Project Specification
Museum of Me
Cross generational arts
Darebin Council, Creative Culture
Darebin Council’s, Creative Culture Department leads in arts participation
practice in local government, in particular by engaging with older people living
in aged care facilities. Following on from the success of the pilot project
Museum of Me in 2014, Council aims to advance to a second phase of the
project engaging more fully in artistic process. Museum of Me is a cross
generational arts residency, guided by the Darebin Arts Strategy 2014-2020.
High calibre artists are sought with experience in delivery of contemporary
arts projects to create a work in the nursing home setting. Whilst experience
in the aged care setting is well regarded, ideas and methods for engaging
residents in this challenging environment are most important.
Darebin Council envisages a City where the most isolated have access to the
arts and participatory experiences. Connection is key to healthy communities
and providing meaningful connections across generations and cultures, is the
goal of the project. The Museum of Me aims to address isolation in
sometimes forgotten pockets of the community. Bringing school children and
older people together in arts practice with skilled artists is a purposeful way to
build community, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
A primary goal of the Darebin Arts Strategy 2014-2020 is to:
“Improve social cohesion, wellbeing and connectedness through arts and
creative experiences for those who live, work study in the City of Darebin.”
With this in mind, Local Government can play an exciting brokering role for
developing connections across institutions, and inspire collaborative practice
with arts participation as the core.
This project could be appropriate for artists working in film, visual arts, writers,
performing artists, musicians, ephemeral artists and sculptors. Key to the
project’s success is the methods and ideas employed to engage residents.
Darebin Council’s, Arts and Cultural Development Officer will manage the
project and provide assistance and facilitation where required by the artists.
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Two residencies:
We are offering two discrete residencies at two aged care facilities in Darebin.
Westgarth Aged Care is a large facility with 80 residents with high/ low care
and a dementia specific unit in Northcote. Arlington Aged Care is a smaller
facility with 30 residents in Thornbury.
Background:
In the pilot phase of Museum of Me, 10 residents were chosen and buddied
with 20 primary school children. The children worked with the residents in
duos. Although this method worked well we are open to engagement that is
appropriate to the artist’s medium.
The artists will have the opportunity to direct how many residents they work
with including the choice of working with specific groups of residents.
Project timeline:
11 weeks in total – 10 hours per week (artist’s discretion when the ten hours
are spaced through the week)
April – June 2016
Once per week (for 8 weeks) children from a local primary school will visit the
respective nursing homes as part of the project. This 8 week engagement is
anticipated to contribute to and aid the engagement of residents in the project.
In 2016 the children will attend the nursing home for one period per week
(approx for 1 hour). The children will be accompanied by a member of school
staff whilst working on the project. That school representative will be
responsible for any logistic, behavioural, discipline issues that may arise with
the children.
The artists are expected to complete a work in the time allocated (11 weeks)
in negotiation with the nursing home. We are open to artists that are part of a
group or duo to apply. The project will be managed by the Arts and Cultural
Development Officer, Darebin Council.
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Dates:
11 Weeks – 10 hours per week
April – June 2016
Outcomes:
It is anticipated that there will be a final work completed within the 11 week
project timeline. A description of this final work including engagement
ideas/methods is sought in the application. The final work may be the property
of the nursing home. If the work made is a performative work then there is an
expectation of a performance/recording to be presented at the end of the
project.
Criteria for selection:
Creative Culture will select applicants based on
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Current practice, CV
Articulated engagement methods/practice
Adaptability to working in this specific environment
Experience working with a variety of people in the community
Payment:
The fee is $80 per hour for ten hours per week. Project duration is 11 weeks.
There are paid planning sessions and orientation prior the beginning of the
project. A budget for materials is separate from the artist’s fees.
Payment will be made through Auspicious Arts Projects inc which includes
Public Liability insurance, Work Cover and Superannuation.
Contact:
Elizabeth Welch
Arts and Cultural Development Officer
Darebin Council
Wednesday - Friday
Ph: 8470 8458
E: elizabeth.welch@darebin.vic.gov.au
To view documentary of the pilot project 2014 here
http://www.darebinarts.com.au/programs/
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