MAstars has become a well-established programme, featuring outstanding artists from the UK’s leading MA Art courses. We commission prominent curators and artists to nominate an artist from each course and write a short interpretive text about their work for the website. This year (2008/9) approximately 30 selectors chose and wrote about more than 40 artists.
Take a look at this year's MAstars artists
This year, we will be offering one of the selected MAstars artists a funded studio space at the Florence Trust, London, which will allow time and space for them, free of other pressures, to create a new body of work. The award covers the rent on a studio at the Florence Trust, London, for 12 months, beginning in August 2010 and continuing until the end of July 2011, when all the studio-holders will show their work in a final exhibition.
The artists selected to appear on MAstars this year are a long-list for the application procedure and will need to apply by March 2010 to be considered for this amazing opportunity. A selection panel comprising representatives from Axis and The Florence Trust, alongside independent curator (and MAstars selector) Gill Hedley, will decide which artist will receive the bursary, to be announced in April 2010.
The Florence Trust, London
The winning artist’s experiences and progress will be documented throughout the year on the Axis website. Axis has made a two year commitment to the award and so we will also be offering 2010’s MAstars artists the opportunity of a Florence Trust residency in 2011.
‘Many of the artists featured in MAstars have gone on to greater success, exhibiting in major shows and continuing to produce innovative work. By offering one MAstars artist a bursary to fund a 12 month residency at the Florence Trust, we hope to encourage that success and help the development of an artist’s career in what can be a difficult transition year, straight after university.’
Sheila McGregor, Chief Executive of Axis
‘The Florence Trust is so much more than just an artists’ studio. The Trust offers an exceptional experience well beyond the normal provision of studio space with access to our networks, individual career support and opportunities. For many artists, their period with us has been a turning point in their careers. We are delighted that this year, one of the participating artists will be from Axis’s MAstars programme.’
Paul Bayley, Director of the Florence Trust
Application for the Axis/Florence Trust Award is open to 2009's MAstars artists only.
Normal application to Florence Trust residency is, of course, open to any artist, see below for details.
More about the Florence Trust residency programme
Housed in an inspiring Grade 1 listed Victorian church, in Highbury, London, the Trust provides artists with the opportunity to work for one year with a small group of carefully selected artists, pushing the boundaries of your work and exploring new ideas.
Offering up to twelve studio residencies a year, all beginning in August, and ending after the annual Summer Exhibition in July. For this exhibition they work with an outside curator, and produce an exhibition catalogue. There is also an Open Studios event held in either December or January and during the year there are occasional exhibitions by outside or resident artists. The Trust works hard to bring in galleries, collectors, consultants and other artists to interact with, and stimulate, the resident artists, and a programme of talks and peer critiques are arranged by the Director. The Director also provides valuable one-to-one mentoring for resident artists, which maximises the benefits of the residency.
Application is now open for the year's residency August 2010 - July 2011. The deadline for application is Friday 28 May 2010
