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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2021-172 - Partnership with Textile Magazine for the 2022 Artist in Residence ApptREPORT TO:Finance and Corporate Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:December 6, 2021 SUBMITTED BY:Emily Robson, Manager, Arts & Creative Industries, 519-741-2200 ext. PREPARED BY:Karoline Varin, Program Administrator, Arts & Creative Industries, 519-741-2200 ext. 7912 WARD(S) INVOLVED:All Wards DATE OF REPORT:November 25, 2021 REPORT NO.:DSD-2021-172 SUBJECT:Partnership with Textile Magazine for the 2022 Artist in Residence Appointment RECOMMENDATION: Thatreport# DSD-2021-172regarding the Partnership with Textile Magazine for the 2022 Artist in Residence Appointment, be received for information. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: The purpose of this report is to outline the rationale for apartnershipwith Textile Magazine and its role inthe Artist in Residenceprogram. The key finding of this report is that TextileMagazine’sbroad community practice, focus on engaging local artistsfrom equity-seeking groups, and experience in administering an effective mentorship program,strengthens and broadens the delivery ofthe city’s artist in residence program. The financial implicationis aconsultation and programming fee of $5000 plus HSTfor Textile Magazine. Community engagement included consultations with Public Art Working Group and the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee. This report supports the delivery of core services. BACKGROUND: Established in 1995 as the first municipal program of its kind, the City of Kitchener Artist-in- Residence program aims to engage the community in the production of contemporary art that reflects our shared identity and supports the development of local artists. The program delivers on the understanding that meaningful engagement in the arts,and growth of the creative sector contributes positively to the dynamism, authenticity, attractiveness and overall competitiveness of the City of Kitchener. Link: Learn more about the City of Kitchener's Artist in Residence program *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. The annual programcontinues to emphasize ahigh level of community engagement such as workshops and events, exhibitions in the Rotunda Gallery and Berlin Tower ARTSPACE, collaboration with City and community events, programs and facilities, and participation on Public Art Working Group (PAWG), a subcommittee of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC). The artist-in-residence is provided with an honorarium. The residency has seen very talented artists deliver programmingin Kitchener over the years. Artists who successfully continued to develop their careerslocally, nationally, and th internationally. Last yearsaw the passing of the 25anniversary of the program. Due to the pandemic response, honouring these artists and this anniversary has been postponed until this year in lieu of choosing a 2021 artist in residence. To celebrate the anniversary in a meaningful way A&CIstaff has initiated a partnership with Bonn Park Podcast –a local podcast, focused on local creative producers -to conduct a series of interviews with a selection of past artists of the program, to highlight their residency experiences, their successes and current artistic pursuits. In addition,staff hopes to facilitate ashowcasein 2022 with all past artistsparticipating. This anniversary has further contributed to re- evaluating how the program is currently serving the needs of the local artists and artistic community. Ithas been noted that the majority of past artistshavefocused on visual art, andthus the need for broader representation among selected artists has been identified. Since 2015, the call for the program has been expandedto include artists working in disciplines other than visual art(a shift developed in close consultation with PAWG and ACAC):performing arts, dance, design, digital and media arts, folk and traditional arts, literature and spoken word, music, multidisciplinary works, opera, theatre, musical theatre and performing arts. In 2019, in hopes of further encouraging proposals from diverse and equity seeking artists, staff adjusted the program description and languageto expand the eligibility criteria.While theseefforts have resulted in someexpansion of both the disciplines and backgrounds of the selected artists, staff and PAWG continue to prioritize the evolution of the program to address persistent barriers for local artists from equity-seeking communities. REPORT: Todiversify the artists who are served by the Artist in Residence program, staff and PAWG recommend an approach that will offer apilotmentorship opportunity and will reach out into communities historically underrepresented in the program. To achieve this,a partnership with Textile Magazine is proposeddueto its expertise inprovidinglocal writers with a nurturing approach to supporting artistic practice, a focus on centering the voices of artists who have been marginalized and showcasingdiverse perspectives of this region.This opportunity will also provide beneficial and valuable resourcesfor the selected artist to expand their writing