The Socially Engaged Art Salon (SEAS) is looking for artists to take up short term residencies in order to share their work with the Brighton and south-east English communities.
We hold five recurring exhibitions each year that overlap with local festivals. These exhibitions include:
An Artists’ Open House (during Brighton Festival)
Brighton Photography Biennale & Photo Fringe
An exhibition dedicated to Black History Month
A similar LGBTQ History Month exhibition
and one concentrated around Refugee Week
If your work aligns with one of the topics above, or social change in general, read more about how you can join the SEAS family in the upcoming sections.
More About The Studio
SEAS is an art space for exhibitions, events and workshops that focuses on socially and politically engaged practices and themes. It is part of the Social Art Network and has links to local and national arts organisations that engage with issues of social justice, refugees and migration. Since its foundation in 2016, SEAS has become a beacon for socially and politically engaged art in Brighton and the south-east of England.
SEAS was founded by artist and curator Dr. Gil Mualem-Doron in his small house at the heart of Brighton; an 18th building that was built for servants of the Royal Pavilion. SEAS’ unique model of home-gallery fulfilled need for a dedicated space for socially engaged art, and for a more welcoming (for artists and visitors), homely and less regimented setting.
A series of successful exhibitions and events has drawn in hundreds of visitors and participants. Through its facilitation of new community art workshops, and links to other community and arts organisations, SEAS has since moved into a much bigger space and found its home at the BMECP (Black & Minority Ethnic Community Partnership) Centre, near Brighton train station.
Engagement with diverse audiences is at the core of SEAS work and all exhibitions include artists’ talks, discussions and workshops for the general public and community groups to take part in.
About the Residency Program
Brief
SEAS – Socially Engaged Art Salon was born in 2016 as a space for the discussion, development and exhibition of socially and politically engaged art. SEAS has exhibited more than 200 artists since its foundations, and holds numerous artists’ talks and workshops.
The residency is self-directed. The artist will be offered tours and meetings with other art organisations in Brighton.
Benefits of Joining
As a resident, SEAS will exhibit the works of resident artists in one of its recurring exhibitions. Residents will have the opportunity to connect with several creatives in the Brighton community, a space that has proven itself to be heavily engaged in social change and advocacy. They will also have the opportunity to work with several renowned organizations who are dedicated to progressing socially related art. A number past exhibitions have been commissioned by charities such as: Brighton Pride, Platforma, and Sanctuary on Sea.
Additionally, artists will have the opportunity to work closely with the founder of SEAS who's work has been distributed in several countries and displayed in spaces such as the Tate Modem in London. His work has also been published by major publications such as The Times and Time Out, and he has gained recognition and reward from bodies such as The Mayor of London and the Henry Ford Foundation.
SEAS is additionally open to proposals from curators, artists and artists’ collectives.
Accommodation
The residency offers accommodation for one artist at the heart of Brighton where SEAS was originally founded. The accommodation comprises 9 x 3 meters on the 3rd floor of the house, including a double bedroom with bathroom en-suite, seating area, kitchen and balcony. It also includes a small library of art and architecture books. When there are no artist-residents the space is used as an Airbnb. For further details you can visit the listing here.
Studio & exhibition space
The working space is at SEAS studio. The artist can use the whole studio (10x7m) when there are no exhibition or 3x3m when the exhibitions are on). At the start of the residency artists will be ask to participate in an artists’ talk and at the end of each residency the artist is required to present his research or work through at talk, an event or a week long exhibition. The artist will also have an opportunity to show some of their works during an "OPEN SEAS" exhibition held every May and will have the additional opportunity to host an on-line exhibition with SEAS during the same year.
Are you the Ideal Candidate?
This position is open to socially and politically engaged artists. While there is a particular interest in artists who work on issues of social justice, identity, gender and sexuality, migration and refugee, we are open to working with artists who's passions relate to other social causes as well.
We are especially interested in work that develops radical practices, new ways of engaging audiences, activist and interventionist work, and digital / new media work. As SEAS is not your typical gallery space, your residency proposal can be bold, experimental and wild. We welcome it.
Disciplines and media
Preference will be given to socially and politically engaged art in any medium including:
Visual Arts,
Photography
Digital Art
New Media Art
Performing Arts
Music,
Literature
Film Production
and Curatorial practice
Duration of residencies: 1 week up to 1 month.
Number of artists’ resident at one time: 1
Companions allowed: Partners
Grants available:
While SEAS does not offer full grants we will work to help artists in applying for grants and outside funding with an invitation letter. A partial grant of £200 to cover the residency accommodation and studio costs will be offered twice a year to two BME artists and artists with a refugee background.
Expectations of Artists
Artists will be expected to present an exhibit(s) and/or workshops related to social engagement and advocacy.
Expenses paid by artist:
Travel
Supplies
Food
Housing
The costs of the accommodation will round £200 to £500 per week – depending on the length of residency, season, and other requirements.
Application Process
Please send a digital application either via Curator Space, or an email to seasbrighton@gmail.com with the heading: SEAS Residency + Your Name. The email (in English) should include in ONE PDF (up to 10 pages, and no bigger than 10mb) that includes all of the following:
Name and contact details
One page C.V. or biography
A a proposal for the residency project that clarifies the following: Is it research? A development of work in progress? Or an exhibition of existing work?
How does the proposal fit with SEAS’s objectives?
How will it advance your work?
Up to 10 images (that includes captions) and /or link to view the work online.
Selection procedure
Selection will be determined by a committee comprised of artists, curators and community organisers who compose the SEAS family. Answers will be given usually be provided two weeks after receiving your email, or two weeks after the deadline.
We look forward to receiving your application 😊