09 February 2016
Artist’s brief – One Hut Full
on behalf of the Whiteface
Dartmoor Sheep Breeders
Association
An invitation to develop an all immersive surround sound video /audio
installation within a mobile shepherd’s hut.
1. The Whiteface Dartmoor Sheep Breeders Association
The Whiteface Dartmoor Sheep Breeders Association (WDSBA) was formed in
1950 when it was recognised that the breed was in danger of becoming extinct.
From the outset the main objectives of the Association were actively to promote
the breed and its virtues. As well as actively promoting the breed the
Association works closely with other organisations both to ensure that the breed
and hill farming have a viable future. The Association is open to anyone and
warmly welcomes new members. It currently has about 70 members.
Its regular activities include: Annual show and sale; promotion of the breed at
various country and agricultural shows; social events; education for members
e.g. tannery visit, judging apprenticeships, classes for new judges and members,
annual photographic competition, flock judging competition etc.
2. One Hut Full - project aims
This project celebrates the rich traditions of farming on Dartmoor, using as a
starting point the Whiteface Dartmoor sheep, an endangered breed which
epitomises the moor and its heritage. Our intention is to involve, inspire and
enthuse everyone about life on the moor, past, present and future, from the
local resident to the visitor, school children to graduates, rural to urban
communities. The project will record traditional hill farming as practiced on
Dartmoor in living memory, before this knowledge is lost in a rapidly changing
agricultural scene and ageing farming community. Through the Whiteface
Dartmoor, so symbolic of Dartmoor, we will provide a greater understanding of
Dartmoor as a working cultural landscape of enormous heritage value, and
provide a springboard for the future development of sheep farming and
especially wool-based manufacture.
Hill farming on Dartmoor has been practiced in a distinctive and traditional
manner, rich in customs and knowledge. But things are changing rapidly.
Farming methods passed down through many generations, especially livestock
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husbandry, are undergoing a period of rapid change reflecting ubiquitous
changes in farming systems and markets, and declining profitability. The
Whiteface Dartmoor sheep exemplifies the changes that have taken place over
the last few decades. Formerly it was the predominant sheep on the moor –
now it is an endangered breed. The same can be said of traditional hill farmers.
It is this rich, declining, heritage that this project wishes to capture, raise
awareness about, and help to preserve. Dartmoor is an astonishing geological
feature in the heart of Devon, and it has been managed, farmed and used and
lived upon in a different way from lowland farming since the Bronze Age. It
developed specific breeds of livestock and methods of farming in response to its
unique landscape. The families who have lived and worked on the moor have
been there for many generations but because of the changes in farming and the
way we look at the landscape some of these families are dying out. We need to
capture those stories and those lives whilst we can.
The project will be based on both an oral history and a photographic and
document archive, used to create a highly innovative touring exhibition. This
will be contained within a mobile shepherd’s hut containing an immersive audiovisual installation made from the oral history and archive. Reflecting the
excitement and interest the project is generating, the hut will travel far afield
taking the story of Dartmoor and its sheep to a wide audience.
The installation will tour in the first phase of the project to: The Museum of
Dartmoor Life Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park Authority Information
Centres, Castle Drogo, other Devon based National Trust properties, RAMM
Exeter, County and local agricultural shows. We hope to increase the range of
our touring shepherd’s hut with the help of the British Wool Marketing Board,
The Campaign for Wool and the National Park Authorities in England and Wales.
The project has been developed and refined over the last 18 months by the
WFDSBA council together with a range of interested organisations and
individuals, and is fully supported by the society membership, which includes
many key Dartmoor farmers. In particular, we have consulted and developed
partnerships with the following:
Dartmoor National Park Authority
The National Trust (Castle Drogo, Dartmoor)
The Museum of Dartmoor Life (Okehampton)
Royal Albert Memorial Museum (Exeter)
British Wool Marketing Board
Community Voluntary Services (West Devon)
Okehampton Primary School
The County Records Office (Exeter)
commercial artisan spinners, twine makers and tanners.
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3. The brief
WDSBA’s vision is to commission an artist to create an all immersive surround
sound video /audio installation within a traditional mobile shepherd’s hut (for
more information about the hut see below), using the ceiling, walls and floors of
the hut for projection and sound, to achieve the project aims outlined above.
The installation should include seasonally themed material based on the oral
history of Dartmoor families and farmers to create an absolute sense of life on
Dartmoor, the sounds, the views, the stories. The project will look at the past
and present, moving the viewer into the future of life on Dartmoor. However, we
are open to your ideas on how best to interpret our vision in order to create the
most appropriate and inspiring installation that meets our objectives.
