FACT Liverpool announces new digital artist residencies

FACT has announced the launch of an exciting new initiative: digital artist residencies in partnership with DaDa (Disability and Deaf Arts) and Lucid Games.

The program is designed to support four early-career artists based in the North of England, giving them the opportunity to create cutting-edge digital artworks that will be showcased both online and at FACT Liverpool in 2025.

Selected artists will receive a fee of £2,500, a production budget of £1,500, and three months of support. Additionally, the residencies provide access to Studio/Lab, FACT’s dedicated space for artists to access digital production tools, equipment and resources.

The four residencies are designed to support artists with a critical digital practice whose work aligns with the themes of video game production, gameplay and culture, and game aesthetics. Starting in October 2024, four artists will be selected to produce digital works which will go on display at FACT as part of a new exhibition, Art Plays Games, in 2025.

Artists eligible to apply for any of the four residencies must be based in the North of England, have a critical digital arts practice, and be interested in exploring world-building, game engines, XR and immersive media, or accessible digital worlds. Outcomes may include immersive or interactive works, playable pieces, or projects shaped using game engines.

Since 2020, FACT has held annual digital commissioning residencies that have supported early-career artists based in the North of England. With the launch of Studio/Lab, a new experimental artist production space on the building’s top floor, FACT is reimagining residencies to foster more collaboration and provide residency holders with a new space to experiment and play.

FACT’s digital residencies have supported 24 emerging artists to develop their practice, resulting in the production of 22 new digital artworks, and supporting creatives across a wide representation of Northern cities and towns, including Liverpool, Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Leeds, South Shields, Newcastle Upon Tyne, and Gateshead.

For 2024/25, FACT has partnered with award-winning disability arts organisation DaDa, and local Liverpool game developer, Lucid Games, on two of the four artist residencies. For DaDa proposals, artists who identify as Disabled are invited to submit a proposal that responds to DaDaFest’s 2025 theme, RAGE.

Each proposal must include an embedded access layer such as subtitles, an audio description, BSL or creative captioning. The selected work will be shown as part of DaDaFest International, the UK’s longest-running disability arts festival, in March 2025.

Lucid Games is looking to support an artist who creates interactive and playable artwork, or whose practice engages with game engines, game design, or character design.

The studio will provide additional support from their team, offering expertise in game engines, photogrammetry, audio design, VFX, and more.

Applications are now open. To apply, artists must submit an Expression of Interest, including a portfolio and short proposal, by Tuesday 10 September 2024. For more information on how to apply, visit fact.co.uk/open-call.

For any questions about eligibility, the application process, accessibility, or specific working requirements, artists can contact FACT at studiolab@fact.co.uk

Lesley Taker, Studio/Lab Manager at FACT, said:

“I’m so excited to be able to bring our first cohort of residencies into Studio/Lab! As a space designed for artists to experiment with new ideas and technologies whilst developing creative skills and networks, it needs artists embedded at every level to be useful and relevant. The focus on gaming and game culture within our residencies for the next year should produce a range of critical works which really play with the expectations of game worlds and push the roles that they can play.”

Zoe Partington, Acting CEO at DaDa, said:

“This digital artist residency will create space for one of these brilliant disabled artists to develop their practice further in a supportive environment, to create new and interesting work that will have access at the centre. DaDa is delighted to support FACT in creating this opportunity and looks forward to seeing the emerging accessible artwork that will form part of our 40th birthday celebrations during DaDaFest International 40 next March.”

George Rule, Community and Marketing Lead at Lucid Games, said:

“We’re thrilled to partner with FACT to produce a residency that supports local artists who are exploring new ideas and the use of gaming and interactive mediums within their practice. Our award-winning team looks forward to supporting a selected artist by offering technical advice and insights during their three month residency. Whilst creativity and artistic pursuit is a core part of games development, Lucid is excited to see what themes and ideas might be explored as gaming and art become even more intertwined.”