The South East Venue Network (SEVN) was formed in 2019 and includes venues based in the South East. The network continues to provide an informal support network for strengthening arts centre/venue operations and programme development that aims to further support artists and programme delivery in Southeast Ireland.

SEVN includes Courthouse, Wicklow, Garter Lane, Waterford, Mermaid Arts Centre, Wicklow, National Opera House, Wexford, Theatre Royal, Waterford, Visual, Carlow, Watergate, Kilkenny and Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford.

Following on from the success of bursaries 1 & 2 whereby artists Beth McNinch and Rachel Ní Bhraonáin were successfully awarded financial contributions that enabled them to develop their practice in 2021 and subsequently 2022’23, the venues in the network have agreed to further commit to a South East Venue Network bursary for 2023 and 2024 as part of its 3 year bursary strategy.

The Purpose:

The purpose of the SEVN award is to support a professional arts practitioner, artist, curator, technician or producer based in Southeast Ireland at any stage of their career to develop their art practice.

It will provide an arts practitioner with the time and resources to think, research, reflect and critically engage with their art.

The bursary should support the artist over one year on developing their art practice with just a requirement of a report and participation in an artist talk and presentation on development of their work at any one of the SEVN venues.

Each participating arts centre contributes significant financial support to the award as well as significant in-kind supports from NOH, Wexford a Non-Arts Council funded venue. (NOH contributes in-kind supports through dark time and hot desk space, informal mentoring opportunities and marketing/PR supports.)

The SEVN Artist Bursary Award is open to artists of all disciplines who have presented/exhibited work in a professional context within the last 5 years.

As equal opportunities employers, we encourage and welcome applications from people of all genders, nationalities, races, cultural backgrounds, ages, religions, languages, abilities, sexual orientations and socio-economic statuses.

What the artist will receive in support:

A €14,000 financial bursary to support art practice development over a year 2023/2024. The expected timeline runs between July 2023 to June 2024.

Support in-kind will be offered and will include - where relevant and possible - access to venue facilities, technical, management and communication supports from all participating arts centres with mentoring and promotion support for the artist and their art practice from all.

What will be required from the Bursary recipient:

• The ability to collaborate with and adapt to a flexible timeline for the bursary.
• Participation and delivery of interim reports for the evaluation of the bursary and budget in order to assess the impact of the bursary for the purpose of sharing information with stakeholders.
• Participation in publicity of the SEVN bursary.
• Possible public engagement activity which may be in the form of an exhibition/workshop/performance/talk online and/or live to be agreed with SEVN Management.