Today we have the pleasure of hosting Cinzia Mutigli from g39, an artist-run gallery in Cardiff, Wales, to talk about the artist residency program they run through the Wales artist resource programme (or Warp), which has its own library of materials for artists, from books and periodicals to downloadable templates for creative professionals. Enjoy this glimpse of a residency at a special library!
This residency will be added to our new resource section on Artist Residencies in Libraries, which will go live later this month. To add your library’s residency to the list, check out this post. ~Laura
Library as Incubator Project (LAIP): Can you tell us about the development and evolution of the artist residency programs in Cardiff libraries? Who is involved? What is the status of the residency program today?
Cinzia Mutigli (CM): The Warp/ g39 Library Residencies are specific to our library so, while we can’t talk knowledgeably about other library residency programmes that happen in the local area, we can talk about the development and evolution of the Warp/g39 Library and how that might apply more widely. The Library is a resource and creative space within our artist-run gallery.
The residency came about because we had a new dedicated space for our Library, following a move to much bigger premises. We wanted to create a project that highlighted the content of the library and to give an opportunity to an artist interested in using publications as a starting point for creating new work.
The first residency was in 2013 and we have completed three to date. The latest with the artist Helen Clifford focussed on categories & cataloguing and those investigations are now informing the future development of our Library.
The Residencies are run by the g39 team in liaison with the artist and each artist works with other individuals and partners to help support and develop the project. Sometimes we have put the artist in touch with a particular professional / practitioner and other times the artist makes their own connections with other people and organisations.
As a result of the projects we have achieved a wider range of creativity within and around that space. Helen has remained with us in a volunteering capacity helping to facilitate library development and activity. She has been working with us creatively to develop an ongoing library programme and a whole re-thinking of the categorisation and ‘weeding’ of publications toward making the library a better reflection of our organisation.
Photo from artist residency at g39 & Warp, courtesy of Helen Clifford.
Photo from artist residency at g39 & Warp, courtesy of Helen Clifford.
Catalogue talk at Warp Library. Photo courtesy of Helen Clifford.
Consequently, we’re currently working on a new website that will host the newly reconfigured online catalogue. The re-categorisation of our books is a big task, however, it won’t be something we do behind the scenes but will be an event called ‘Take All the Books Out’ during which the books will leave the shelves and come out into our gallery space where, through discussion, we will decide which categories the books will move into. It is an exciting period of development for our Library.
LAIP: How are artists identified as potential artists in residence for the libraries?
CM: The first residency was a pilot and we appointed the artist through direct invitation. The following two were open calls with an artist brief. Artists were asked to apply by providing a short outline proposal, images, video or audio examples of previous works and a current CV. Selection was made by g39 & Warp staff based on the potential for their proposal to develop the Library as a resource and to continue to enliven its use, highlight Library content, generate activity and use of the resource by a wider audience. In addition we were interested in the quality of the artists’ previous work and the possibility for the project to have a positive impact on their personal practice.
The brief for the residencies were very open, which worked well in allowing the artists freedom to discover new things about our library and its relationship with the rest of the organisation through their own practice. But, with the changes that have been emerging recently, it might be that we decide to focus the next brief to address a particular direction of development.
LAIP: What sort of work / workshops / programs / presentations / etc. do the artists do when they are in residence at the libraries?
CM: Artists have tended to use the library as a creative space and a starting point for ideas. The publications themselves are a source of inspiration but so too are considerations about what a library is, leading to thoughts of knowledge exchange, archiving and collecting among many others.
Often the artist will divide their time amongst reading and research, conversations with staff, other artists and professionals, research trips and making new work. In the brief we say that the artist will be expected to present the outcomes of their Library project at the end or during the project period. There is no fixed format for this but it is usually something that can be accommodated within our building and available resources.
All sorts of different activity has come out of the residencies, we consider that it is best that the artist determine these depending on what emerges from their own processes and research, but we do provide guidance, feedback and support throughout. Examples of things that artists have produced include a walk along the route of Cardiff’s old (and for the most part no longer visible) city boundary wall, in-conversation events, visits to special library collections in other institutions, publications, and skill sharing sessions.
LAIP: Why do you think it’s important to have artists represented in libraries in this way? What sorts of benefits are there for the various players?
CM: The artists bring a new perspective to the Library, so we see that the Library itself as being represented. The artist might already use text in their work and through the project they have an opportunity to develop existing ideas and new directions using the library as a starting point for research.
At this time in Britain libraries’ socio-political relevance is highlighted and this encompasses issues ranging across funding cuts, education, the digitising of information and the growth in artist book production and self-publishing.
Our organisation benefits from having our resource activated and raising its profile and there is two-way learning between the artist and us. Also, the wider community of which we are part has a chance to engage with issues, ideas and new work.
LAIP: What advice do you have for libraries or arts organizations who are interested in doing this type of program in their community? Any recommendations for a good starting point?
CM: As an artist-run gallery we’re used to working in partnerships and a big part of our work is supporting artists, those are important aspects of running a residency. Communication amongst everyone involved is necessary so that there is understanding of what is happening, what the artist needs and the outcomes and benefits that are being aimed at for all parties. Work out what everyone wants out of it and be clear about how that will happen.
Being open to learning is also a big part of the process. Having an artist in residence is an opportunity not only for them to learn about the collection, the gallery, to research specific themes and present those findings to a wider audience, but also for the host library to see the shelf content in new ways. Working with an artist also offers a chance for a library to examine how it works with and presents its collection. Being prepared for this and having a flexible approach to suggestions for change from the normal routine is definitely an advantage.
Of course, funding is also needed. Artists should be paid for their time and material costs. Working out a budget and planning ahead for the residency in order to have necessary funds in place is important.
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