Factory Floor/ Training

The National Sculpture Factory supports artists in their practice by providing a range of complementary technical and professional workshops and training in areas of direct relevance to their work. The professional development workshops aim to address the business needs of artists working in a professional environment. They are also intended to introduce artists to new areas of work, providing artistic and financial opportunities and complementing their studio practice. The technical workshops are intended to provide practical and skills-based resources to artists, aiding them with the production side of their work. In 2008, the National Sculpture Factory is introducing a new mentoring scheme, aiming to allow for a fruitful exchange of knowledge and experience between artists at different stages of their careers. The focus of the mentoring scheme will be on a series of intensive meetings between the mentor and mentee, over a period of time, resulting in a mixture of professional, critical and practical advice and exchange.

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2008

Arts Council Awards Session
Trainer: Toby Dennett / Arts Council (Dublin)
Date: Friday 23 May 2008

  Website Design Workshop at the National Sculpture Factory

Trainer: Porat Jacobson

Dates: Monday 26 & Thursday 29 May 2008

Dates: Monday 9 & Thursday 12 June 2008
 

Technical Workshops Spring 2008

 

The National Sculpture Factory is committed to supporting artists in their professional practice and as part of this, offers a number of technical workshops intended to provide practical and skills-based resources to artists, aiding them with the production side of their work. We are delighted to announce our Spring 2008 series of technical workshops as follows.

 

 
 Basic Introduction To Blacksmithing & Metal Forming

 Trainer: – Nicholas Burnham
 Date: Thursday 17 April 2008
 Time: 9.00 to 5.00 pm
 Participant level: Beginners to advanced
 Maximum: 6 participants
 
Fee: €45 NSF member €60 non-member
 
 
Fibreglass / Plaster Backed Silicone Moulding Techniques

 Trainer: Vincent O’Shea

Dates:  Mon 21, Tues 22, Wed 23 & Thurs 24 April (inclusive)

Time:   10.00 – 4.30 pm

Participant level: Beginners to advanced  

Maximum: 8 participants

Fee: €190 NSF members & €250 non members

 

* Bronze Casting Workshop

Trainer: Helle Helsner

Dates:  Thursday 8 May & Friday 9 May (inclusive)

Time:   10.00 – 4.30 pm

Participant level: Some experience desirable, but not essential

Maximum: 4 participants

Fee: €150 NSF members & €195 non members

Due to demand, we are running a second Bronze Casting workshop on 5 & 6 June 2008

 

 Painting & Etching On Glass Workshop

Trainer: Debbie Dawson

Dates:  Saturday 17 May & Sunday 18 May 2008

Time:    10.00 – 4.30 pm (lunch 30 min)

Participant level: Some experience desirable, but not essential

Maximum: 8 participants

Fee: €90 NSF members & €120 non members

 

The NSF subsidises its training workshops by 30 - 50%. Early booking is advised to ensure availability.

 

* Please note these workshops are available on an individual basis, however it is a unique opportunity for artists to attend both workshops and be guided practically through the moulding and bronze casting processes.

 

All of the above workshops will take place in the National Sculpture Factory.

 

For more information or to book a place, contact the NSF Administrator:

Elma O’Donovan, Administrator, National Sculpture Factory
+353 21 4314353 or email:
elma@nationalsculpturefactory.com

  

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2008

Introduction

As part of their commitment to providing services and resources to artists throughout Ireland, the National Sculpture Factory and Visual Artists Ireland have initiated a programme of professional development training workshops. These workshops are directed at artists at different stages of their career, those who are at an early stage in their career and those who are more experienced (Continuing Professional Development workshops/Master classes). Please read through the description carefully to check your suitability for the workshop and any requirements for those attending.

Arts Council Awards Session
Trainer: Toby Dennett / Arts Council (Dublin)
Date: Friday 23 May 2008
Time: 2.00 – 5.00 pm
Venue: National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road, Cork.

