Artist Commission: Roscommon Decade of Centenaries - Culture Night 2023

Decade of Centenaries Artist Commission 2023

Douglas Hyde (1860-1949) – Cultural Influencer

Roscommon County Council invites artists to respond to the theme ‘Douglas Hyde, Cultural Influencer’ working with local and national sources including the materials at the Douglas Hyde Centre in Portahard, Frenchpark, Co Roscommon. The 2023 commission seeks proposals from artists across all art forms. A diversity of responses will be considered in the form of performances, exhibitions, conversations and writings responding to Hyde’s cultural impact and achievements over the period 1912 – 1923 and how they shaped a modern Ireland.

A final work(s) should be produced and at least one aspect showcased at an event at the Douglas Hyde Centre on Culture Night, Friday 22 September 2023. This will be a high-profile event for Culture Night and as part of the Roscommon Commemorations programme, engaging with local communities during the research and creation of the piece.

The Culture Night–Decade of Centenaries Commission to the value of €20,000 is supported by the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme as part of Roscommon Arts Office/Arts Council of Ireland Culture Night Programme.

 This commission marks the fourth, and final, in a series of artistic commissions inviting artists to reflect on Roscommon’s role in the struggle for independence. The interpretation of local historical events by our artists and creative practitioners provides a platform to encourage reflection and the consideration of issues, both past and present, which may be challenging, difficult and sometimes deeply personal.

Deadline for submissions: 4pm Monday 8th May 2023

Douglas Hyde, Dubhghlas de hÍde, was born on 17 January 1860 in Co Roscommon and died at ‘Little Ratra’ in the Phoenix Park near Áras an Uachtaráin on 12th July 1949. Hyde was the founding President of the Gaelic League (1893-1915), first Professor of Modern Irish in University College Dublin (1909-1932) and became first President of an independent Irish State (1938-1945) under the 1937 Constitution, by agreement between all the political parties. Hyde has been described as a cultural influencer whose upbringing in County Roscommon helped form him into the cultural nationalist who played a pivotal role in creating a modern Ireland.

Hyde was a man of many parts – a folklorist, a poet, a playwright, a literary historian, a university professor, a leader of the Gaelic revival, an antiquarian, a pioneer of the Irish literary revival, an Irish free state senator and Ireland’s first President. Above all else, he was a Roscommon man, and it was his upbringing in County Roscommon that helped shape the very essence of how he saw himself, other people, the world and the future.

Ref: Roscommon History & Society. Geography Publications. Essay by Máire Nic An Bhaird and Liam Mac Mathúna ‘Early diary insights into Roscommon’s impact on Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first President’.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Roscommon County Council Arts Office invites professional artists to submit applications for consideration for this commission. Applicants must have been born or currently live in County Roscommon. One document must be submitted, labelled with the name of the artist or artist team, with the following details:

• Project proposal (max 3-page) outlining the artist statement, ideas and concepts for the project, budget and timeline;
• A current CV (max 2-page, or one for each member of the team, if applicable);
• Artists must provide details of any sub-contractors whom they propose to engage to create the work;
• Low res images of three recent, relevant projects (up to a max of 2 images per project) including a written description of the materials, size, title.
• Video work must be abridged to max 3-minutes duration, and links and passwords to be included in the document.
• Applications will be assessed using the following criteria which should be used as headings in your submission:
  • Previous experience of creating and delivering a similar commission (20/100)
  • Quality of concept for a new and imaginative work which reflects the intention of the Roscommon commission and the Decade of Centenaries themes & objectives (see appendix 1) relevant to Roscommon (30/100)
  • High artistic merit and work which is exceptional, progressive, imaginative, engaging and relevant to 2023 (20/100)
  • Budget detail - value for money. Clearly achievable within the available budget and timeline (30/100)

BUDGET €20,000

The total inclusive budget of €20,000 should include artist fees, any other professional service fees, research fees, materials, print and fabrication, insurance, transportation, travel, accommodation and VAT. If more than one artist is involved, the lead artist must be identified in the application, to whom payment will issue.

The final piece must be made available to Roscommon County Council and funding partners for sharing on websites/social media thereafter and for archival purposes.

Applications should be emailed by 4pm Monday 8th May 2023to artsofficer@roscommoncoco.ie with the subject ‘Decade of Centenaries Artist Commission 2023’.

Supported by Roscommon County Council and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts,

Gaeltacht, Sports and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative.

Click here for complete information on the commission

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Decade of Centenaries Programme 2023

Roscommon County Council, together with Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, is pleased to announce funding for the Community Strand in 2023 under the Roscommon Decade of Centenaries Open Call.

The key objective of the Decade of Centenaries Roscommon Grants 2023 is to provide support to local communities to facilitate commemorative actions and events in the county relevant to 1923. The level of grant assistance for any one event/project will average €1,000. In very exceptional circumstances, Roscommon County Council reserves the right to award a sum in excess of this to a project.

This fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, local community groups, arts, heritage and cultural groups and venues. Applications by individuals must be in partnership with a community group or organisation.

In 2022, funding was awarded to a vast number of projects county wide. These included: CBS Roscommon Edmund Rice Autism Centre - Scramougue Ambush scene depicted in clay, Chambermade Productions-Six Days, Foróige Roscommon Youth Service –Animation Programme and many more.

For Guidelines please click here: (Roscommon County Council Decade of Centenaries Open Call 2023 guidelines document)

Applications must be submitted via Roscommon County Council’s My Online Services https://roscommon-self.achieveservice.com/ 

The closing date for submissions is 3rd March 2023 at 5pm. 

 Enquiries can be sent via email to: creativeireland@roscommoncoco.ie or Contact Áine on (09066) 37271

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Roscommon County Council Culture Night Commission

1922::2022 The role of local newspapers in a time of conflict and change

Culture Night – Decade of Centenaries 1922::2022 Commission marks the third in a series of artistic commissions inviting artists to reflect on Roscommon’s role in the struggle for independence. The 2022 commission to the value of €15,000 is supported by the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme as part of Roscommon Arts Office/Arts Council of Ireland Culture Night Programme. The 2022 commission seeks proposals from artists across all art forms responding to the theme: The role of local newspapers in a time of conflict and change – how were local events reported?

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION is by email to artsofficer@roscommoncoco.ie  before 4pm, Monday 16th May 2022

Applicants must have been born or currently live in County Roscommon.

For full details click here: Culture Night-Decade of Centenaries Roscommon Commission-Artist Brief 2022