We hope you are well!
After a successful first season, 1784 ZOOM meetings, 250 Directory members the Steering Group finally met up in real life to discuss what’s next for MENA Arts UK!
We can’t do it without you all! If you can, please considering support us on our journey. No amount is too small, and please help us by sharing with your networks! Link to donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mena-arts-uk?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet
Sharing Conversations and Opportunities
- The Other Side of Hope: Journeys in Refugee and Immigrant Literature are a-
new, UK-based, print and online literary magazine, edited by immigrants and refugees. They are now ready to receive submissions:
"We welcome fiction, poetry, non-fiction, reviews, and author interviews.
To help promote and showcase writing from refugee and immigrant communities, fiction and poetry are open to refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants only.
We welcome non-fiction, reviews and author interviews by anyone as long as the subject matter sheds light on the refugee and immigrant life.
We pay £100 per published author for the print issue, and £50 for the online issue.
Please see submission details on our website: https://othersideofhope.com/submissions.html"
- A callout from our friends at the Arab British Centre:
"Do you love art and nature? Join a project with artist Jessica El Mal where across 5 workshops in Manchester you'll explore art, nature and identity and create work for an exhibition at the People's History Museum. We will try: Photography | Drawing | Painting | Collage | Poetry Workshops will run in-person throughout June No experience required to take part! To sign up or ask any questions email contact@elmalart.com with your name. We are particularly interested in hearing from people of Arab* heritage. This is a women only group, inclusive of anyone who identifies as a woman or non-binary. We will cover travel expenses and offer a participation fee for taking part. This project is run by the Arab British Centre as part of their Arab Britain programme exploring the history, achievements and experiences of Arabs in Britain."
More info https://www.arabbritishcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Call-out37.pdf
- Theatre Alibi (Exeter) are looking for dancers/ musicians/ performers for their vibrant new project 'Stand Up! (And Boogie)' touring to Devon schools this Autumn:
"About Stand Up! (And Boogie)
Two Light Bulb inspectors are quietly carrying out their jobs in a Devon Primary school, when it gradually becomes clear that there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye… Culminating in an eruption of live music, jaw-dropping dance and fantastically vibrant costumes, the pupils come to know these larger than life characters for who they really are and are given the chance to join in on a celebration of the pair’s new found confidence."
To Apply: https://theatrealibi.co.uk/opportunities/
- With Jerwood Arts support, PRS Foundation have re-opened their Composers' Fund for applications:
“PRS Foundation’s Composers’ Fund is an opportunity for composers with a strong track record, giving direct access to funding at pivotal stages in their career.
For 2020 and 2021, we are partnering with PRS Foundation to support four rounds of the fund, each offering grant support of up to £10,000 to 6-8 composers per round. Support from Jerwood Arts will specifically go towards the selected artists who are in the earlier stages of their composing careers.
Applications are now open and funding is available for composers who can make the case for support that would enable them to make a significant step change in their career."
Deadline 28th June. For more info and to apply:
prsfoundation.com
https://jerwoodarts.org/2021/05/07/prs-foundations-composers-fund-call-for-entries-open/?ct=t(April_E_newsletter_2016_COPY_01)
- A callout from The Yard for a Head of Audiences and Communications role:
"We are looking for someone to lead on connecting The Yard’s programme and vision with people .The Head of Audiences and Communications plays a vital role in:
- Telling the world about The Yard’s vision and mission, and communicating our future plans to artists, partners, stakeholders, and to the wider public.
- Building audiences and participants for our programme, by creating and executing an audience development strategy.
- Driving a growth of income from ticket sales for our programme through exceptional communications campaigns, understanding audience behaviour.
- Ensuring that The Yard’s public communications reflect our ambitions and work on anti-racism, sustainability, and access."
Deadline 14th June. To apply: https://www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-job/post/head-of-audiences-and-communications/
- What is the biggest impact that theatre has made on your life? Theatre Stories is a brand new national campaign, amplifying unheard voices and celebrating the ways in which theatre benefits local communities. Follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to meet the people who have lent their unique voices and experiences to this remarkable project.
- Outdoor theatre showcases and supporters XTRAX are seeking a skilled marketing and communications professional to join the team as its Communications and Development Manager.
More information and a recruitment pack can be found on the XTRAX website at xtrax.org.uk/news/join-our-team-communications-and-development-manager/
If you wish to have an informal conversation about this role, then contact General Manager Annika Edge at annika@xtrax.org.uk
Deadline 5th July.
Poetry London are seeking an assistant Editor:
“The Assistant Editor will support the Poetry Editor in bringing each issue of the magazine to publication. In addition to editorial tasks, the Assistant Editor will take the lead on a number of administrative duties, and will contribute to the magazine’s social media output alongside the Digital Editor. The Assistant Editor will be line-managed by the Poetry Editor. The role is offered on a freelance basis, initially for 1 year fixed-term with the possibility of extending subject to funding”
Deadline 30th June. To apply:
https://poetrylondon.co.uk/vacancy-assistant-editor/
- As part of Refugee Week Scotland, CGO Institute is offering a free workshop called Producing: The Business Of Telling Stories.
This two hour workshop will demystify the role of producer and explain the pathways into becoming a producer and a sharer of stories.
Please do share this free opportunity with anyone who might benefit from it: https://www.refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk/events/producing-the-business-of-telling-stories/
- The Al Qasimi Foundation is currently accepting submissions for RAKFAF22 – The Journey, scheduled for Feb 4 to April 2, 2022.
Submissions are welcome in the categories of Fine Art & Photography, Sculpture, Short Film, Student, and Poetry from artists and filmmakers of all nationalities, countries of residence, and skill level.
They are also accepting submissions for their Film Grant and Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program. The Film Grant offers modest start-up funding of 25,000 AED to an emerging filmmaker and the AIR program offers fully-funded residencies of 6 – 12 months.
The deadline for these opportunities is June 15th:
https://www.rakfinearts.ae/submit-now
Directory Shoutouts!
Part of our Directory and have a show/project coming up? Let us know so we can shout about it in the next mailout! In the meantime, check out the following shows featuring our wonderful directory members:
- The brilliant David Mumeni returns in the new series of ‘Sliced’. Catch it on channel Dave Thursdays at 10pm.
The deadline for expressions of interest
And that’s everything! For the new members, mailout is usually sent on a fortnightly basis. Please keep sharing and sending me any of your wonderful work or opportunities you want included in the next mailout to this email. Now more than ever lets keep circulating our brilliant stories; whether its past work, articles, videos, or something you think the membership may find interesting, please do drop me an email! Please continue to sign up to our directory, and share our community with your friends in the industry!
Have a great week,
Jessie x
MENA ARTS UK
Our position on endorsement.
Our main areas of work is to help connect the creative industries with UK MENA+ talent, so we will always share castings, job opportunities, or marketing information. We will track these projects in the hope that they are a great example of how MENA+ talent is used. But by sharing this information, it should not be seen as an endorsement of the project.
We will call out work that is appropriating a MENA+ narrative and does not have MENA+ talent at the heart of the creative process; and we will always champion, front and centre, work that is made for and by MENA+ talent.
MENA ARTS UK
