Open Call for Artists | Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS) 2025 Awards

Through the Project Artists Initiative, we nurture, mentor, partner, collaborate, network, coproduce and present the work of independent artists, both nationally and internationally. Dozens of artists & companies have been Project Artists in the last 20 years, and through Project’s support, Project Artists have employed thousands of other artists and arts workers. The scheme has enabled artists and companies to develop, produce and tour cutting edge, contemporary art works at Project Arts Centre as well as in venues throughout the island of Ireland and across the globe.

At the end of this page, you will find both the ISL interpreted version of this call out and an audio description.

What’s involved in being a Project Artist?

Project Artists are part of the Project family. They will be planning, making, dreaming, presenting, and touring their work both in our building, nationally and internationally, and through our virtual support. Project Artists are individual artists or companies who are actively making work, are connected to and engaged with contemporary practise, and who represent our values.

As a Project Artist you will receive a three-year package of support across all areas of your work, supported by all our in-house teams. Supports will depend on your individual needs and Project’s resources at any particular time. Significant levels of supports will be planned as far ahead as possible.

What Type of Supports Are Available to Project Artists?

Project Artists receive bespoke supports from the entire Project team. Each set of supports is individual to each artist/company, and may include elements of the below.

Artistic and Career Focused Support Including:

• Strategic advice from Artistic Director and Executive Director
• Support from Project’s administrator.
• Dramaturgical support from Artistic Director and Head of Project Potential
• Curatorial Support from Curator of Visual Arts
• Marketing Support & Promotion through national and international networks
• Advocacy – Project is active in the arts community and advocates for for Project Artists at sectoral events/ conferences/ discussions nationally and internationally

Finance & Administration:

• Financial management: budget, cash flow, payroll, taxes
• Financial reporting and certification (small costs for audit certs will apply)
• Issue payments and cash for the purchase and or rental of materials, costumes, set, flights, and accommodation etc.
• Cash advances for costs payable before grant funds are received (subject to advance agreement).
• Insurance cover under Project Arts Centre’s Employer’s Liability and Public Liability insurance (for rehearsal and production, small cost will apply)
• Provision of employment contracts and employee handbook with guidelines for best practice
• Assistance with grant, touring and international presentation applications.
• Project management assistance and troubleshooting
• Performance space (discounted rent based on the level of grant artist has received)
• Favourable box office split or guarantee (where possible)

Publicity/marketing:

• Publicity support
• Marketing support, advice and management
• Targeted marketing mailings
• Inclusion in Project Arts Centre’s general marketing ephemera
• Space in the building and on the website to profile the work of the artist/company

Other supports:

• Formal and Informal opportunities for peer learning/ mentoring and support across all areas of Project’s work, which may be developed according to The Artist’s specific needs and interests and subject to the resources available to Project at the time.
• Access to studio / rehearsal space during dark weeks where possible for research and development.

The scheme is open to artists across the island of Ireland working in contemporary, experimental performing arts – such as theatre, dance, performance, performance art, visual art, socially engaged practise, live art, experimental circus, Experimental Contemporary or New Music, Performance and Cabaret. We particularly welcome artists from a diversity of national, ethnic, or cultural groups (including, but not limited to Asian, Black, Traveller and minority ethnic, refugees, people with disabilities, working-class and LGBTQIAP+ artists).

No, Project Artists do not need formal qualifications, although we’d expect you to be a practising professional contemporary artist or company to an extent that you meet the requirements below:

• You should have received a grant or award from a public funding body such as the Arts Council, or a local authority.
• You may have received a grant or award for one or more projects that are due to be delivered in the next three years.
• You must have presented your work to the public (this can be self-produced or produced by another company/artist).
• You will most likely be working with a producer, who alongside you will also receive significant support from Project’s team as detailed above.

1. Submitted via the following form:
2. Submitted through audio or video, using the questions on the form, with a total length of up to 4 minutes. If you plan to submit a video or audio file please email [email protected] for a list of the questions or add your video to the end of the form without answering the questions in writing.

Please include links to at least 2 samples of previous work (including video, audio, images). We are committed to accessibility and want to make sure that our opportunities are accessible to all artists. If any additional supports are required to enable you to apply and / or take up this opportunity, please include the details in your application. We will work with you to remove any barriers where possible within our budgets.

Deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday 9th December 2024. Shortlisted artists will be invited to meet online with the Project team and external expert in the week of 16th December 2024. Final decisions will be made by 20th December 2024.

How decision are made:

• All applications will be read by our Artistic Director, Executive Director and Curators.
• Shortlisted Applications will be read additionally by an external arts expert, who will be part of any meetings set up with potential artists/companies

What if I have applied before?

If you were shortlisted and met with Project during the 2023 callout, we are happy to accept your previous application, just let us know that you’d like us to use it and send on an updated cv or paragraph to let us know if anything has changed. NB if a lot has changed, it may be easier for you to fill another form. – If you applied last year and were not shortlisted for a meeting with Project you are welcome to apply again. Just tell us why you still want to be a Project Artist.

You can download the full Open Call PDF document here.