R&R

Ormston House is working with artist Shane Vaughan to develop a new in-house residency model for the R&R Programme. This is an experimental process and a paid opportunity over the course of one year. While providing time and space for the artist to think, the residency is also rooted in conversations with peers across disciplines on shared challenges, needs and ideals. It is structured by the artist with support from and in collaboration with the team at Ormston House as part of the Feminist Supermarket.

About Shane Vaughan

Shane is a lens- and page-based artist. He runs a non-profit poetry event called Stanzas: An Evening of Words and is on the board of Limerick Fringe. He has had numerous works published both online and in print, and works as an arts-documentarian. He currently studies at Limerick School of Art and Design and his practice is focused on performance, age, and the body.

A brief history of the R&R Programme

From 2012 to 2015, Ormston House tested different types of residencies including Project Residencies (2012), Writing Residencies (2013), Collective/Collaborative Residencies with Basic Space (2014), and Research & Production Residencies in partnership with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (2015).

In 2016, we introduced the evolving R&R Programme (Research & Residency) in response to feedback from participants and considering our core question: how can we support artists better? The focus was on networking and learning. Additionally, we introduced a long-term Artist-in-Residence opportunity for artists based in the Limerick region, in particular artists whose practices were not dependent on gallery display and embraced community-focused or socially-engaged methodologies. This has had a significant influence on our thinking and has led to the commissioning of new and ambitious work by local artists.

In 2019, we expanded the scope of the R&R Programme to create new supports for early-career artists including:

• advice on concept development through to production
• space for experimentation and testing
• space for research and documentation
• space for private and semi-private meetings
• 1-1 professional practice training and mentorship

Due to the shortage of maker-spaces and studios in Limerick, we have also hosted flexible, short-term residencies through our free Membership Scheme for needs identified and defined by artists, collectives and festivals. All requests for time and space through our call for expressions of interest in 2019 were supported.

The R&R Programme has become a key tool in developing our Artistic Programme annually and includes outbound travel for team members to establish and grow relationships with artists and arts networks in Ireland and internationally. In 2020, we are developing a new regional residency programme in partnership with local authorities in Cavan, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.

Information

Image: from the photographic series Slow Rising by Shane Vaughan, courtesy of the artist. The Feminist Supermarket is a participatory arts project in Ormston House supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Limerick City and County Council.