ArtHouse Jersey is inviting local creatives to apply to take part in this year’s Artist Lock In, our flagship interdisciplinary residency project.
Artists will spend a week working and living together, learning from each others’ practice and responding to the natural environment. Away from the distractions of everyday life, the Artist Lock In encourages an atmosphere in which to explore new approaches and different styles of making.
Applications are currently open for the lock in, which will take place from 18 to 25 September, and the deadline to apply Monday 28 June.
We spoke to the project’s producer, Francesca Duncan, to learn more about what the week involves and what participating artists can expect from the experience…
How long has The Artist Lock In been running and what is your role within it?
This will be the sixth Artist Lock In and for the second time we’ll be based at ArtHouse Jersey’s home at Grève De Lecq. In 2013 I was a participant in the lock in that was held at Elizabeth Castle and the following year I was invited to help deliver it. I now produce the project for ArtHouse Jersey, organising everything that the project needs, from managing applications to checking tide times.
The project is facilitated by Sue Hill (Wildworks, Eden Project UK). Tell us about Sue and how she approaches
the Artist Lock In?
Sue is a visual artist, performer, curator and theatre-maker who has worked with communities and artists all over the world. She’s a founding artist of Wildworks and was artistic director at the Eden Project from 2000-2006. Sue is hugely encouraging and inspiring, and finds ways to gently challenge artists to be truly playful. She always reminds us that there is no such thing as failure, just interesting and unexpected discoveries.
What kind of artists has the project attracted over the years?
From Bermuda to the Faroe Islands, from St Helena to St Helier, we genuinely have had artists from across the world. We always look for a range of skills and expertise as this creates lots of opportunities for people to share their different ways of working. In previous years we’ve invited storytellers, dancers, poets, and even a perfumer to be part of the lock in.
How did the project adapt to Covid in 2020?
When we realised we couldn’t safely bring artists together in a physical space we took it online for a Virtual Lock In. Nine artists from as far away as Nigeria came together on Zoom to be playful and experiment with how to create art and engaging experiences across a digital platform.
What are you hoping artists will come away with from this experience?
The lock in aims to encourage artists out of their comfort zone and to explore the exciting possibilities of working with new people, new media, and in a new place. Thanks to Sue’s experience as a landscape artist and Jersey’s breathtaking coastal setting, a key focus is the use of natural resources available to us – the wind, the sea, the star filled skies – to make art which is informed by, and experienced in, the wild of the outside world. We hope that the artists leave feeling inspired, particularly after the difficult last 18 months.
Do you think that what artists experience when they take part in the Artist Lock In goes on to inform future work? If so, how?
After spending a week working so closely together the artists often feel very bonded and we are always delighted to see that people keep in touch for many years. Sometimes people decide to work on future projects with people they’ve met, or with ArtHouse Jersey directly.
Artist Thomas Buckley was a participant in 2019 and then went on to work with ArtHouse Jersey and local artists to produce The Memory Box Project.
For others, the main take-away is a renewed energy or shifted perspective about how to approach their work in a more collaborative way.
You are currently recruiting for this year and hoping locals will come forward as well as international artists. What would you say to encourage local artists along?
We really encourage Jersey artists to apply as it is such a nourishing experience. Not only will you get to work with and learn from lots of other artists, but as the name suggests, it is fully residential so you can step away from your day-to-day routine and focus your time and energy on your practice without having to leave the Island.
Finally, give us an overview of who is eligible and exactly what people need to do to apply.
We welcome applications from anyone over the age of 18 who is professionally committed to their craft and regularly presents work to an audience either through performance, exhibition, showcase or targeted community outreach.
To apply just email francesca@arts.je for an information pack and an application form. The deadline for applications is 6pm on Monday 28 June.
