What does Staffordshire mean to you? – Artist/Facilitator Callout

Commission Fee: up to £375 (to include expenses & any artist material) for up to 8 hours work

Deadline for your proposal: 22^nd December 2023 by 12:00 pm

Date of Workshops: to take place between March and April 2024 (exact dates to be confirmed with successful artists and school)

Project Overview:

In 2020, Staffordshire business, education and public sector organisations united to improve the way we promote and market our county, to attract other businesses and investors, to encourage visitors, and to showcase to the people who already live and work in this great place.

This involved understanding what makes Staffordshire special, competitive and distinct – and bringing it together in an authentic and inspiring story that every organisation and individual across the area can tell and be a part of.

The We Are Staffordshire Young Person Working Group has been charged with inspiring our county’s children and young people, so that they may also feel the same sense of pride. With the kind support of We Are Staffordshire, the working group is calling for artists/facilitators of all artforms to submit proposals for workshops to take place in Primary Schools across Staffordshire and respond to the question “What does Staffordshire mean to you?”.

A number of Primary Schools across the region will be participating in the project and will be actively involved in selecting the artist they’d like in their school. We anticipate that 9 artists of varying artforms will be chosen to deliver their proposed workshop.

Role Expectations:

Design and deliver a high-quality workshop to a primary school in Staffordshire, culminating in a co-created outcome (e.g. piece(s) of art, a dance, a film, poem(s) etc.) that will be performed/ displayed/ showcased – depending on the artform – during Staffordshire Day 2024 (1^st May) and then shared across Staffordshire
Assist with the collection of data for feedback and evaluation purposes
Ensure that all school and We Are Staffordshire policies, procedures and processes – including Safeguarding, Health & Safety and Data Protection – are observed and positively implemented
Work in a way which celebrates diversity and inclusivity and encourages best practice
Act as a positive ambassador for We Are Staffordshire at all times

Person Specification:

Staffordshire based (or have significant links to Staffordshire)
Passion for your chosen art form
Experience working with primary schools, or with community groups
Experience co-creating work with young people or community groups
Knowledge of safeguarding
Flexible and adaptable
Committed, reliable and organised
Holds an up-to-date enhanced DBS

Making a Proposal

We are asking all artists to submit a proposal about themselves and what their workshop might include. You can either submit a written document (max. one A4 page) or a video (max. 3 minutes). We are also asking artists to submit a simple budget outlining how they would use the money (maximum £375) (e.g. artist time, materials, expenses).

What your written/video proposal should include:

A short biography, showing how you meet the person specification.
Details of what your workshop would include and how you would approach the question “What does Staffordshire mean to you?”
How you see your workshop being delivered (e.g. one day, two days, as an after school club etc.)?
If you are able/willing to travel across Staffordshire.
A simple budget of how you would use the money (up to £375) – this can be on a separate page/as a separate document.

How to submit your proposal:

All proposals should be submitted to:

hello@wearestaffordshire.co.uk

Please submit any questions through the email address above and one of the team will get back to you

Should you have any accessibility requirements please contact us through the email address noting the best way of getting in touch.

What happens once you have submitted a proposal:

The We Are Staffordshire Young Person Working Group will shortlist proposals based on whether artists meet the role description and appropriately respond to the theme.
All applicants will be notified about whether they have been shortlisted by Monday 8^th January 2024.
Shortlisted proposals will be taken to the Primary/Middle Schools who will identify the proposals they like the most and think will work best with their students.
The Young Person Working Group will then match artists and schools together.
All shortlisted artists will be notified about whether they have been matched with a school by the end of January 2024 (subject to responses from the schools). Successful artists will then work on their proposal and select appropriate delivery dates together with the schools and the Young Person Working Group.

Terms and Conditions:

The contractual relationship will be between the Artist and We Are Staffordshire (Staffordshire County Council).
Once the Artist’s proposal and School have been agreed, delivery arrangements will be between the artist and school.
The Artist will be a freelancer, and We Are Staffordshire (Staffordshire County Council), accepts no responsibility for the artist or for the school.
The artist will need to demonstrate appropriate public indemnity insurance.
The artist will submit one invoice at the end of the project to We Are Staffordshire who will process it on behalf of Staffordshire County Council.
The copywrite for the artwork created will be shared between the artist and the school. Both parties will be able to use the artwork so long as it does not damage either parties’ reputation.