Workshop Description:
This half-day session, delivered by Toby Dennett, (Head of Artists’ Supports at the Arts Council) is an opportunity for participants to get first hand information, advice and guidance on the various awards and bursary schemes operated by the Arts Council, which are available to individual artists.  Attendance at this workshop is free.  Places are limited to 12. 
To book a place contact Elma O’Donovan, administrator @ 021 4314353 or email elma@nationalsculpturefactory.com

Toby Dennett
Toby is Head of Artists' Supports at the Arts Council. The Artists' Supports Team is responsible for ensuring that the various funding and other support structures of the Arts Council operate effectively to the benefit of artists of all disciplines. He is the former Director of Visual Artists Ireland, the all island service provider and representative body for professional visual artists. He was a founding Director of the Irish Visual Artists Rights Organisation, which is now collecting and distributing the Artists Resale Right. He has previously worked for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Artworking, Source Photographic Magazine and Catalyst Arts and originally trained as a visual artist.

 

Website Design Workshop at the National Sculpture Factory

Trainer: Porat Jacobson

Dates: Monday 26 & Thursday 29 May 2008

Dates: Monday 9 & Thursday 12 June 2008

10.00 – 4.30 pm

Venue: National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road, Cork.

Max number of participants per workshop: 4

Fee: € 150.00 (NSF members) for 4 days

Fee: €180.00 (non-members) for 4 days

 COURSE OUTLINES

This four day workshop is geared towards artists, with basic computer literacy, who wish to promote their art on the web.

 

Computer Literacy:

Minimum requirement is fluency with Windows, file management, navigating the Internet and email. Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets and any graphics programme is a bonus.

 

General description:

The workshops are aimed at providing artists with an understanding of how websites are graphically put together.  Only Freeware is used in the course to enable those who attend to further develop their skills without recourse to expensive commercial software.

 

Due to the complexity of the subject, this course is foundational only, and will be project based – built around the design of the attendee’s individual portfolio.

 

COURSE A

WEBSITE DESIGN – STAGE 1: PLANNING & ORIGINATION OF ELEMENTS

Dates: Monday 26 & Thursday 29 May

10.00 – 4.30 pm

Venue: National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road, Cork.

Max number of participants per workshop: 4

Duration: 2 full-day workshops

This course will look at how websites are structured and how they are put together in practice. Each attendee will design their own site and prepare the elements for later use in Course B (see below).

 

COURSE B

WEBSITE DESIGN – STAGE 2: IMPLEMENTATION

Dates: Monday 9 & Thursday 12 June

10.00 – 4.30 pm

Venue: National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road, Cork.

Max number of participants per workshop: 4

Duration: 2 full-day workshops

An introduction to constructing a basic website using the elements prepared in Course A. This course will cover how HTML pages work and how HTML elements are controlled using HTML editing software.  By the end of the course the attendee should have a functional website incorporating text, navigation, hyperlinks and images.

 

The National Sculpture Factory supports artists in their practice by providing a range of complementary technical and professional workshops and training in areas of direct relevance to their work. The professional development workshops aim to address the business needs of artists working in a professional environment. They are also intended to introduce artists to new areas of work, providing artistic and financial opportunities and complementing their studio practice.

 

Porat Jacobson - Biography

Porat Jacobson was born in South Africa. He has a fine art degree from Bezalel Academy of Art and design in Jerusalem. He has taught Visual Studies and Computer Graphics at a Fashion School in Johannesburg, and has freelanced in graphic design and multimedia for over a decade.

 

To book a place contact Elma O’Donovan, administrator @ 021 4314353 or email elma@nationalsculpturefactory.com.  Places will be confirmed on receipt of payment.  The NSF subsidises its training workshops by 30 - 40%. Early booking is advised to ensure availability.

 

Participants must make a commitment to attending the full 4 days, as they are not available as individual sessions.  Places are limited to 4 participants.
Please note workshops are non-refundable.

