Launch of the 2017-18 South of Scotland Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards

Launch of new grant scheme for artists and makers in the South of Scotland

The South of Scotland Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards are open for applications from professional artists and makers.

Established by Creative Scotland, the Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) are a programme of small grants schemes delivered with a range of local authorities and art agencies across Scotland to support visual artists and craft makers in their creative and professional development.

In the South of Scotland, the scheme partners are Live Borders and Dumfries & Galloway Council.

The scheme provides a valuable opportunity for practitioners to undertake specific projects, and to develop and advance their creative practice in ways that they may not otherwise have been able to do. It can be a crucial transition point – for both emerging and established artists.

Grants of between £500 and £1500 are available to individuals, enabling them to realise proposals including researching and developing new work for exhibition, learning new skills, purchasing equipment and engaging a mentor.   Previous recipients have been supported to take up residencies, training courses and international research trips, which has impacted positively on their career in the longer term.

Anna King, a Borders based artist, received funding from the scheme in 2016 which enabled her to take up the offer of a residency in Iceland. She said of the impact this has had on her work:

‘It provided me with a period of reflection and experimentation, and lots of source material from which to create a body of new and interesting work. It allowed me to take a place on a prestigious international residency program and meet and exhibit with artists from all over the world.’

There are 2 application deadlines for this scheme:   October 4 2017 and February 7 2018.

The Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards are administered by the CABN (Creative Arts Business Network) project, Live Borders.   Other partners who support the South of Scotland awards in Dumfries & Galloway are Upland and DG Unlimited.

For more information including application forms and guidelines visit the Funding and Grants page on the CABN website.

For advice, Scottish Borders based applicants can contact Mary Morrison, CABN on 07789 944 993 or mmorrison@liveborders1.org.uk   Dumfries & Galloway based applicants can contact Amy Marletta, Upland on 07871201473 or amy@weareupland.com.

 

Main image credit:  Anna King, South of Scotland Visual Artist and Craft Maker Award recipient 2015-16