Skip to main content

Inspirational Arts

RADAR_Research and Development Artist Residency

Inspirational Arts and PhotoIreland present a new research and development artist residency for graduates.

 

RADAR is a new two-year-long residency programme for recent graduates of any Photography degree on the island of Ireland, from Diploma to Masters. The programme is aimed at providing adequate national and international opportunities for artists in order to engage with the broad arts context and consolidate their practice. RADAR is an ambitious evolution of the Inspirational Arts Photography Award first established in 2009, now expanding its remit to provide critical opportunities with the support of PhotoIreland.

The residency provides 5 graduates with advice, guidance, and professional support, as well as a range of resources and materials to ensure substantial progress in the artists’ practice and career development: a research space in Dublin at The Library Project, with access to the PhotoIreland Collection of photobooks and scanning facilities, and includes a week-long production residency in Wexford. In addition, participants will benefit from a selection of opportunities presented by PhotoIreland’s Creative Europe networks as well as key events in the Photography calendar, in Ireland and abroad. They will be able to visit public and private events, thus gaining direct insight and experience from the artform’s arena.

The participants benefit from:

  • PhotoIreland’s Professional Development Programme focusing on three core areas of the artist’s practice: Research and Project Development, Practice Management and Self-Discipline, Business Skills and Sustainability
  • Advanced Digital Printing training at Inspirational Arts
  • A voucher for Fine Art printing costs at Inspirational Arts
  • Fine Art print advice and support throughout the residency
  • Feature on wiki.photoireland.org
  • Creation of online portfolio website
  • Research space in Dublin at The Library Project
  • Access to the PhotoIreland Collection of photobooks
  • Access to Darkroom and film scanning facilities
  • Week-long production-focused residency in Wexford
  • Access to key events in the Photography calendar, in Ireland and abroad
  • Local and international networking opportunities
  • Benefit from opportunities presented by PhotoIreland’s Creative Europe networks

At the end of the programme, participants will have expanded their professional network, advanced their business and research skills, strengthened their practice, and acquired a sound and proactive outlook on their place in the international context.

NOMINATION AND PROCESS

Every year during January, all the Diploma, BA and Master programmes nationwide are informed about the call for RADAR, requesting tutors to prepare a list of up to five artists per programme to be considered by the last week of April.

Tutors should identify individuals that they believe would benefit from the programme, those who have shown a consistent interest and demonstrate potential to progress towards a stable arts practice, regardless of the current quality of their output.

We contact each nominated student to gather all relevant details about their practice within the first week of May. From the initial longlist, Inspirational Arts and PhotoIreland select five artists who will join the programme, their names are announced in late June.

A selection of the graduates’ work will be exhibited during PhotoIreland Festival (at the Museum of Contemporary Photography of Ireland in 2022), receiving artist fees and funds for production costs.

RADAR IN BRIEF

Timeline

RADAR provides a two-year long support for 5 graduates in two stages: Stage 1 is focused on an exhibition and Stage 2 on development. In this way, a crossover of cycles is purposely created where artists selected in 2022, enjoying a development programme in their second stage of the programme, will get to know and support the exhibiting artists from the new cycle in 2023. The crossover is inspired by our experience in Creative Europe projects, in particular the Parallel Photography Platform, which generated a productive network of artists who supported each other to date.

Stage 1: Exhibition

  • January – RADAR presented to course tutors
  • March – Reminder sent to course tutors
  • Last week of April – Nomination of names from course tutors
  • First week of May – PhotoIreland receives nominees’ materials
  • July – Group show during PhotoIreland Festival

Stage: Development

  • January to December 2023 – Professional Development Programme

The full calendar of national and international engagements will be provided to all participants.

Benefits

  • Professional Development Programme
  • Advanced Digital Printing training
  • Print voucher from Inspirational Arts
  • Research space at The Library Project
  • Access to PhotoIreland Collection of photobooks
  • Access to darkroom and scanning facilities
  • Week-long production residency in Wexford
  • Embedded in PhotoIreland’s Creative Europe network
  • Access to public and private events in Ireland and abroad
  • Creation of online portfolio website
  • Feature on wiki.photoireland.org
  • Exhibition at PhotoIreland Festival 2022

Note: all travelling, accommodation, and subsistence costs outside Ireland relating to international opportunities are optional and would be covered by the participants. PhotoIreland will assist with grant aid applications to cover these costs.

Outcome

  • Expanded professional network
  • Adequate presence online
  • Advanced business skills
  • Proficiency in funding applications
  • Strengthened practice and core skills
  • Sound and proactive outlook on their place in the international context
  • Developing a new or existing body of work

For further details, please contact us at info@photoireland.org
To find out more about Inspirational Arts Fine Art print studio range of services, go to inspirationalarts.ie or contact proprietors Ed Dunne and Jim Butler by phone at +353 1 454 5417  or email at ed [@] inspirationalarts.ie