 

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2007
A joint initiative of the National Sculpture Factory and Visual Artists Ireland

Technical Workshop 2007
The NSF also supports artists in their professional practice by providing a range of technical skills based workshops (see below for further details):

Painting & Etching on Glass Workshop
Saturday 29 September 2007

Welding Workshop
Saturdays’
6, 13 & 20 October 2007 (Inclusive)

Fibreglass / Plaster Backed Silicone Moulding Techniques

Mon 15 through Thursday 18 October 2007 (Inclusive)

*    *    *    *    *

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2006

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2005

Useful links
www.visualartists.ie/sfr_infopool.html

Professional Development Workshops for Visual Artists 2007

Introduction

As part of their commitment to providing services and resources to artists throughout Ireland, the National Sculpture Factory and Visual Artists Ireland have initiated a programme of professional development training workshops. These workshops are directed at artists at different stages of their career, those who are at an early stage in their career and those who are more experienced (Continuing Professional Development workshops/Master classes). Please read through the description carefully to check your suitability for the workshop and any requirements for those attending. Please note, places only guaranteed upon receipt of payment. See below for booking and registration.

Introduction to Workshops 1, 2 & 3

Workshops 1, 2 & 3 are pitched at recent graduates, early career artists or those returning to contemporary art after a time away from their practice. The purpose of this programme is - to help artists to establish a professional practice; to understand the contemporary art world; to think professionally; and to identify and create opportunities for themselves.


Introduction to Workshops 4, 5  & 6  Master Classes

Workshops 4, 5 and 6 are aimed at artists who have an established practice. They can be seen as specialist workshops or master classes. On both of these workshops priority is reserved for those to whom the particular workshop will be of immediate relevance and benefit (as opposed to the workshop simply being ‘of potential interest’). While places will be allocated on a first come first served basis, artists may be asked to demonstrate that the workshop they are subscribing to is relevant and appropriate to their current practice/status.


Introduction to Workshops 7 & 8 – Peer Critiques, Critical Review

Workshops 7 and 8 are aimed at artists at all stages of their career. Places are limited to 8.

 Presentation Skills for Artists

Tutor - Kerry McCall

CORK - Wednesday 12 September, 10.30 am  – 4.30 pm

DUBLIN - Wednesday 19 September, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm

Fee: €40 non member
NSF/VAI member: €35

Workshop Description:

Communicating and making effective presentations on your practice are key to generating awareness of your work and influencing others. During the course of your career, many situations will occur where you will be asked to speak publicly about your work/ideas. These range from the more formal seminars, conferences and interviews for commissions or jobs, to simply speaking clearly amongst your peers.  This course will address your visual and verbal needs, covering basic PowerPoint skills and ideas presentation.
Participants will be expected to come with 1 or 2 proposals which they have already submitted and/ or presented in person. These will be peer and tutor critiqued.  The outcome of the days' course is to upskill the participant in visual and verbal presentation of their artistic concepts. There will be an emphasis placed on the clarity of language used, articulation of concept visually and verbally as well as body language.

 

*Galleries & Curating – the International Art Market

Tutor - Caoimhin MacGiolla Leith

  CORK – Friday 2 November, 2.30 pm – 5.30 pm
  DUBLIN – Wednesday 7 November, 2.30 pm – 5.30 pm

Fee: €30 non member
NSF/VAI member: €25

Workshop Description:

This half-day session will focus on the systems, principles and pragmatics of the worlds of commercial galleries and public art institutions, with an emphasis on the international context.  Specifically, it aims to shed light on the nature and practice of curating and criticism and will also include reference to art fairs, art collecting, art magazines etc. 
 

* CPD/Masterclass
 

Earning Opportunities for Artists - From Hand To Mouth

Tutor - Jason Bowman

CORK - 18/19 & 20 September, 10.00 am – 4.30 pm

DUBLIN – 25/26 & 27 September, 10.00 am – 4.30 pm

  Fee: €100 for 3 Days
  
NSF/VAI member: €90

Workshop Description:

This three day information and discussion session will explore the range of earning opportunities for artists and illustrate the different ways to find platforms and opportunities to make work.  Content will include identifying and accessing public and private commissions, undertaking residencies, working with gallery education programmes and adopting an entrepreneurial spirit.
 

  Peer Critique (Lens-based media)
  Tutor - Declan Clarke
  CORK – Wednesday 3 October, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm
  DUBLIN – Wednesday 24 October, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm

Fee: €40 non member
NSF/VAI member: €35

Workshop Description:

These workshops are intended to open up dialogue and openness between artistic peers in a world where many are starved of feedback and thoughtful responses to their work. It will also foster networking and contacts between artists. Those attending should be open and prepared to respond to others’ work and should come prepared with a 10-minute presentation on their work (followed by 20 minutes or so of discussion). Artists can bring slides, video clips, or original artwork to show.

