We are delighted to announce the recipients of seven awards in Cycle II of Outset’s major arts funding programme, Outset Partners.
Established in 2018, Outset Partners is a dynamic collective of international philanthropists who work together to meet the evolving needs of the global cultural sector. The group is facilitated by a Research and Strategy Lead for each cycle, who crafts a framework for Outset Partners’ decision-making, supporting their uniquely iterative and consensus-driven approach to funding transformation in the arts. Outset Partners are keen to learn what art institutions need, why they need it, and where they want to be tomorrow. Partners are willing to take risks on behalf of genuine innovation and the prospect of meaningful impact.
The central tenet of Outset Partners is one of responsive philanthropy that adapts to the ever-changing needs of the cultural ecosystem. As the disruptive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the arts became increasingly clear, Partners made a conscious decision to not divert grant funding into short-term crisis relief, but to continue the process set in motion in early January in order to secure the future of these innovative projects. Outset is working to offer crisis support for the cultural ecosystem through the Studiomakers initiative – aiding artists and affordable workspace providers who are struggling with reduced operations. The Partners want to ensure that institutional ambitions for transformation catalysed by this moment of reflection can be translated into reality, once the immediate Covid-19 crisis has passed.
In its second cycle of funding, the programme has awarded over £281,500 across a range of agenda-setting museums, galleries and organisations to support challenging new art projects with a demonstrable transformative aspect for the creative sector.
TRANSFORMATIVE AWARD £150,000
The one-of-a-kind Transformative Award is designed to afford the opportunity for a significant project to radically rethink the art institution of the future. £150,000 was awarded jointly to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (£ 75,000) and the Serpentine Galleries (£ 75,000). 2020 marked the 350th anniversary of The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the 50th of the Serpentine Galleries. After an introduction by Outset Partners, these institutions have decided to work together on a series of initiatives founded on the principles of skills exchange and collaboration. This included the joint convening of a new network and think-tank of organisations, General Ecology Network, dedicated to innovative thinking at the intersections of art and ecology.
‘CLIMATE HOUSE’, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK:
This new award has played a role in allowing Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to reimagine Inverleith House as a gallery for the 21st century, ignite a new arts strategy across the Garden and highlight RBGE as a visionary institution within the Climate Crisis. ‘Climate House’ highlighted the global risk to biodiversity through an immersive installation, activated as a space for conversation and action created in collaboration with Australian artist Keg de Souza, who has previously had major exhibitions in Melbourne, New York, Vancouver and London. Keg de Souza is known for her socially engaged art practice, using mediums such as inflatable and temporary architecture, food, video, text, illustration, mapping and dialogical projects to explore the politics of space. Collaboration is central to de Souza’s practice and the new vision for Inverleith House which has hosted exhibitions from artists including Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, Andy Goldsworthy, and Karla Black. ‘Climate House’ inspired connections between artists, scientists, horticulturalists, scholars, activists, entrepreneurs, policymakers and visitors and local communities.
Emma Nicolson, Head of Creative Programmes, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said:
“To receive the Outset Partners’ Transformative Award, in partnership with the Serpentine Galleries, presents a momentous opportunity to focus on the desperate nature of our planet’s plight. Working with artists, scientists and horticulturists, the Outset Partners and Serpentine colleagues will help us reimagine our approach, provide visibility and advocacy to our new ambitions, and enable us to think and work differently, reflecting upon one of the most urgent concerns of our age.”
‘BACK TO EARTH’, Serpentine Galleries, London, UK:
Back to Earth, a new, multidisciplinary and multi-year initiative, was the Serpentine Galleries’ 50th anniversary project. Launching in 2020, Back to Earth invited over sixty-five artists and creative practitioners to respond to the current climate emergency with forward-thinking and strategic artworks that are simultaneously environmental campaigns.
Over the following years, Back to Earth collaborated with partner organisations to realise an ambitious artist-led programme, that included exhibitions, live events, publications, broadcasts, off-site and infrastructural projects, as well as public awareness campaigns. In addition, Back to Earth was conceived as the catalyst for a series of internal transformations within the entire Serpentine organisation, to embed ecological principles within the very fabric of the Galleries. The Serpentine is artist-led to its core. To that end, Back to Earth encouraged these transformations to also be driven by the imagination that artists bring to our everyday lives and to the way we work.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a leading international research organisation delivering knowledge, education and plant conservation action around the world. In Scotland, its four Gardens at Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan attract nearly a million visitors each year. It operates as a Non- Non-Departmental Public Body established under the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, principally funded by the Scottish Government. It is also a registered charity, managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Ministers. Its mission is “To explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future”.
