Namaqualand Bodymapping workshops: support needed!

These are photographs from a workshop that took place on the farm Begin!, located on the R362 between Klawer and Vredendal in the Western Cape. The project is organised by Desireé Brand, and forms part of her research at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, focusing on the state of art and artmaking in the Olifantsrivier Valley of Namaqualand.  The area plays host to a lot of creative and talented people, however there is no public art, galleries or other platforms for local artists. It's difficult enough for artists to create great art despite criticism and self-doubt, but it's even worse when there is no platform, no support and no community for the creative work that you do and to share your interest and passion for art. 

The Koekenaap workshop, in which I participated in 2011 (read about it on my blog, my work created during the workshop, my account in Afrikaans),  was one of the opportunities created for artists in the region, and was organised by Desireé and the Wesland Kunsvereniging. The workshop brought artists in from different areas of the Western Cape, creating a space for interaction, collaboration, art-making, discussion and ideas germination. It also culminated into an exhibition in Vredendal held at the Wesland Kunsvereniging, showcasing the work created during the 10-day workshop or residency. 

Artmaking during the 2011 regional Koekenaap workshop

The current project is focused on doing body-mapping with people from different sectors - bringing together farm workers, people from the towns and people from the townships in a supportive space where their creativity can be explored and utilised into shaping a collective. Up to now the funding for projects such as this has come from the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs & Sport, but this workshop is the last project that will be funded by the department, leaving a huge gap that needs to be filled. This is where you come in. If you can support or fund the project in any way, please contact Desireé at +27 27 2132567 or info@caperockwines.co.za.

Do you know an incredible artist who are doing community-based art and healing work?

The Arts & Healing Network (www.artheals.org) anually awards artists for doing healing work that truly helps make a difference in the world. The 2014 AHN Awards will go towards artists that does community based art and healing work. Do you know an artist who does inspiring and incredible work like this? If you would like to nominate someone, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014_AHN_Awards and fill in the form. Nominations close April 15, 2014.


The Arts & Healing Network also has a great directory of related blogs, which you can find here: http://www.artheals.org/inspiration/art_healing_blogs.html. And last, but not least, they have given me a list of resources for artists like you and me, who need to source funding for your arts projects while our government fails to support art and culture projects in our country:


LIST OF FUNDING RESOURCES FOR HEALING ARTISTS
List compiled by the Arts & Healing Network
www.artheals.org

1. The Arts & Healing Network has an extensive list of art grants at www.artheals.org/artist_support/grants.php. (Use the drop-down menus at the top of the page to find the kinds of grants you are looking for.)
   
2. List of Art Marketing and Funding Books at www.artheals.org/artist-support/art_marketing_books.html
   
3. The Arts & Healing Network has published a couple of e-newsletters on the topic of Fundraising.
   - "An Introduction to Funding Healing Arts Projects"
   - "Cultivating Prosperity"
   - "Creative Entrepreneurship"
   
4. Kickstarter.com supports community funding. Every month, tens of thousands of amazing people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields.
   
5. IndieGoGo at www.indiegogo.com, does something similar to Kickstarter.
   
6. Blue Earth Alliance's free PDF booklet "Shooting from the Heart" offers very thorough and pragmatic advice about seeking funding for projects. Find it at http://www.blueearth.org/projects/resources.cfm. You need not be a photographer to benefit from this booklet's insights. It details information about budgeting, grant forms, book publishing and more. And it clearly outlines the four main sources of funding (individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies) and emphasizes that no matter the source "people give to their friends." So their very prescient advice is to build human connections with potential funders by writing thank you notes, inviting funders to events, etc.
   
7. The New York Foundation for the Arts' "Finding Funds & Resources for Your Art" - http://vimeo.com/22047040 and "Essential Tools for Grant-writing" - http://vimeo.com/22359194. Both are geared towards "immigrant artists" but are applicable to all artists seeking funding for their work.
   
8. Creative Capital is sharing pages from their 200+ page "Professional Development Program’s Artist’s Tools Handbook," which is full of excellent support and advice in running your art career as a thriving business: http://blog.creative-capital.org/tag/page-from-our-handbook/