Westway Trust announce an International Artist Bursary supporting a local artist to travel to Cuba
At Westway Trust our mission is to facilitate positive change in the social, economic, personal and environmental well-being of our community. This involves all of our work across a range of areas and themes, and we recognise importance of art and culture within this. Often times, high profile examples of this involve an artist or groups leveraging their access to finance to assist them, but more commonly, and sometimes more powerfully, this happens on an organic level with little or no resource. This is the default position in many countries.
At Casa de Artistas y Creadores in Havana, Cuba, makers and performers collaborate to create from minimal resources, celebrating their truths and existences, expressing themselves and their community’s voices in an environment with no money and few freedoms or access to services. Through visual and performing arts they connect and create a dialogue to communicate and discuss, rejuvenating shared links and nourishing their community.
In February 2023 North Kensington artist Gail Sagman is travelling to Havana to collaborate with a local painter there. We would like to offer the opportunity for one emerging North Ken artist, between the ages of 18 and 35 and working in any visual or expressive medium, to join Gail for a period of two weeks to witness, participate in and be inspired by the place-based creativity happening in Cuba.
Westway Trust will award a bursary to cover return flights, visa and accommodation. We will ask the successful applicant to record a journal in whatever format they choose, and to include a video diary of their time in Havana, reflecting on their experiences there and how these might inform their future work in North Kensington.
You will need to be resilient and resourceful; life in Havana can be challenging and requires reserves of confidence, ingenuity and self-sufficiency, but this will be a fantastic experience of discovery and inspiration.
Practising artists are invited to submit and Expression of Interest, to artsandculture@westway.org and by no later than 12pm, 14 January. You must have an established body of work as evidenced by your portfolio, and a demonstrable commitment to enhancing your community. You must either be resident in North Kensington or work/spend a considerable amount of time here – this is about your imprint on the community as much as your postcode! You must have a valid passport and be able to travel to Cuba for a period of two weeks in February 2023.
Please complete the form linked on this page or alternatively download International Artist Bursary Form and return to our reception. A panel consisting of Gail Sagman, Venu Dhupa (CEO) and Nick Doran (Head of Community Initiatives) will shortlist applicants, and a name will be selected at random at the upcoming Artist’s Forum event, ‘The Value of Art and Culture’ on 16th January 2023, 5pm – 9pm (venue tbc).