Inverleith House was designed in 1774 by David Henderson for the Rocheid family and was the official residence of successive Regius Keepers (directors) of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh until it became the founding home of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, from 1960 to 1984. Since 1986 it has run a continuous programme of temporary exhibitions spanning visual art and botanical science under the auspices of the Garden, which recognises the need for art as well as science in our appreciation and understanding of the natural world, making it pre-eminent amongst botanic gardens today, in this respect.
In 1960, the house was turned into the inaugural Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, before transitioning into the official art gallery of RBGE in 1986. For 30 years, Inverleith House presented stellar shows – from the likes of Douglas Gordon, William Eggleston and Robert Rauschenberg, Karla Black and Louise Bourgeois. Climate House marks a new era in the legacy of this leading contemporary art institution.
Serpentine Galleries
One of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries, the Serpentine offers a year-round, free programme for a million visitors a year over two sites in London’s Kensington Gardens. Since opening in 1970, the Serpentine has presented over 400 pioneering exhibition, showing a wide range of work from emerging practitioners to the most internationally recognised artists of our time, providing a place for millions of visitors to see new art for free. For five decades, the Serpentine has worked with artists to address the most urgent issues of the day, presenting a pioneering cross-disciplinary programme that spans art, design, architecture, performance, events, artist-led community projects and transformative new experiments in art and technology.
IMPACT AWARDS
Six additional Impact Awards are awarded to public institutions for a range of projects that demonstrate crucial areas of support for the public, artists and curators. In line with the Outset ethos these can be through enabling innovative exhibitions and artistic productions with an international reach; empowering educational initiatives or providing professional development opportunities; institutions enriching public collections; or projects that enhance the creative infrastructure through providing workspaces and strengthening communities.
‘A NEW HOME FOR 32 DEGREES EAST’, 32* East (Ugandan Arts Trust), Kampala, Uganda (£26,500):
‘Outset has a tremendous legacy of championing ambitious projects, and being truly incisive with its impact; for those reasons and more, we are thrilled to collaborate with Outset Partners on our journey to realise Uganda's first purpose-built, non-profit contemporary art centre. Outset Partners' energy and commitment to this campaign has been palpable from the moment we first connected, and we have a shared belief in the transformative impact this centre will have on the region. We are so honoured to be a part of their new chapter of supporting work on the African continent.’
32* East (Ugandan Arts Trust)
32° East is an independent non-profit organisation, focused on the creation and exploration of contemporary art in Uganda. Its multi-purpose resource centre is based in the capital city Kampala and includes studios, accommodation for artists in residence, a contemporary art library, computers and editing suites, meeting areas and outdoor workshop space. Its programme offers artists in residence and members one-on-one drop- in sessions for critique and professional development, workshops for practical skills and a regular discussion series, Artachat, for social engagement.
‘THE THIRD SPACE’, Beit Ha’Gefen Gallery, Haifa, Israel (£20,000):
The Third Space is an art and education lab of Beit Ha’Gefen - Arab-Jewish Cultural Center in Haifa. (Curators: Yael Messer and Hadas Zemer Ben-Ari). Aiming to provide tools for addressing complexities in today’s intercultural society, The Third Space offers experiential activities that integrate artworks and discursive elements into a layered learning scenario. ‘The innovative, independent, and empowerment-focused ethos of the Outset Partners Impact Award resonates with our vision and our goals with The Third Space. Thanks to the Award we will be able to develop educational workshops for both Hebrew and Arab speaking groups.’
Beit Ha’Gefen Gallery
Beit Ha'Gefen Gallery is a contemporary art space in Haifa, part of the Arab Jewish culture centre Beit Ha’Gefen, an established and well-known institution in Israel and internationally. Over the years, Beit Ha'Gefen has worked in a variety of fields and creatively to bring together the various religions, cultures and nationalities living in Israel. Beit Ha'Gefen Gallery promotes and presents contemporary art projects while providing creative space for various communities in Haifa and the North of the country.
