Applied Arts Scotland International Projects

Are you curious to know more about making practices in developing parts of the world?
Are you a maker with creative business experience you are willing to share?
Are you keen to develop your skills as a trainer and project manager?

Applied Arts Scotland (AAS) is a membership organisation run by makers for makers, and our activities support the creative heart and soul of making practice. Over the last two years we have been building the range and scope of our international projects, including working as one of 12 UK organisations within the British Council’s Crafting Futures Partnership Network, which delivers craft projects in Asia, Africa and South America. AAS has been working on projects in Thailand and Mexico, and we are now expanding our pool of freelance trainers and project managers to help us develop new opportunities in other parts of the world.

What We Are Looking For

In our experience international projects led by Scottish makers for other makers strikes a chord, is genuine and authentic, balanced and empathetic. It’s also reciprocal – you get as much out of the experience as you put in.

We are looking for professional makers, designers or applied artists working in Scotland who have at least three years experience of running their own business and can share examples of good creative and business practice. You won’t need to have any formal business training, but rather have personal knowledge and experience of what works well and an understanding of what doesn’t that you are willing to share. You will be curious, flexible and open minded, and have an interest in learning about the culture and making practices in developing countries with very different environments to the UK and sharing a perspective from Scotland. You will have great communication skills, a love of working with people, desire to travel, and although you may have teaching or training experience this is not essential.

What We Are Offering

To build our pool of freelance trainers and project managers we are offering a limited number of free places on a “Train the Trainer” day from 10am – 4.30pm on Tuesday 11th June 2019 at Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee. This training day will:

• Share AAS’s maker development toolkit and training philosophy
• Offer attendees valuable resources to use in their own continuing professional development
• Give details of AAS’s current projects, an insight into potential future projects and how AAS apply for them
• On completion of training, attendees will be eligible to apply for project opportunities on behalf of AAS, subject to AAS’s Board approval.

The limited places will be offered to selected applicants, with priority given to AAS Professional Members.

What You Will Get Out of it

• An insight into international craft development work
• The opportunity to support international crafts practice and practitioners
• Training to support your own continued professional development
• Skills and confidence in running projects

What We Need To Know About You

To apply for a place on our “Train the Trainer” day on Tuesday 11 June 2019, please answer the following three questions (max 300 words per answer):

1. What you do, and your background and practice experience relevant to this opportunity
2. What you would hope to bring to and get out of this training day
3. What are your ambitions for working internationally

Send your answers along with an image of your work, a link to your website and a current CV email to hello@appliedartsscotland.org.uk by Tuesday 14 May 2019,

Image: AAS working in Thailand, photo by Helen Voce