For early career and emerging arts critics
Worth $3000
Deadline for applications is Friday 21 June 2013
Over the course of a year, Meanjin will offer four mentorship places for arts writers and critics to examine the current state of new media art in Australia and highlight the work of leading practioners in the fields of video art, audio and sound art, digital gaming art, or crowdsourced/publicly interactive art. The recipients of these mentorship places will receive $3000.
The mentorships will last 3-4 months, during which time the recipient will research and write a substantive essay on one of these four fields of new media art. They will examine the work of at least two notable Australian practioners of their chosen artform who have an established body of work. The author will be expected to interview the artists directly and extensively to discuss their work as well as key developments in the artform.
We will award the mentorships to early career and emerging arts critics with a passion for new media art, and mentor them through the process of research, interview and writing, aiding them in gaining access to leading figures in the field of new media art, and making ongoing connections in the artistic community.
The artists and artforms discussed in the essay series will also form a regular segment (produced by the mentorship recipient) in the forthcoming Meanjin podcasts, which will allow discussion of the topics raised in the essays to extend beyond the printed journal.
These mentorship essays will give an overview of Australian new media art as a whole, placing it in the broader context of other contemporary art practices. They will explore the concerns, methods and expressive power of new media art and consider questions of authenticity, originality and artistic merit that are commonly raised in relation to digital and new media art.
The mentorships will develop the practice of an early-career arts writer and encourage an interest in an artform that can only become more important in ever-more technology driven world. The writers will have the chance to make professional connections with artists, agents and gallery owners to further their ongoing careers as arts writers and critics.
The mentorship recipient will meet regularly with Meanjin staff over the course of their mentorship and Meanjin will support the recipient in any way possible.
To apply for a mentorship, please write a brief (not more than 300 words) pitch and include the following:
Which artform you are interested in examining and why?
Which artists you want to focus on in your essay.
Your background as a writer and whether you have experience as an arts writer or critic.
Send your pitch to Catherine McInnis (deputy editor) with the subject heading NEW MEDIA ART PITCH.
Mentorships are supported by the
