Call for Applications: Artists Commission inspired by the Hunt for the Vaccine

Deadline: 19-Apr-22

The British Council is seeking proposals from Indian and UK contemporary artists to collaborate for an artists’ commission which responds to the themes that will be explored in the Hunt for the Vaccine exhibition.

For the programme, the Science Museum Group (UK), the National Council for Science Museums (India) and the British Council have partnered to request an artist’s commission inspired by The Hunt for the Vaccine (working title), a project which tells the story of the global effort to find new ways to develop vaccines at pandemic speed.

The Science Museum Group been working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has changed their lives forever. A new innovative and collaborative project – Hunt for the Vaccine – tells the story of the global effort to find new ways to develop vaccines at pandemic speed.

In India, the Science Museum Group has been working on the project with the National Council for Science Museums (India).

Funded by global health charity Wellcome, the exhibition in India will include events with higher education bodies, digital learning resources and the public arts commission, and is aimed to reach over two million people across India, China and the UK.

Themes

The overall spirt of the proposed artwork may be conceptualised around the global effort; especially by India and UK towards the making of the vaccine and science responding to this time of unprecedented change by considering the following themes:

Scientific collaboration across the world working towards a common goal
Coping and responding to the changing world
Respect for science and experts
Societal concern and children’s future

Funding Information

The Science Museum Group, UK will provide a grant of GBP 55,000 for the ideation, curation and delivery of the commissioned artwork.
The award will be given to the UK-based artist of the selected proposal and is to be detailed in the budget section of the proposal.
The UK artist will be responsible for disbursement of the award to the second applicant (who will be from India).
The UK artist will have the opportunity to come to India and be with the tour for a period. The visit to India will be included in the budget to be presented and will be part of the total grant.

Eligibility Criteria

Artists residing and practicing in India or UK, having citizenship of either country will be eligible as applicants.
They encourage applications from individual artists from all backgrounds, gender, disability and ethnicity to apply.
They are inviting collaborative proposals to be submitted jointly by a team comprising of one Indian and one UK contemporary artist who will work together on the project and will co-develop an artwork which will be an artistic response to the themes explored in the proposed exhibition.
The final artwork needs to fit well with the entire exhibition theme and the gallery spaces to be chosen for the same.