The Third Space is the new wing of the gallery spread across an entire floor with activity stations for exploring familiar questions and new aspects about identity and belonging in a multicultural society. Visitors are invited to get involved in the content and adapt it to their own unique story. This is an opportunity for an encounter with experiences, memories and stories, some familiar and some completely new, about ourselves and about others.
‘DIASPORA PAVILION II’ International Curator’s Forum, International (£25,000):
As part of the 2019 Outset Partners Grants, the International Curators Forum (ICF) was awarded £25,000 per annum for three years towards the development and execution of the Diaspora Pavilion II project. After a year of research and development, including two artists’ trips to the openings of the 2019 Venice and Istanbul Biennials, ICF has curated the first Diaspora Pavilion II exhibition in partnership with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in Sydney, Australia titled I am a heart beating in the world: Diaspora Pavilion 2, Sydney. The exhibition presented the navigations, imaginings and lived experiences of diasporic subjectivities through the works of six artists based in Australia, the UK and the Caribbean: Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, Kashif Nadim Chaudry, Lindy Lee, Leyla Stevens, Zadie Xa and Daniela Yohannes.
The International Curators Forum
The International Curators Forum (ICF) is a London-based organisation focused on presenting professional development programmes for emerging arts practitioners, curating exhibitions and events that address diasporic culture in a global context, as well as connecting professionals around the world through organised international trips and residencies. Past projects include ‘Black Jacobins: The Caribbean Pavilion' at the 2010 Liverpool Biennial, the 2012 symposium and exhibition programme ‘Black Diaspora Visual Art’ in Barbados and Martinique, the 2016-2017 international knowledge-sharing platform ‘Curating the International Diaspora,’ and the 2016-2018 professional development programmes ‘Diaspora Pavilion and Beyond the Frame.’ ICF-curated film and performance events include ‘Island and Monster’ by artist Sheena Rose at the Royal Academy in 2016, 'Sensational Bodies’ as part of the 2018 Jerwood Staging Series and ‘Migrating Cities’ at Tai Kwun Art Centre in Hong Kong commissioned by UAL in 2019.
‘STEPHEN’, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK (£20,000):
Liverpool Biennial was delighted to receive an Outset Partners Impact Award for Melanie Manchot’s first feature film STEPHEN. The commission is a hybrid drama-documentary, presenting alternative and nuanced perspectives to re-think urgent social issues of addictions, loneliness and mental health, challenging many societies around the world. This headline film commission brings together the life of its Liverpudlian protagonist and recovering addict, Stephen Giddings, and the life of a historic gambling addict Thomas Goudie.
The production spanned four years, beginning with a series of workshops held in Liverpool with people in recovery and culminating with pop-up screenings of the final film for vulnerable people exposed to addictions, with a focus on young and hard-to-reach audiences.
The commission unfolded as a performative intervention during the 11th edition in 2021, a world premiere cinematic screening in Liverpool in 2022, and a sculptural installation of the work at the 12th Liverpool Biennial in 2023. STEPHEN is supported by new academic research in partnership with the University of Liverpool, presenting critical alternative voices, contesting stereotyped language and vilification of this often-misunderstood social issue.
Melanie Manchot said:
'We are thrilled to receive this Outset Partners Impact Award in the early stages of this commission. Heightened by the radical uncertainty that we are experiencing, the issues of social isolation and addiction gain further significance. We are excited that with the generous support of the Art Fund, the film will join the Walker Art Gallery’s collection, part of the National Museums in Liverpool.'
Liverpool Biennial
Liverpool Biennial is the oldest and largest festival of contemporary visual art in the UK. Since its inception in 1998, the Biennial has become renowned in the international contemporary art world, bringing together a plethora of voices and artistic practices from across the world. Taking place every two years, Liverpool Biennial activates public institutions, historical sites and extraordinary locations across Liverpool, ensuring major commissions in the public realm. Pioneering an innovative approach underpinned by a year-round programme of research, education, residencies, projects and commissions, each biennial edition brings forward a renewed thinking and scale of production. Having commissioned over 340 new artworks and presented work by over 480 celebrated artists from around the world, the Biennial is built on a longstanding commitment to connecting international artists with local practitioners, communities and the public at large.
