creative Workshop, over the course of one semester and working closely with the school and the Artbeat artists, we continually aim to challenge the students’ perceptions and experiences in terms of the media they engage with. Through Artbeat, we strive to give the students opportunities they may not otherwise have had, opening their eyes to the wealth of history, diversity and opportunity that abounds in the City and London at large.

Artbeat artists are responsible for designing and leading the projects, while A&O provides logistical support; A&O volunteers to assist with the workshops; and funds the artists' fees, materials and costs. Any out of hour supervision time is provided by the teachers at the relevant school. The selected works are professionally framed or displayed and then exhibited at A&O’s Bishops Square offices over the course of a two month long exhibition. Selected works from this exhibition will remain on display at A&O’s offices for approximately one year after the exhibition. Thereafter, the majority of the work is returned to the relevant school to make way for a new generation of Artbeat artwork and A&O retains certain selected pieces for the A&O permanent Artbeat collection.

Each year, the Artbeat team aims to select an artist’s proposal that shows an understanding of how to inspire and challenge the students using their selected art media. Previous projects have involved a wide-range of challenging media including painting, omnicrom printing, photography, stone-carving, sculpture, stained glass, textiles, light installations, lenticulars and aluminium. One of the primary goals of the Artbeat Creative Workshop is to introduce the students to media and techniques they would not generally have access to within the school curriculum and encourage them to venture beyond their own experiences in creating innovative and thought-provoking work capable of being displayed in a public exhibition.

B. Partner School

Artbeat provides a valuable opportunity for A&O to forge closer links with and support schools in the borough of Tower Hamlets.

The Artbeat Creative Workshop will take place at Bethnal Green Academy a mixed culture mixed diversity secondary school with which A&O has a close and long-term strategic partnership. Each Artbeat artist will be responsible for either a first year GCSE Art or B-Tech Art & Design mixed gender class of approximately 15-18 students between the ages of 13-14 years old.

C. Artbeat 2014/15 Theme

This year we have decided to open up the theme and invite artists the opportunity of autonomy and self-expression upon which to base their proposals. We would however like each Artbeat workshop to allow students to understand the connection and links between Allen & Overy and Bethnal Green Academy, either through history, cultural or a particular focus could be Allen & Overy’s international reach. Whilst each artist is free to interpret and apply this element of forging links as they wish, we would like it to be applied via a variety of mediums.

We would like to encourage this year’s Artbeat Creative Workshop students to interpret the links between our two organisations, showcasing their creative responses through art alongside a visual artist.

We would anticipate that each student will produce at least one individual piece of artwork to be exhibited at the end of the workshop. Our hope is that every student, on completion of the workshop, will walk away feeling more confident and inspired. How the students choose to reflect their work will be entirely up to them, working alongside the professional artist that we would sponsor to conduct the workshop.

D. Timeline

5 Sept 2014: Deadline for submission of artist's project proposals.

w/c 15 Sept 2014: Interviews with artist applicants and selection of Artbeat artists. Selected Artbeat artists to hold preliminary meetings with the art teacher with whom they will be working.

Oct –

Dec 2014: Artbeat workshops take place (including October half-term sessions).

Jan/Feb 2015: Finalisation of artwork and preparation for framing and display in at A&O’s Bishops Square offices; evening reception to mark the opening of the exhibition for the Artbeat artists, students, their teachers and families and A&O community.

E. Brief to Artbeat artists

Scope of commitment

The success of Artbeat depends upon the enthusiasm and expertise the artists bring to the workshops and the vision they communicate to the students. Artbeat requires an intensive commitment from the artists involved, which includes:

·  Preparing a workshop proposal based on the Artbeat 2014/15 theme, 10 two-hour sessions or 20 one-hour sessions within school time, after-school sessions (where appropriate) and 1-2 longer Autumn half-term sessions

·  Preparing, agreeing and sticking to a project budget of up to £1,500 plus £250 for framing and installation costs (managed and approved by A&O)

·  Arranging and acquiring materials (as per agreed budget)

·  Leading a site visit with pupils and art teachers to A&O’s offices at Bishops Square

·  Preparing practical session notes for pupils

·  Contextualising the practice in relation to contemporary or historical art, a gallery visit or equivalent (normally one site visits during the Autumn half-term or as agreed with the school)

·  Documenting the project, including photographs of the students participating in the workshops and assisting with the preparation of the online Artbeat Catalogue (the Artbeat Catalogue is produced by A&O, made available on our global webpage and details the artworks created with a background included on the programme, the Artbeat Artist, participating students and teachers)

·  Assisting with the selection and presentation of the work at our Bishops Square offices and attending the evening reception (N.B.: the aim is for each student to contribute to at least one individual or group piece for display at A&O);

·  Ensuring that the art selected for display at our Bishops Square offices is documented for purposes of the students exams

·  Liaising with the school and A&O as required throughout the project

·  Participating in informal events for the promotion of Artbeat, e.g., a presentation about the Artbeat artwork

Artists must commit to attending all workshop sessions, the Autumn half-term sessions, any necessary after-school sessions, as well to attending the art exhibition opening in February 2015.

Prior to the workshops, artists will have to complete a police background check, which is generally a straightforward procedure, and submit the form to the school.

Qualifications

Ideally, artists should have prior experience in teaching art, though full-time teaching experience is not required.

F. Project Proposal

Please submit the materials listed below to Emma Turnbull, Artbeat Manager, at , to be received no later than 5 September 2014:

·  A letter indicating why you are interested in Artbeat as well as the skills, resources, ideas, etc. you might bring to the programme;

·  an outline of the Artbeat Creative Workshop you would propose leading, including interpretation of the Artbeat 2014/15 theme, media, and activities or excursions you might incorporate, an estimated budget, and a plan for project documentation and assessment. Assume a materials budget of up to £1,500 plus £250 for framing and installation costs;

·  ensure you provide a clear process and detail what the final outcome will be;

·  a CV outlining your professional experience, including any teaching experience; and

·  examples of your artwork, and, if possible, work created through art classes you have taught. Please submit all work examples in soft copy.