Re:discover Barrow Lost Shops - A High Street Heritage Action Zone project

Art Gene and BarrowFull are seeking a visual artist to take up a residency to create artwork in Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. 

The Brief

This is an exciting opportunity for a ‘temporary’ work to be sited in/on Duke Street, an impressive historic artery in the centre of Barrow-in-Furness between the Town Hall and the Public Library. The work could be (following negotiation with owners) in empty shop units, on windows, a billboard or the pavement, in bus shelters, flower beds or anywhere to reflect the artist’s practice, but would need to be visible within the street. 

This contemporary commission should reference the history of Duke Street and engage with local people through focussed workshops, events or public facing research & development.

The work will need to be fabricated and installed, within budget, by October 2023.

This commission forms part of a four-year programme of cultural events on Duke Street, in partnership with Barrow Borough Council, Barrow’s Cultural Consortium and the funders, led by Historic England. The programme is supported and managed by Art Gene, the cultural lead for the programme.

Historical and creative films about Duke Street, a theatre performance, and a creative museum/art installation, are very popular artworks created by local arts companies Signal Film and Media, Art Gene, Theatre Factory and Full of Noises.

We are in the final year of the programme. The focus this year is on the visual arts, featuring an additional commission in the street (already awarded to a local artist) and a wrap up exhibition, bringing together the history of the Lost Shops and the artworks previously produced in first three years.

Budget

Artist’s fee £4,500. Based on 12 days @£250 per day (£3000), plus allowance for travel in the UK and accommodation and an exhibition show fee totalling £1,500. (All £4,500 will be paid to the artist in two instalments.)

An additional artists’ materials budget of up to £2,000 is available. We can also make our access fund available to support disabled artists.

Art Gene will provide, 24-hour access to a studio, fabrication and office space at: Art Gene,  a short distance from Duke Street. If you would like a detailed conversation about the accessibility of the space in relation to your needs, please contact us.

Dates

Residency period in Barrow – August/September 2023, to be negotiated with the artist.

Four engagement sessions to be delivered in Barrow, which could be as part of the R&D for the artwork.

The artist must be available in person for the launch of the work on Duke Street, likely to be in September or October 2023.

It’s intended that work(s) created throughout the residency will be temporary and site specific in nature. Their duration will be dependent on the form they take.

Actual works, a photo representation, or associated works will form a key part of a Re:discover Barrow Lost Shops – High Street Heritage Action Zone exhibition in the Art Gene Gallery, in early 2024.

Works produced by the artist will form part of a catalogue of the Cultural programme of Lost Shops, featuring the history of the shops on Duke Street, artworks, performance, film and theatre works. The artist will be expected to produce a short, written statement for the catalogue to support the thinking behind the artwork.

About Art Gene 

Art Gene is an artist-led research and production charity based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, working to regenerate the social, natural and built environment through visual arts practice, working collaboratively with communities.

The project is part of Art Gene’s REAL BARROW programme, which brings communities and specialists into a conversation about this place through research, engagement, participatory events, and the creation of artworks.

The residency will be shared online, and promoted through Art Gene’s newsletter, social media and within the local press.