ASSEMBLE + SCHOOLS OF TOMORROW: 'THE PLACE WE IMAGINE', Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham, UK (£20,000):
This ambitious project, a collaboration between Nottingham Contemporary and Turner Prize-winning design collective, Assemble, was to reimagine an unrealised playground across two galleries at Nottingham Contemporary. Inspired by Lina Bo Bardi's now-famous drawing of an unbuilt 1962 design for a utopian playground, this project realised two large-scale play sculptures from the original illustration. At a moment when most playgrounds appear to be designed for the kinds of play that adults like to see children do, this project challenged the confines of the gallery space and its uses. It tried to open up new ways of being in the museum, for children and adults alike.
Nottingham Contemporary
Nottingham Contemporary is one of the largest and leading contemporary art centres in the UK. Its mission is to be a place for shaping and imagining the future of art, education, and ideas. Since opening in 2009, the centre has held more than 60 exhibitions, and welcomed over two million visitors. It presents innovative and interwoven programmes of international exhibitions, learning, partnerships, research and new commissions. It is committed to excellence, experimentation, ambition and innovation. Nottingham Contemporary was shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2019.
‘ARCTIC/AMAZON’, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada (£20,000):
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto is thrilled that Outset Partners has decided to support their Fall 2020 exhibition, Arctic/Amazon. In these times of uncertainty, such good news is encouraging and deeply appreciated. Drawing upon an ongoing collaborative project, Arctic/Amazon explores the ways in which Indigenous contemporary artists address issues of climate change, globalised Indigeneity, and political contact zones in and about the circumpolar Arctic and Amazonia. By addressing Indigenous knowledge, spiritual practices, violence, and ecological concerns in a variety of media, artists confront the global project. They represent a set of diverse realities that are shaped by both human and non-human beings. By negotiating their co-existence in a world marked by the diversity of places and people, they offer insight into the oftentimes chaotic entanglements that emerge between themselves and the newcomers.
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
The Art Gallery at Harbourfront (operating as The Power Plant) is Canada’s leading non-collecting, public art gallery dedicated exclusively to contemporary visual art from Canada and the world. Governed by its board of directors, The Power Plant serves a strong network of community stakeholders and is a registered Canadian charitable organisation, supported by its members, sponsors, donors, and funding bodies at all levels of government.
The Power Plant is committed to furthering the dialogue around and improving access to contemporary practices and, for the last three years, has been actively opening the gallery space and programs – exhibitions, educational and public programs, cultural events and more – to wider audiences. In celebration of The Power Plant’s 25th anniversary in 2012, the gallery introduced ALL YEAR, ALL FREE, offering free admission and open access to the public to all exhibitions. The Power Plant also marked the occasion with a redesign of its visual identity and added a new lobby, retail space and website, thus strengthening its position locally and internationally and allowing audiences to further engage with the rich and rewarding work of contemporary artists and thinkers. Now in its 33rd year, The Power Plant has seen numerous successes and is an established, ever-expanding and dynamic institution, committed to creating an environment in which diverse audiences can access contemporary art.
“In these uncertain times, it is notable that the areas that have really proven supportive, generous, and open across all borders are the sciences, and the arts. We have seen artists, institutions, and platforms make content freely available in an unprecedented way. In the face of extraordinary uncertainty, artists, galleries, and museums have reached out and offered moments of connection and of reflection on the future beyond this time of crisis. Outset Partners felt compelled to act in a manner that echoes this spirit of generosity, by offering an injection of support and confidence in the future of the projects that were submitted to our open call. Across the broad span of projects the Outset Partners have chosen to award grants to this year, there is an ongoing consideration of timely and meaningful sensitivities surrounding community support, social welfare, public space, and ecology. Our hope is that through sharing the news of our funding of these projects and inspiring the creative network behind them, we might offer a moment to look forward, and to anticipate the outcome of outstanding projects and work that is still to come. We invite you to celebrate the start of these journeys this week, together at the outset.”Candida Gertler OBE, Co-founder & Co-Director, and Nicolette Cavaleros, Co-Director, Outset Contemporary Art Fund, on behalf of the Outset Partners
