Apply: Orms Circle Mentorship Programme 2020

Please note: Applications for Orms Circle 2020 closed on Wednesday the 30th of September 2020.

Orms celebrates the importance of belonging to a strong professional network as a powerful means to share experiences, resources and establish invaluable relationships. This Woman’s Month, Orms welcomes back the Orms Circle Mentorship Programme which provides one young woman-identifying artist with the platform to break into the art industry! The selected artist will have access to the necessary facilities for the creation of a body of work to be exhibited in collaboration with Orms in December 2020.

Under the guidance of a select group of mentors, the selected artist will be guided through this transition and benefit from the expertise of Lekgetho Makola of Market Photo Workshop, Lauren Theunissen curator for Orms Cape Town School of Photography and Yonela Makoba Orms Circle artist 2019. With this inner circle of guidance, the artist will be supported with the necessary skills training, challenged through critical engagement on their practice and empowered to present their first solo exhibition hosted by Orms. The exhibition will be hosted at FORM, our new creative space, and curated with the guidance of these industry leaders. The addition of business guidance will be provided through the presence of Tziona Kerton of Conversation Capital and Toby Orford, art law expert.

Together this diverse group of industry professionals will nurture the growth and guidance of the Orms Circle Mentee while Orms provides the use of dedicated studio space, photographic and lighting equipment as well as printing and framing services for the concluding exhibition in Cape Town.

This year Orms has partnered with Orms Cape Town School of Photography and Market Photo Workshop. Together, these learning institutions will support one another through professional expertise and other invaluable resources for the shared success of their independent mentorship programmes. As such, the Orms Circle Mentorship Programme artist will be fast tracked to participate in the Market Photo Workshop’s Incubator programme where they will continue with conversations on a sustainable professional practice in 2021. Orms and Orms Cape Town School of Photography are proud to join forces with Market Photo Workshop in a combined effort to support, nurture and grow a network of professional practice in South Africa.

OWNERSHIP

The artist/photographer will own the intellectual property and physical work created during the Orms Circle mentorship programme.

APPLICATION

Applications Open: 7 August 2020 – 30 September 2020.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by 9 October 2020.

Application requirements:

• Artist statement describing your practice.
• Portfolio of existing work, not exceeding 20 images, to be submitted via WeTransfer. Include link in online submission below.
• Proposal of no less than 500 words describing the work you aim to either finish, or create during the mentorship programme to accompany your digital submission.

Submit your application with the following attachments via WeTransfer:

• Resume
• A motivational letter
• A copy of your Identity Document or Passport
• Your profile picture
• Contactable references with the appropriate telephone numbers and e-mail addresses

Important to note: When submitting your attachments via WeTransfer you need to select the “send as link” option and NOT “send as email”. Once you have that link you need to copy and paste it into the field below.

The mentorship programme includes:

• Studio space 
• The use of available camera and studio gear*
• Use of studio lights, on-site at FORM, Orms’ new creative space
• Advertising through Orms Connect (the Orms blog) and social platforms, of your work
• An exhibition at FORM at the end of the programme (February 2020)
• Printing and framing of the exhibition will be covered by Orms**

The selected artist will be required to give monthly updates in the form of creative journaling, to Orms which will be shared on the Orms Connect blog.

* Dependant on what is available in our rental department. Please note that the selected artist will need to provide their own memory card for use during the residency.

** To be discussed and agreed upon once the artist is selected and based on their specific needs.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Applicants must be between the ages of 18 – 30 years old.
• Applicants must not have had a solo exhibition in the past.
• Applicants must be available for a telephonic, in-person or Skype interview between 30 September – 19 October 2020.
• No formal training is required.
• Applicant must have a good grasp of the English language (conversational and writing). All programme material will be delivered in english. Any material specific to an artwork, this can be detailed in a language selected by the artist.
• Applicants must be available to participate in the programme hosted in Cape Town from Monday, 19 October 2020 – Monday 14 December 2020.
• Travel costs, meals, taxes, insurances of any nature will have partial support but will not be covered in full by the funding available for the programme.
• By applying for this mentorship programme and submitting your images you acknowledge and consent to your images being used for marketing purposes.
• Only entries submitted through the form hosted on Orms Connect will be accepted and considered.
• One artist will be selected for the mentorship at the judges’ discretion. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The judges reserve the right to cancel the programme or extend the submission period should they feel there is no suitable applicant.