Artist Mentoring Programme

Artist Mentorship Programme

Opens for applications: CLOSED
Closing date for applications: CLOSED

The Artist Mentorship programme is designed to support the development of Leitrim based emerging and established professional artists from any arts discipline who would benefit from the guidance of a leading professional to help the applicant take the next steps in their career development.

A mentor is someone who can help you to develop your artistic practice, provide an objective critique, or help you to work through career plans or obstacles, no matter what stage of your career you may be at. Mentoring can be very broad, relating to your long-term goals, or changes in your career, or very specific, relating directly to taking the next crucial steps. In all instances the mentor is more concerned with helping the mentee resolve questions. Mentorship is not training or skills development.

The application is completed by the mentee. To make an application, the applicant must have identified an appropriate mentor with which they have together developed a mentorship programme for the agreed fee and timescale. Each programme will be unique. While some disciplines require more time to review work in advance, all mentorships should seek to maximise the amount of one-to-one contact. The programme provides a fee of €1000 which is paid directly to the mentee (the applicant) who in turn pays the mentor. As a rough guide, the schedule should allow for approximately 15 hours of one-to-one contact at €50/hr with €250 provided to the mentor for review of work before and during the programme.

Requirements and notes:

  • The applicant is the mentee.
  • The mentee must be a professional artist* ordinarily basing their practice** in County Leitrim.
  • The mentorship must be completed before 30 November 2024.
  • Where support from Leitrim County Council was provided to the applicant (mentee) in 2022 or 2023, a one-page report providing details of that application and its subsequent outcomes must accompany the application.
  • The mentee (applicant) must be a member of the Creative Frame network (see www.creativeframe.eu.) Mentors do not have to be from Leitrim, or indeed Ireland.

Completed application forms must be accompanied by the following:

  • an outline plan for the mentorship (download template)
  • C.V./biography of both the mentor and mentee
  • images/recordings etc. of previous work of the Mentor (the applicant).

 

Applications are assessed under the following criteria by an independent external expert panel:

  • Track record (or potential) and proven commitment to high quality arts practice.
  • Track record of mentor, and their suitability and ability to meet the mentees needs.
  • Likely benefit of activity on applicant’s practice.
  • Level and quality of planning for the mentor programme.

Conditions for successful applicants:

  • Drawdown of funding will be in 2 instalments paid to the mentee on receipt of invoices.
  • The first instalment of 50% (€500) will be paid on receipt of an invoice and signed Mentorship Planning Form.
  • The final instalment of 50% (€500) will be paid on receipt of an invoice accompanied by a completed evaluation form from both mentor and mentee. (The final invoice will not be paid until both evaluations have been received.)
  • Final instalment of the funding must be drawn down by 1st December 2023.
  • Payment will be by Electronic Funds Transfer.

Further information:

  • Contact Leslie Ryan at lryan@leitrimcoco.ie or phone 071 96 21694.

Please Note:

  • The closing date for receipt of applications is Midnight on Sunday 28th April 2024.
  • Applications may be made online only. Document templates and the online application portal are linked below.

* A professional artist can be defined as someone for whom their artform is their whole-time occupation or who holds a third level qualification in their field of practice or has been paid and advertised as a solo or leading performer/exhibitor in a state funded institution or has been published or produced by a recognised publisher or theatre/film company or venue or is recognised as a professional by his/her peers and received recognition in the form of commendations, rewards, awards, grants, appointments to panels, etc.

** To be considered as basing a practice in Leitrim, an artist must be renting, owning or otherwise occupying a space with an address in Leitrim on an ongoing basis for which the sole use and purpose is as an artist’s studio.

  • Applications may be submitted online only. You may download a copy of the online form to assist in the preparation of your application here - Application Form 
  • You may download a copy of the required preliminary planning form here - PRELIMINARY PLANNING FORM
  • Completed forms must submitted before midnight Sunday 28th April 2024 using the online form below.
  • For further information contact - lryan@leitrimcoco.ie;  071 96 20005 Ext 549.

CLOSED FOR APPLICATIONS