The South East Venue Network (SEVN) has announced details of its Arts Council-funded Artist Bursary for 2023-24, which includes €14,000 in financial support to help develop their art practice.

The award is open to artists of all disciplines living and making work in the region who have presented or exhibited work in a professional context within the last 5 years. Aside from financial supports, the recipient will also receive support in-kind and – where relevant and possible – access to facilities, technical, management and communications supports, as well as mentoring, from the most suitable participating arts centres within the network. These venues are Wexford Arts Centre, Theatre Royal Waterford, Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Wicklow, Garter Lane, Waterford, National Opera House, Wexford, Visual, Carlow and Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny.

“The bursary was developed to provide opportunity for venues across the region to collaboratively support a professional arts practitioner with the time and resources to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their art”, explains Mary Boland, Theatre Royal Waterford Director and SEVN co-ordinator. “As equal opportunities employers, we encourage and welcome applications from people of all genders, nationalities, races, cultural backgrounds, ages, religions, languages, abilities, sexual orientations and socio-economic statuses.”

Waterford-based dance theatre artist Rachel Ní Bhraonáin, the bursary’s 2022-23 recipient, said the award provided her with the space and resources to develop new work and engage with contemporary arts audiences:

“The SEVN bursary has supported me through a year of completely reimagining my career and my focus. In fact, it has made that reimagining possible, where I may otherwise have had to compromise on my goals or even stop entirely. I am very grateful for the support and the openness of the network.”

Submission of application:

Please email an expression of interest (written – 1 Side A4 max or by video/audio file-max 3 mins) outlining how the bursary will support the development of your art practice along with your CV to southeastvenuenetwork@gmail.com.

If you have any access requirements or additional needs, please let us know and we will find a way to support and facilitate your application.  Please note:  SEVN Network Bursary Award 2023 should be written in the subject line of email.

Deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm on Friday, 23^rd June.

What will be required from the Bursary recipient:

• The ability to collaborate with and adapt to a flexible timeline for the bursary.
• Participation and delivery of interim reports for the evaluation of the bursary and budget in order to assess the impact of the bursary for the purpose of sharing information with stakeholders.
• Participation in publicity of the SEVN bursary.
• Possible public engagement activity which may be in the form of an exhibition/workshop/performance/talk online and/or live to be agreed with SEVN Management.