Theme; ‘RESISTANCE’

GRAIN Projects is seeking proposals from artists and photographers to make new work about people and/or place in the West Midlands region. The theme is ‘Resistance’. 

The commission will be developed by GRAIN Projects in collaboration with the successful practitioner. 

The commission will contribute to the work GRAIN Projects has been engaged in over the last ten years.   2025 is GRAIN’s tenth anniversary and there will be a range of activities to mark this landmark moment. 

GRAIN Projects is an arts organisation based in the Midlands that specialises in contemporary photography and provides a hub and network for practitioners and participants to engage with photographic projects.   GRAIN manages and produces a broad range of regionally, nationally and internationally significant projects, works collaboratively with communities, individuals and artists utilising photography to create positive change and ensuring that people from every walk of life can express themselves and create.  GRAIN engage with communities across the Midlands to make work of the highest quality and ambition and to exhibit, publish and disseminate this work.  The communities they work with are diverse and often underrepresented.  Their projects work with communities and individuals to express their own identity, to re-imagine and to develop new opportunities.

GRAIN’s work is guided by their core values:  The arts have the capacity to change and enrich everyone’s life and how we see and act in the world.  Artists should be supported to experiment and innovate outside conventional arts spaces and in collaboration with communities.  We seek to improve the skills, opportunities and conditions for practitioners and to facilitate new ambitious opportunities for all.

The Open Call
We seek to consider a broad range of proposals for this opportunity under the theme of Resistance.  We would like to see proposals that are about people and place, based within the West Midlands region (either urban or rural) and to reflect on, or collaborate with communities.   We are interested in proposals that are a reflection of our current times, innovative, unique and that consider the themes we are interested in.   

Please see our website for examples of our work www.grainphotographyhub.co.uk

What are we expecting?
We are looking for a photographer or artist (where photography is part of their practice), and who has an interest in the region in which we are based.  Their proposal should embrace the opportunity to collaborate with the regional community. We would welcome applications from socially engaged photographers, and/or those interested in heritage, archives, and collaborative working.    

The Fee is to support the making of new work and does not include an exhibition outcome.  However, a public sharing of the work will need to be included and GRAIN are open to ideas and proposals for this. 

What will the selected artist receive? 

• Artist fee – £4,500, including materials and travel, and VAT if applicable.
• Mentoring and support with professional development if required.   
• Practical logistics and organisational support will be provided by GRAIN Projects, with input from partners.

Key dates and timeline

• Open call deadline: 30^th April 2025
• Start date: Summer 2025
• End date: End of 2025   

How to apply  

• Applications should be submitted to GRAIN Projects at applications@grainphotographyhub.co.uk Please put OPEN CALL Application in the subject. The application should be submitted as one PDF document.
• Please describe your Proposal including your ideas, the themes you wish to explore, and the people and/or place concerned.   Please explain what interests you about this project and how you feel your experience is relevant.  (No more than 2 sides of A4)
• Please submit a C.V, including website and social media links.
• Submit up to 15 images. These can be examples of your or participants previous work.
• Please complete the Equal Opportunities Form and attach to your application. The form can be found here.

Selection process
The Open Call with have a jury involving partners representing GRAIN Projects, and their supporters. 

Get in touch
If you have any questions please read the frequently asked questions below or contact hello@grainphotographyhub.co.uk 

Is this opportunity right for me?
You should be able to answer ‘YES’ to all the prompts below;

• My artistic practice is relevant and is photographic, and I can provide evidence of my approach to working with communities.
• I have an interest in the West Midlands region and in GRAIN Projects
• I am confident I can invest sufficient time to meet the expectations of this project.
• I am over 18 and not in full time education.
• I am based in the UK.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion   
We are committed to addressing equality, diversity and inclusion across all our work and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Why do we collect Equal Opportunities Monitoring data?
We are committed to equal opportunities, with the aim of ensuring that everyone engaging in our programme as an audience member, an artist, or those joining us for employment, receives fair treatment and we positively encourage applications from everybody regardless of age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership and caring status.