This 1 day focused session, facilitated by artist Declan Clarke, will bring together a small group of artists using video, photography, internet and other lens-based media, to discuss their work and practice with fellow practitioners, in a constructive, supported and positive atmosphere.

 

Writing the Artist’s Statement & CV

Tutor - Mark Garry

CORK – Wednesday 10 October & Thursday 11 October 10.30 am – 4.30 pm
Due to high demand for this workshop the National Sculpture Factory are running a second workshop on Thursday 11 October if you wish to subscribe to this please contact Elma.
 

DUBLIN – Wednesday 17 October, 10.00 am  - 4.00 pm

Fee: €40 non member
NSF/VAI member: €35

Workshop Description: 

As an artist, much of your time will be spent making proposals and writing grant applications. Because funding bodies don't have the capacity to interview everyone seeking funding, they need to get a picture of who you are, very quickly. The CV aims to do this, augmented by a clear and concise artist's statement. Many artists' statements are too long, full of jargon and do not take the reader into account. This course is designed to give artists the know-how and understanding to write clearly articulated, comprehensive CVs and statements.
 

*Handling VAT

   Tutor – Ger Manning (Ernst & Young)
  CORK – Thursday 8 November, 2.30 pm – 5.30 pm

DUBLIN - Gaby Smyth (Gaby Smyth & Co),  11 October 2 - 5 pm

Fee: €20 non member
NSF/VAI member: €15

Workshop Description:

This workshop/ masterclass targets those working on commissions where VAT is an issue. Specific areas covered will be registering for VAT, cross-border commissioning, making work outside of Ireland and installing it here, international issues, zero rating, PAYE, and galleries.

* CPD/Masterclass
 

 Peer Critique (Painting)

Tutor - Mark O’Kelly

CORK - Wednesday 7 November, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm

DUBLIN - Wednesday 14 November, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm

  Fee: €40 non member
 
NSF/VAI member: €35

Workshop Description:

These workshops are intended to open up dialogue and openness between artistic peers in a world where many are starved of feedback and thoughtful responses to their work. It will also foster networking and contacts between artists. Those attending should be open and prepared to respond to others’ work and should come prepared with a 10-minute presentation on their work (followed by 20 minutes or so of discussion). Artists can bring slides, video clips, or original artwork to show.

This 1 day focused session, facilitated by artist Mark O’Kelly, will bring together a small group of painters to discuss their work and practice with fellow practitioners, in a constructive, supported and positive atmosphere.

 
*Copyright & the Internet

Tutor - Nicky Gogan and Caroline Campbell

CORK – Wednesday 21 November
10.30 am – 4.30 pm

DUBLIN – Wednesday 28 November, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Fee: €40 non member
NSF/VAI member: €35

Workshop Description: 

With the importance of the internet to cultural production and distribution, plus the revenue possibilities it can generate (or lose) in relation to copyright, it seems clear that this is an increasingly important area for artists. For those working via the internet, understanding copyright is fundamental.  This workshop will look at alternative distribution methods for creative work as facilitated by new technologies, as well as the general digital copyright landscape. Other areas covered will be:

- how are artist’s rights protected in the on-line environment?

- do you need DRM (digital rights management) of your work?

- what alternatives are available to choose how people will be allowed to interact with your work?

- would Copyright or the Creative Commons License work for you?

- is it ever good for the artist to have their work spread virally without control?

- finding the right balance for fair use?

- what is Open Source and what are the benefits to both producing work and sharing aspects of the work you do?

* CPD/Master class

 National Sculpture Factory, Albert Road, Cork City,
 Tel: +353 (0) 21 4314353/ Fax: +353 (0) 21 4313247
 info@nationalsculpturefactory.com
 www.nationalsculpturefactory.com
 www.corkcaucus.org

 Visual Artists Ireland, 37 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1
 Tel: +353 (0) 1 8722296/ Fax: +353 (0) 1 8722364

 info@visualartists.ie
 www.visualartists.ie

 VENUES
 Workshops will take place in the National Sculpture Factory Cork and Visual Artists Ireland Dublin

BOOKING INFORMATION
In order to book, you must complete the booking form (and send with attached payment) or contact the respective organisation (by telephone or email).  The National Sculpture Factory for Cork (Elma O’Donovan/ elma@nationalsculpturefactory.com) or Visual Artists Ireland regarding Dublin workshops.

