Studio Holder Benefits
- 24 hour access, 365 days a year.
- Opportunities to book spaces for talks, presentations or events that may support Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s professional education or research programmes.
- Access to use shared spaces free (subject to availability around ESW’s programmed activities).
- Opportunities to apply for ESW’s Members Rep positions.
- Use of ESW kilns at reduced rate (no daily charge, electrical units only)
- Opportunity to show in annual Studio Holders exhibition in the Hawthornvale Space.
- Reduced rates for training, and free inductions
- Opportunities to meet with visiting selectors and curators
- Opportunity to participate in Doors Open Day, Open Studios
Studio Selection and Management
We select artists at different stages in their careers to ensure a range of experience, skills and contacts within the studio community. Selection is by a panel of staff, Board members and arts professionals.
Artists can sub-let their studio for up to one year if they are offered residency or research opportunities elsewhere. Sub-lets will be included within the period of the lease so leases will not be extended by the length of any sub-lets. Employment or teaching positions do not fall under this category.
In return for the subsidised support, Studio Holders are asked to make a contribution to Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. Ways in which this contribution can be made are described below, and Studio Holders are trusted to fulfil this obligation on an annual basis.
All Studio Holders must be members of Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.
Studios are not available to undergraduate students in full-time education.
Studio Pool
Artists whose applications are deemed acceptable by the selection panel but who cannot be allocated a studio immediately will have the opportunity to be added to the Studio Pool to be considered for the next available studios. When studios become available selection committees will review the pool and attempt where possible to allocate from this list before going to open call.
Artists in the Studio Pool may be asked to update their application after one year. The selection panel will select from the pool, taking into consideration the existing balance of studio holders, which may mean that artists in the pool will not be awarded studios chronologically.
Eligibility
Only artists who have satisfied a rigorous selection procedure reflecting the quality of their work and its place within contemporary sculpture practice, as well as their need for a studio, are offered spaces. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate their commitment to a significant level of usage during their tenure of a studio.
There is a focus on sculpture but we accept applications from artists working in a range of media and different disciplines.
A limited number of studios may be available, from time to time, for applicants working within the Creative Industries (defined for our purposes as architecture, crafts, design, film, music, performing arts, publishing, and media). Any Creative Industry tenants should be able to demonstrate the benefit of their practice to Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s activity.
Criteria for Selection
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
- A high quality of work
- Skills of a high standard
- Their work is located within contemporary sculpture practice
- An engagement with audiences and/or participants
- A clear vision for the development of their work and a need for studio space
- A willingness to engage in peer or professional development and the exchange or transfer of knowledge
- How working at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop will benefit their practice
- How they will actively contribute to Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop activities
Studio Holders’ Contribution
Part of being a Studio Holder at ESW is making a contribution to the operation and community here. This model has been developed to:
– Help ESW be sustainable economically and maintain high subsidy levels.
– Foreground ways to make a difference individually as a stakeholder.
– Keep a high level of conversation, interaction and engagement going.
The Studio Holder’s contribution is to support three of the following types of activity each year. Examples below, but other suggestions welcome.
Contribute to a Community of Skills:
- Give a talk about your practice, as part of ESW’s programme
- Participate in ESW’s Member-led research programme
- Act as a mentor for students or involve students in your practice
- Assist the Technical Team with workshop management, e.g. rationalising of space, maintenance, group work days
- Skills share with other ESW-based artists – providing technical support or advice for members and users
- Teach on ESW’s Learning Programme (paid positions)
Contribute to ESW’s strategic development and profile-raising:
- Undertake ESW Members’ Representative role
- When relevant, credit ESW on exhibition or commission publicity material
- Input into focus groups and take part in group events at ESW
- Act as an ambassador for ESW when travelling/exhibiting abroad
- Initiate links with other national or international arts organisations
- Feedback to staff on ways to improve ESW facilities and activities
Contribution to the wider community outside of ESW
- Suggest new audiences for ESW to target
- Volunteer to assist with open days and public events at ESW (at least one event per year) OR agree to open your studio for visitors to ESW and discuss your work informally (at least once a year)
- Propose ESW as the location for partnership project
- Suggest appropriate new sponsors, funders and partners
Please Download and complete the application form below and submit your CV, with a PDF of an Artist Statement and 8 images of your work to Gordon Munro, Assistant Director: gordon@edinburghsculpture.org.
Email limit is 10mb so you can also Dropbox or WeTransfer the files
ESW Studio Application Form
