Arts Council information session for Minority Ethnic Artists

Artists interested in applying to the scheme were invited along to hear about the programme and speak to Arts Council staff about how to submit an application.

The programme is part of the Arts Council’s Support for Individual Artists Programme. Its aim is to support individual artists and creative practitioners from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds at every stage of their career. Funding up to £5,000 is available to support a range of projects and activities, including specialized training, research, cultural exchanges, networking and learning for individual artists, creative practitioners and arts administrators from minority ethnic and migrant backgrounds.

At the information session, artists had the chance to listen to photographer Sheila Chakravarti talk about the funding she was awarded in 2022. Working alongside mentor Deirdre Robb, CEO of Belfast Exposed, Shelia’s grant allowed her to develop her artistic practice, learn new technical skills and create a new body of work for exhibition. Her work centres around her own experience and that of other people of colour. The work exposes some of the challenges that manifest themselves when people are faced with racism, using photography as a tool to promote change.

Speaking about the investment she received from this Arts Council National Lottery fund, Shelia said: 

“I applied to the Minority Ethnic Artists Programme because I liked what I was doing in photography and with a little bit of funding I thought I could do it better. The first grant I got was for skilling up, but the second grant was about committing to photo book. I am also now part of a wider north-south exchange - a group of minority ethnic artists on this island - and it’s pushed my work forward quite a bit. 

My second exhibition was called ‘First they ignore you’, and I wanted to show my work on the people who came to live in Northern Ireland, who contributed to the community, who were paying taxes, putting stuff in. My mentorship and residency was at Belfast Exposed Photography, which has always been at the forefront of exhibiting and amplifying voices that don’t always get heard, encouraging people to see themselves, because after all, if you can’t visualise yourself, then you can’t progress. The programme has greatly increased my confidence, I talk about what I do and why I do it, It’s also improved my access to people who are prepared to listen, and applying for the award and indeed getting it has been very very beneficial.”

Damian Smyth, Head of Literature and Drama at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland: 

“This important programme directly supports our growing community of minority ethnic artists, living and working in Northern Ireland. It provides the vital support they need to develop their artistic work, create new creative connections and build future career opportunities.

“Through this programme, we are seeking to create the conditions for the widest variety of art and creativity for both artists and audiences, addressing the numerous and complex barriers to access, progression and representation in the arts encountered by minority ethnic artists. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet so many artists today to begin to make those initial introductions and speak to them about the funding we have available.”

To find out more about the Minority Ethnic Artists Mentoring and Residency Programme visit https://artscouncil-ni.org/funding-for-individuals/siap-minority-ethnic-residency-mentoring-programme

Applications close on Thursday 12^th September 2024. 

Notes:

Belfast Exposed is Northern Ireland's leading photography centre, based in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Founded in 1983, their mission is to enrich people's lives through photography by providing high-quality services for the public, businesses, schools & universities, health trusts, the arts and the community sector.

Belfast Exposed houses five public galleries, exhibiting world-class art that responds to contemporary currents in photography and politics, and is home to an archive of international significance serving as a catalyst for dialogue, reflection and storytelling. https://www.belfastexposed.org/about/about-us/