biennialbackgroundinfo

Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Ltd LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art      Is an international festival of contemporary visual art exhibitions and events. Is realised in Liverpool every two years Is the only contemporary visual arts Biennial in the UK Has established Liverpool‟s membership of the brand „club‟ of around 50 cities worldwide that host visual arts biennials. Is a unique and specific model of biennial, not found anywhere else. Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Ltd   Is a charitable company limited by guarantee set up in October 1998 Current members of the Board are: Declan McGonagle (Chair) James Warnock (Deputy Chair) Eddie Berg Bryan Biggs Wally Brown Bev Bytheway Jayne Casey Roger Goddard Alison Jones Jude Kelly Francis McEntegart Alistair Sunderland Jane Wentworth Liverpool Biennial‟s mission is “To establish and maintain a world class contemporary visual art event in Liverpool that celebrates and encourages excellence, risk, creativity, diversity, participation and debate through  Partnership  Profile Building  Development of Art Infrastructure  Quality  Access and Education.” 20 January 2005 1 Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Ltd Aims of Liverpool Biennial  Raise the profile of Liverpool’s external image as a cultural centre for tourism. Key strategies: word of mouth from satisfied artists and other VIPs attending the event; favourable coverage in international and national media; effective media management and cost effective promotion to key visitor sectors through collaborative marketing in partnership with arts organisations in Liverpool and tourist / travel agencies in NW and nationally; close liaison with the Capital of Culture team  Broaden the audience within Liverpool for contemporary art through creating access to contemporary international art, providing education / community programmes, creating diversity of product, and creating enjoyment and fun. Key strategies: effective marketing and media management; selection of International show from diverse cultures to „fit‟ Liverpool city fabric and culture; energetic and collaborative community programmes; effective liaison between the different parts of the Biennial (including local artists) in order to ensure crossover / participation of audiences.  Create an event of significant quality for the international art community. Key strategies: create world class International show to complement two British competition shows; skilful promotion through contacts / networking and through professionalism of approach to events and presentation.  Strengthen the art infrastructure (buildings, funding, organisations) and profession (artists, curators, arts administrators, networking) in Liverpool, and develop these through partnership. Key strategies: devise partnership structure for delivery that demands ownership by all participating venues; through the Biennial, build the profile of the participating organisations to attract future sponsorship; build confidence of local artists by showing alongside artists from other countries. 20 January 2005 2 Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Ltd How does Liverpool Biennial operate? Liverpool Biennial provides strategic co-ordination to existing programmes in order to add value, the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. A. Programme partners – Four programmes under the Biennial umbrella  The International delivered by the Biennial office in collaboration with Tate Liverpool, The Bluecoat Gallery, FACT (Foundation for Art & Creative Technology), Open Eye Gallery and other spaces. The exhibition is supported by a Learning & Inclusion Programme. John Moores Exhibition of Contemporary Painting delivered by the Walker since 1957 Bloomberg New Contemporaries delivered by New Contemporaries. The Independents delivered by artist-led organisations.    B. Partners in promotion  Liverpool Biennial works closely with all exhibition partners to develop an umbrella marketing campaign for Liverpool Biennial. We aim to establish and strengthen the Biennial brand, and promote the festival as a whole (rather than in four parts), to develop new and larger audiences for all the programmes. Each programme strand also delivers their own promotional campaigns based on their branding and values. Liverpool City Council; Liverpool Culture Company; The Mersey Partnership; Liverpool Vision; North West Development Agency; Englandsnorthwest, Visit Britain, are collaborators through which the Biennial promotes its own umbrella branding. Liverpool Biennial plays a key role in promoting Liverpool as European Capital of Culture 2008. We work closely with the Liverpool Culture Company in promoting activity in the lead up to 2008.    C. Funding partners The Biennial is not a funding body. It raises funds (approximately £2.3m for Liverpool Biennial 2004) by implementing the strategic priorities of funding bodies, including:   A foundation; Henry Moore Foundation; Granada Foundation; Gulbenkian Foundation and other Trusts and Foundations. Arts Council of England, North West Development Agency, Liverpool City Council/Capital of Culture, European Regional Development Fund and other public development / investment agencies. 20 January 2005 3 Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Ltd SUMMARY Liverpool Biennial is a huge, exciting and complex event. At its heart is the commitment to high quality visual art in an international context presented in a city that is in itself a visual event with great impact and interest for visitors. As such it continues - and extends to an international audience - the longstanding ambition of the biennial John Moores Exhibition of Contemporary Painting. International: The International 06 emphasises the commissioning of new artworks. Artists from around the world are invited by a team of three international Researchers to develop new works in response to the city. The show is collaboration between Liverpool Biennial and Tate Liverpool, Bluecoat, Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT) and Open Eye Gallery. It is supported by an extensive Learning and Inclusion Programme, co-ordinated by Liverpool Biennial. Independents: Established and emerging British, UK regional and international artists show works in venues across the city offering a counterpoint to the International. The strand also includes an extensive Live Art Programme. John Moores; exhibition of contemporary painting: More than 2,500 of UK based painters enter the John Moores competition, a show that celebrates the vitality of contemporary British painting. The £25,000 prizewinner is announced during the opening of Liverpool Biennial. The show is organised by National Museums Liverpool and has been shown at the Walker since 1957. New Contemporaries is a national annual competition for graduates, The fact that it begins its national tour in Liverpool every other year is an important aspect of the Liverpool art infrastructure, bringing talent spotters to the City. The key ideas behind the Biennial are  Partnership – building on existing strengths such as the John Moores. It would be impossible to create an event of this magnitude and ambition without the support of existing organisations, incorporating existing events. Development – the Biennial looks to the future. To sustain and build the visual arts capacity of the City, we must retain talent, knowledge and experience in Liverpool. The Biennial is a challenge to other organisations to extend and develop their practice and the capacities of its staff / organisation. Quality – is one of the challenges: with the eyes of the art world on Liverpool, organisations must be and are inspired to be ambitious and to give their best.   20 January 2005 4