skills, knowledge of the publicationprocessand offer a chance for the opportunity to access the magazine’s widenetworking resources to establish community connections. Furthermore, this pilot willoffer important feedback to staff in order to consider the benefit of futurepartnershipswithlocal arts organizations,in order to enhance the residency program experience for the artist. Textile Magazine Textile Magazinehas a history of working with arts practitioners, schools, non-profit organizations, regional governments, and other groups to empower equity- seeking/marginalized junior writers and artists across the region. It is a community-engaged arts organization/publicationand mentorship program based in Kitchener-Waterloo. It was founded in 2018 with the goal of merging community work with writing and publication. Founders saw that some writers face publication barriers and envisioned a magazine that supports a literary landscape that is approachable and inclusivein addition to providing relevant commentary on what ishappening in Waterloo Region. In 2019, Textile published In Transit, its first print issue, with a collection of over twenty writers and artists from across the Region of Waterloo. In 2020, itorganized a mentorship program that paired curious new writers with more experienced mentors. In 2021, it published Space(s),thesecond annual edition. The magazinecontinuesto grow and explore opportunitiesfor publishing on a rolling basis, incorporating as a non-profit, and reaching out to collaborate with like-minded organizations. Itsfocus is on creating time and space for writing. Theirmentorship approach/programseeks to allowthe voices of writers to emerge. Theworkof the teamis driven by a desire to build relationships, celebrate our community’s strengths and assets, and call attention to important social issues.The magazine already works through a series of workshops and collaborations to support the publication of each issue. All these goals closely align with the mandate of the city’s Artist in Residence: community engagement through an artistic process and supporting the development of an artistic practice Textile Magazine x Artist in Residence The process for submissions will remain the same. However, the public call for submissions willspecifically seek literary proposals.Textile Magazinewill provide input into writing the call.Submissions will be jointly adjudicatedby PAWG and editorial staff from Textile Magazine. The selected artist and their residency proposal will be the subject of a future staff report to be brought to Council for consideration in the second quarter of 2022. This staff report will outline the residency project and associated budget. Once the artist is selected, Textile will provide mentorship with the outcome of publishing the artist’s work in an upcoming issue of the magazine. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: This report supports the delivery of core services. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The fee for Textile Magazine, $5000 plus HST,will be paid fromthe existing Arts and Creative Industries Operating Budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM –This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONSULT –PAWG evaluates the program as a subcommittee of ACAC. A PAWG motion carried on November 8, 2021, that city of Kitchener enter into a mentorship partnership with Textile Magazine for the 2022 City of Kitchener’s Artist in Residence program was considered and supported by ACAC on November 16, 2021. COLLABORATE –An important component of the Artist-in-Residence program is the requirement for meaningful public engagement.By enteringa partnership with Textile Magazine, the City is collaborating with the region’s literary community. Furthermore, the chosen artist will have expanded opportunities to deliver the goals of the program as they will both work with City staff and Textile Magazineto identify interesting opportunities for public engagement. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: There are no previous reports/authoritiesrelated to this matter. APPROVEDBY: Readman, Justin, General Managerof Development Services ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A –Textile Magazine’s responsibilities and anticipated timelineof delivery. APPENDIX A Textile Magazine will be paid $5000.00 plus HST for their services. Textile Magazine’s Responsibilities co-authoring the call for submission joint adjudicationwith PAWG mentorship –offering insight into publication/production, developing writing craft working one on one with the artist as well as through workshops andin collaboration withother writers from different populations expanding the artist’s research methodology creating opportunities for community facing events and networking promotionof program and artist’s work during residency publication in the next issue of Textile Magazine scheduling consistent updates with city staff Anticipated Timeline of Delivery DEC. 6Report to Council on Textile Magazinepartnership Week of JAN. 3Call for Proposals for 2022 Artist in Residence becomes active MARCH 14Deadline for application and adjudication to follow Beg. MAYReport to Council on artist appointment Mid MayStart of residency