Creative Opportunities: February 2023
Creative Opportunities: February 2023
Welcome to the new York Creatives newsletter
Hi friends!
Ben here from York Creatives. We’ve switched our monthly newsletter over from Mailchimp to Substack because it makes it much easier for people to find and distribute the content we share each month.
We hope you’ll stick with us through this change, but if for any reason you no longer want to hear from us then you can just hit unsubscribe and you’ll be removed from our list. We don’t want to spam you!
Below is a round up of the best news, opportunities, artists call outs, events and funding available for York’s creative community. If you discover opportunities you would like to share with us in future, please do drop us an email at news@yorkcreatives.com.
Here are five things you can look forward to from York Creatives this year.
We hope to see you at an event, social or workshop soon!
Best wishes
Ben & the YC team
WORKSHOP: How to tell you story so people listen - establishing credibility in a busy world
Friday 3 February 15.30pm - 17.30pm
SPARK York
Pay what you can
Establishing Credibility is a workshop led by Ben Porter, founder of York Creatives, in partnership with SLAP Collective.
Ben will teach you how to tell your story so that people listen. The workshop will improve your skills as a storyteller, helping stand out in a busy world. Ben brings experience from working with clients including Absolut, Adidas and Sony.
Tickets are pay what you can (starting from free) and everyone is welcome, but you must book your place in advance.
PAID OPPORTUNITY: Write an article for Art World
Submission deadline Monday 6 February
Open to Visual Artists from anywhere in the world
No application fee.
ArtQuest invite visual artists to submit proposals for 500 word articles (text, video or audio) that provide readers with an insight into the life of a practising artist and how to develop and maintain a sustainable career within the arts and cultural sector.
Within this current call for proposals, ArtQuest are particularly interested in hearing from artists who come from a working class background and can speak to issues of class inequality within the arts.
Applicants must also sign up to be a member of ArtQuest’s free professional network Exchange.
Contributing artists are offered £250 per article and will have 4 items of their work displayed alongside the article as well as promotion through ArtQuest’s twitter and email networks.
EVENT: York Spoken Word
Tuesday 7 February 19:00pm - 21:30pm
The Exhibition Pub (in person), and over Zoom
Free to attend
The Spoken Word is a collective made up of poets, authors, and lovers of poetry and prose who meet on the first Tuesday of every month for an open mic night in the conservatory of the Exhibition Pub in York.
Each speaker has around a 5 minute slot to share their own work or someone else’s. The event includes refreshment breaks and is also live streamed over zoom.
Both in-person and online attendees are welcome to go along as a speaker or as a listener. These are popular events and capacity is limited so it is worth sending The Spoken Word a message via Facebook to confirm your place.
The sessions are hosted by Rose Drew and Alan Gillott, who founded The Spoken Word in 2006 and also run the Stairwell Books small press.
WORKSHOP: Art for Wellbeing
Sunday 5 February 1.30pm - 3.30pm
York Art Gallery
Free
These monthly practical workshops held at York Art Gallery offer the opportunity to discover a wide range of art materials and themes centred around wellbeing.
This session is led by Visual Artist Griselda Goldsbrough and provides space to explore and create in the company of others, all in the beautiful surroundings of York Art Gallery’s Studio Space.
There is no need to book in advance for these workshops and there is no fee to join. The session is open to all abilities but you must be over 16 to attend.
WORKSHOP: SPARK* and AOP Projects Beginner Spray Paint Workshops (18+)
Saturday 11 February 9:30-10:15am & 10:45-11:30am
Spark York
£30.77
During this beginner session, you'll learn the basic design and application techniques, basic spray painting techniques, colour concepts, and how to use stencils to create the desired effect. You'll be experimenting with the spray paint on cardstock, and the AOP Projects team will help you every step of the way.
FUNDING: Future Takes, a new fund to support original short films
Applications close on Monday 13 February
The fund is open to writers, directors and producers based in the UK
No application fee
The fund is designed to support the creation of ambitious and innovative short-form work, addressing the gap in the support available to filmmakers in the early stages of their career.
BFI and Film4 are looking to fund around seven short films, with a maximum of £90,000 awarded to each project. In addition to the funding, the selected projects will also receive creative support through workshops that will draw on the knowledge of filmmakers who have recently transitioned from short to long form work.
FUNDING: The Open Fund for Music Creators (£5000)
Next application deadline: Monday 13 February
UK-wide
No application fee
The Open Fund for Music Creators is a grant programme designed to support the development of outstanding songwriters, bands, composers, producers and performers. It’s open to practitioners working across all musical genres and at all stages of their careers.
The fund offers grants of up to £5,000 and can support costs associated with the following:
Creation of new music
Music creator fees
Touring and live performances
Recording and release
Creative residency costs
Fees to creative collaborators
Promotion and marketing
The current round of this fund will close for applications on Monday 13 February before reopening again later in the year.
EVENT: DRYHUMP - Carnage and cabaret
Tuesday 14th February, 7pm
The Crescent
Pay What You Can
DRYHUMP is an evening of queer cabaret performance produced in collaboration with CLAY. It is a relaxed performance so please feel free to move about, grab drinks and get involved. We encourage you to cheer in support but also respect the performers and acts.
Doors at 7 and show starts at 7.30pm the event will end at 11pm... it is a school night after all.
EVENT: Right Here, Right Now - An evening of improvised comedy
Friday 24 February, 7.00pm
Friargate Theatre, York
£5 + BF
Described by York Mix as being ‘Fast, funny, unpredictable and chaotic’, Friargate Theatre’s comedy improv night has returned for 2023.
The show is entirely improvised, using suggestions from the audience. Laughs guaranteed.
EVENT: PechaKucha Vol 25: Stepping Stones
Saturday 25 February, 7.00pm
Hungate Reading Cafe, YO1 7AF
£5.00 + booking fee per person
TALK LESS, SHOW MORE.
PechaKucha events take place all over the world, following one simple formula: each speaker has 20 slides x 20 seconds to tell their story. The events attract an eclectic mix of artists, creatives, adventurers, thought leaders and business owners, all with unique stories to tell.
Tickets are limited, so be sure to book yours in advance. Everyone is welcome, although some talks may discuss adult themes and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
If you would like to present, please email yorkpechakucha@gmail.com