Visual Artists Ireland can also accept payment by credit or debit card over the phone.

Early booking is advisable as places on workshops are limited and places are only guaranteed upon receipt of payment.   Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

*    *    *    *    *

New Media Training Workshops 2007
Digital Image Management using Photoshop (Beginners) 
Facilitator: Harry Moore
Wednesday 18 April
2007

The course is designed to enable participants to store and present documentation of their work in digital format using Adobe Photoshop.

It will include scanning images, or importing digital images, saving them in the most appropriate format; also basic use of Photoshop to restore image quality, most suitable formats for storage, presentation, and preparation for email and for printing.

Participants will need to bring photographic images ready to be scanned, or /and images recorded on a digital camera, (also  their own lap top with Adobe Photoshop, which they can use on the course,  if they have one).

It is highly recommended that participants have a USB digital memory stick, at least 512 MB which are now relatively cheap and readily available at many outlets.

  Digital Video-Shooting and Editing (Part 1 – Beginners) full day
  Facilitator: Mike Hannon
  Date: Saturday 19 May 2007
  Time: 9.30 am – 5.30 pm
  Cost:  €35 (NSF members) & €40 (non members)
  Venue: NSF mezzanine

This one day course is a beginners introduction to digital video for artists.
Participants will be shown how to operate a digital video camera, how to
import video footage to a computer, how to edit in Apple i-Movie and how to
export video to a form suitable for exhibition. The course covers:

- Manual and automatic camera functions
- Capturing quality video footage
- Elementary editing techniques
- Basic colour correction
- Widescreen versus standard aspect ratio
- High Definition versus Standard Definition
- Exhibition formats, including making a basic DVD

Participants should have basic computer skills (email, internet, etc.)  Please
bring your own camera if you have one.

Sound Recording and Editing (2 days)
Facilitator: Dinah Bird and Jean-Philippe Renoult
Dates: Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 June 2007
Time: 10.00 am – 4.30 pm
Cost: €90 (NSF members), €100 (non members)
Venue: NSF mezzanine

A weekend introduction to creative radio practices using open source
audio editing and recording programmes with the Anglo/French sound
artist team Jean-Philippe Renoult and DinahBird.

Day One :
Morning : Introduction to musique concrète, radio art and tape music,
different types of microphones, listening sessions.

Afternoon: Introduction to the free open source editing and recording
programme Audacity.

Day Two :
Participants will encouraged to think about sound as electricity, as a
vibration, as a signal, and as a wave that can be transformed into an
element of a musical composition.

Morning :
An introduction to the Flavitron. Particpants are shown how to
manipulate recordings using the principles of electroacoustic music
(delay, loop, repetition,reverse ) through a simple open source
programme, the Flavitron, originally designed by French composer and
engineer François Giraudon for the Dan Flavin retrospective at the
Museum of Modern Art, Paris.

Afternoon :
Recording and sound manipulation. Preparation for concert.
The workshop ends with a collective improvisation using pickups, contact
microphones, Audacity and Flavitrons.

Technical needs:
Participants encouraged to bring their own laptops, head phones and recording devices, if they have them.  You can download the sound programme Audacity for free here:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

National Sculpture Factory Pilot Mentoring Scheme
The National Sculpture Factory wishes to set up a mentoring scheme and is seeking interested candidates to take part in the pilot programme as either mentor or person to be mentored (mentee).

Mentors should also include a statement outlining what they would hope to offer an artist and mentees should include a statement outlining what they would hope to gain from the experience. Please indicate whether you are interested in being a mentor or a mentee.

If you are interested in further information or taking part in the pilot project, please email or send your letter of interest and CV/Biog to National Sculpture Factory, Mentoring Pilot, Albert Road, Cork, by 21st December 2007.

Please note:

The numbers taking part in the pilot programme will depend on the budget and the response to this call.

 

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