The sound and film elements of the installation will be based on the oral histories
and stories, the farmed landscape, the story of local wool and food that are
being collected on film by an oral historian working on behalf of WDSBA, built
from interviews with Dartmoor farmers and those artisans working in the wool,
fleece and meat industries (including tanners, commercial spinners, twine
makers, and local meat producers etc.), plus existing archive photographs and
other primary source material. This material will be made available for the artist
to create the installation; it is therefore critical that the artist work closely with
the project’s oral historian. In addition to using this source material to develop
the installation it is expected that the artist will create entirely original material
inspired by opportunities for filming and recording on Dartmoor highlighted by
the oral historian and the project manager. This might include, for example,
filming the annual sheep sale at Exeter market in August 2014 and Widecombe
Fair September 2014. Other key dates and opportunities during 2013/14 will be
provided to the artist; it is anticipated that the artist will need to film activities
(lambing, shearing, the sheep drift, tupping, winter feeding, Exeter annual show
and sale, Widecombe Fair, touring flock competition etc) during the year in order
to capture the seasonal changes and activities on the moor. It is anticipated that
8-10 days filming may be required. Many of these activities will also be filmed
by our oral historian, so the artist and oral historian need to work together as
the number of filming days for the artist may be fewer than stated.
From completion of the installation the project is then expected to have a natural
lifetime of a minimum of one year, touring Dartmoor and surrounds. WDSBA
will work to generate a longer life for the installation within the shepherd’s hut
(for a further year) and after that time will seek a host for the installation in an
appropriate alternative site(s).
4. Education workshops and resources
The artist will be required to deliver 4 seasonal days of workshops in the first
year of the project, once the installation is complete. Workshop participants
might include: schools, HE art students, curators, local community groups etc,
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with subjects ranging from HE level workshops on creating film and sound
installations to children learning about the landscape and its sounds etc. Ideas
on suitable seasonal workshop activities and education resource pack contents
should be included in your proposal.
The artist will be required to create a resource pack for use by teachers,
workshop leaders and others who will be engaging with the project. This should
be produced as an electronic document so that it can be shared as a pdf or in
other forms as appropriate, including web material. If there are any printing or
other costs associated with reproduction of the resource pack that will be
covered by the project, not the artist.
5. Promoting the project
The artist will be expected to engage with the project manager, oral historian
and others in highlighting the project progress through social media such as
Twitter and Facebook, or blogging where appropriate.
The artist will be required to liaise with the project manager and graphic
designer to support the creation of a strong appropriate image for the project.
The project may use material produced by the artist for print/publicity and
website purposes. Working alongside the oral historian there may be an
exchange of materials for the benefit of both the installation and oral history
aspects of the project.
6. The shepherd’s hut
Please note that the shepherd’s hut will be provided by WDSBA and is being built
to our specification by Eddie Butterfield. http://www.butterfieldironwork.co.uk/
The artist will need to liaise at an early stage of construction with Eddie to
ensure that the necessary electrics and other fittings are in place to support the
installation.
The shepherd’s hut internal dimensions will be: 16ft x 6ft with the height of the
walls from the floor 5ft 5ins and the height to the middle of the roof arch 6ft
8ins. Our hut will have stable doors at both ends providing visitors with a
separate entrance and exit (it is yet to be decided if we will glaze the top half of
the stable door). At this stage there will be no windows so the ceiling, walls and
floors will provide a clear working space. The roof will be insulated with
Whiteface Dartmoor wool with an air cavity between the corrugated iron and the
inside boarding to enable the hut to be placed in both outdoor and indoor
settings (indoor settings might include outbuildings/barns belonging to the
National Trust and others).
The hut will travel to its various destinations on a purpose built towing trailer
with an electrical winch for easy loading and off loading.
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Eddie will be building our hut in a totally sustainable way. The trees used to
provide the planks for the chassis and walls have been felled from a wellmanaged plantation four miles away from Eddie’s workshop; this plantation has
a robust replanting policy. The wood is sawn into planks by a steam saw fuelled
by Eddie’s wood off-cuts. Eddie is a blacksmith, and he will be forging the iron
wheels.
In the last few weeks Eddie has been filmed for George Clarke's Amazing Spaces
on Channel 4 http://www.channel4.com/programmes/george-clarkes-amazingspaces , which will be aired during October. This will feature the beginnings of
the hut. Eddie’s new website will have a page devoted to the development of the
project, the building of the hut and the artist’s work-in-progress, highlighting all
its various stages to completion. When finished, the hut’s travels will be
documented along with images and a programme of events.
The features editor of Country Living magazine has shown great interest in the
project, and is keen to publish articles featuring the hut and its journey.
