The Constellations ° Cohort is a group of artists, curators, producers, and practitioners active and/or interested in the expanded field of public art. The cohort will take part in Constellations, a free, nine month learning and development programme, curated and delivered by UP Projects, working in partnership with Flat Time House and Liverpool Biennial. By ‘the expanded field of public art’, we mean the work that happens at the intersection of contemporary art and culture, social practice, and the public realm.

The programme explores issues and best practice in relation to this field and supports a diverse cohort of ten practitioners, selected through this open call, to develop their practice, collaborate with others, access new networks, and contribute to critical debate surrounding the future of public practice.

The cohort will take part in two strands of activity, taking place between March and November 2022:

• Six online Assemblies – events that explore urgent lines of enquiry relating to contemporary public art and social practice, involving a range of UK and international speakers.
• Fifteen in-depth seminars, workshops and mentoring sessions which underpin and unpick the discussions above, devised specifically for a cohort of ten early-mid career practitioners from across the country – selected via this open call.

The programme will explore several urgent lines of enquiry around the following questions: Is context only half the work? How can socially engaged practice inspire structural change? What is the role of democracy in social practice – can all voices be heard? How can we move beyond sustainability? How can we rethink the memorial? The cohort will explore these questions in relation to their own practices and approaches to making work.

All Assemblies will take place within UP Projects’ digital participation space, The Hall, along with the majority of the workshops, seminars and mentoring sessions attended by the cohort. However, the cohort will meet in person, together with the programme organisers and partners, at the launch and closing of the programme at Liverpool Biennial’s offices and Flat Time House, London, respectively.

To find out more about the programme, join us for an online event on the 16 December 2021. Click here to find out more information.

Constellations is generously supported by Art Fund, Arts Council England, The Barrington Hibbert Associates Access Fund, and the Constellations Patrons and UP Supporters. To find out more please visit our Support Us page. Constellations is directed by Emma Underhill, curated by Elisabeth Del Prete and delivered by Jack Newbury at UP Projects. Independent curator and writer Jes Fernie, Gareth Bell Jones and Mary Vettise at Flat Time House, and Sam Lackey and Lily Mellor at Liverpool Biennial are also contributing to the curatorial development of the programme.

We firmly believe that development opportunities should be provided free of charge. In addition, we offer an Access Fund which covers all travel and accommodation costs to and from Liverpool and London and contributes to any specific access needs.

To apply for the open call and become a member of the Constellations ° Cohort, please follow this link. This year’s programme is open to UK-based practitioners only. The deadline for applications is 9 January 2022 at 23:00 GMT.