Three new exciting residencies in China and Chile have just been launched by British Council Crafting Futures for makers from Scotland and the UK whose practice includes embroidery, millinery, batik, silver, fibre or ceramics.
Applied Arts Scotland is one of the UK partners in the British Council’s Crafting Futures Network and through this we are able to nominate makers in Scotland for these residencies.
AAS is inviting makers in Scotland to get in touch if they are interested in finding out more about any of these residencies. To receiving a copy of the full brief email hello@appliedartsscotland.org.uk with details of which residency/ies you want to know more about. If you want to apply this would be progressed with AAS who would submit the application for consideration on your behalf.
China Chengdu and Guiyang Textiles and Embroidery residencies
The British Council is inviting proposals from UK-based craft and design practitioners to take part in two 5-week residencies in China, including the cities Chengdu (Sichuan Province) and Guiyang (Guizhou Province). Selected practitioners will have immersive visits in the cities and conduct sharing workshops with local craft artisans and students to develop prototype products or concepts alongside further discussion with enterprises in terms of economic sustainability.
Chengdu (Sichuan Province): Sichuan is one of the four main areas of China known for producing silk brocade and embroidery products. Known as shujin and shuxiu in Chinese, the craft has been woven into China’s history for millennia. Nowadays silk embroiderers and artisans are still active in the province for preservation of the craftsmanship and innovation of the skill and product. Makers will be working with three Accredited China Intangible Cultural Heritage Trainers for Sichuan Embroidery (Shuxiu). Residence 25 October to 30 November 2019, deadline for applications is 18 September 2019.
Guiyang (Guizhou Province): Guizhou has rich and diverse folk customs and cultures of the ethnic minorities living in the region. It has the country’s third largest ethnic minority group population. Batik, tie-dye, embroidery and silverware from Miao and Dong ethnic minority communities in South-east Guizhou are most famous crafts with a long history. You would work with Accredited China Intangible Cultural Heritage Trainers for Miao Batik and natural dye and Accredited China Intangible Cultural Heritage Trainer for Miao Silverware. Residence 25 October to 2 December 2019, deadline for applications 18 September 2019.
China Jingdezhen Ceramics residency
The British Council is inviting proposals for two 5-week residencies in the historic porcelain city of Jingdezhen. Selected practitioners will have immersive visits in the cities and conduct sharing workshops with local craft artisans and students to develop prototype products or concepts alongside further discussion with enterprises in terms of economic sustainability.
Jingdezhen (Jiangxi Province): Jingdezhen is known as the “Porcelain Capital” in China because it has been producing pottery for 1,700 years. Jingdezhen’s porcelain has been famous not only in China but in time it became known internationally. Most Jingdezhen porcelain is valued by collectors of antique porcelain whilst the dominant porcelain industry enables large export market. Five weeks residence from 10 December 2019 to 17 January 2020 (flexible time range). Application deadline 10 October 2019.
Chile Crin Residency
British Council is seeking proposals for a residency in Rari, Chile, working with a group of Crin (horsehair) weavers for 4 weeks in Rari (Linares Province), a little-known village off the beaten tourist track recently recognised as a ‘Craft City’ by the World Crafts Council.
Rari is renowned in Chile for the unique craft of Crin, a traditional folk craft using horsehair (Crin) to weave delicate figurines and jewellery. Its origins were undocumented for centuries and little is known beyond what has been shared by the generations of women who have passed on this technique from mother to daughter. The artistic tradition is still evolving to this day as a younger generation of weavers and designers continue to take crin in new directions, adding bright colours, metal wires, vegetable fibres and modern designs to their work, while maintaining the traditions that make the art form unique. They want to explore new possibilities for the practice through design and collaboration.
This is an ideal opportunity for a craftsperson or designer who wants to experiment with the horsehair fibre and the associated techniques and to share skills and creative ideas with Rari weavers. This would be an exciting exchange for designers working with co-design or participatory design, or for makers exploring materiality and weaving. Residence 14 October – 31 October 2019. Application deadline 16 September 2019.
Image: Scottish ceramic artist Lorna Fraser leading a workshop, Scottish Thai Design Exchange 2016, image credit Simon Mills