7. Technical specification and installation
The artist will be required to install the work and to employ any technicians and
other support required to achieve this within their fee. Artists should include fees
for installation from any relevant subcontractors within their proposal, but on no
account enter any agreement at any stage without prior approval by the client.
The installation should be achieved using equipment that will minimise
complexities in its running and maintenance (i.e. that does not need regular
technical support and can be managed by volunteers).
The installation needs to be created in such a way as to minimise damage and
vandalism and for the equipment to be as discreet as possible considering the
size of the hut and the need to put the focus on the installation and not the
equipment.
The artist must include in their fee the purchase of as many screens/speakers
and other technical equipment as required to produce the required effect. A
generator will be provided.
The artist will be responsible for the installation of the art work in liaison with
the client. Technical details specifying a means of installing the art work will
need to be proposed to an agreed timescale to allow the timetable to be
maintained.
Health and safety
Artist’s proposals will need to conform to standards of public health and safety.
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The proposal should provide evidence that the work is robust and capable of
withstanding the environmental conditions of the space. The choice of materials
should be appropriate to the site and its surroundings, and resistant to damage
and all degrees of potential public usage. Artists should ensure that the work is
capable of being repaired without the need for total reconstruction.
8. Timetable
The installation to be complete by January 2015. The education resource pack
to be completed by December 2014. Workshops to be delivered during 2015.
Design submission date: 31st September 2013
Electronic submissions are required and should be sent to the project manager:
Paula Wolton: paula.wolton@googlemail.com
If you wish to send any supporting material as hard copy, please forward to:
Paula Wolton
Locks Park Farm
Hatherleigh
Okehampton
Devon
EX20 3LZ
9. Nature of submission
The artist should submit:
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Examples of previous work and a CV that demonstrates that the artist has
worked with film and sound and has the necessary editing skills to create
an installation of gallery standard
A written description of the proposed installation and sketch drawing/s or
photomontage/s of the proposed work
An outline specification of the work including details of materials, colours,
size, weight, fabrication processes, fixtures, technical requirements and
equipment
A description of how you intend to engage with the project manager and
partners in the development of the work
A description of the potential contents of the education resource pack and
workshops
A detailed budget outlining costs of artists fee (a breakdown of days to be
spent developing and creating the installation to be included), materials
and equipment, subcontractors costs (e.g. technical support for the
creation and installation of the work, etc), documentation, creation of
education resource material, transport, and installation and ongoing
running costs and all expenses (travel, accommodation etc). Please
ensure VAT is included where appropriate.
A estimate of any running costs and maintenance requirements during
the life of the installation
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Project timetable
Reference contact details from two recent clients
Outline technical details for installation are not expected at this point but these
will need to be confirmed after the artist’s appointment in the final fit of the
shepherd’s hut
10. Selection process
The project manager and two advisers will shortlist artists on the basis of the
applications and supporting material. If clarification is needed on any point, we
may make contact. Shortlisted artists will be invited for a brief interview on
Wednesday 9th October 2013 at Locks Park Farm, near Hatherleigh, Devon.
11. Contract
The artist(s) will exchange a contract with the WDSBA detailing fee payments,
protecting copyright, agreeing ownership of maquettes/drawings etc, and setting
out a payment schedule. A subcontractors contract may also need to be
exchanged between artist/their subcontractor.
12. Ownership and copyright
The client will retain all of the design submissions and reserves the right to show
all maquettes/designs in appropriate exhibition venues in agreement with the
artists. Upon satisfactory installation (as judged by the client), the
commissioned work of art becomes the property of the client. Copyright
remains with the artist. The client retains the right to use material produced by
the artist for this project for print/publicity and website purposes.
13. Budget
We expect the total cost for the artist and (any subcontractors) fees, fabrication,
expenses, installation, all permanent equipment required, lighting, education
resource pack creation (as electronic document) and all other costs associated
with the commission as outlined in this brief to be approximately £15,000
(including VAT). It is recommended that artists allow a 5-10% contingency
within their budget.
Please note: part of the funding for this project is being sought from the
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Our pre-application has been approved and we are
working closely with HLF in developing the full application which is now being
submitted. Matching funds are already in place.
14. Fabrication
The selected artist(s) will be responsible for satisfactory fabrication of the work.
If the artist is not the fabricator, the artist must exchange a separate contract
with the fabricator.
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15. Documentation
The artist is required to make some photographic documentation of the
development and fabrication process (and installation where possible) that the
client may wish to use in promoting the project and the WDSBA.
16. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements should be kept as minimal as possible, and any
maintenance faults for the first 6 months after installation will be the
responsibility and at the cost of the artist.
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