I’ve now been a research fellow in the arts for almost two years. The duration of the fellowship is three years so it’s about time to start planning how to finalize the period and project. Monday this week I had a meeting with the rector Nina Malterud and director Johan Haarberg of Bergen National Academy of the Arts (KHIB) as well as my two supervisors Jeremy Welsh and Morten Eide Pedersen.
The fellowship program do not (yet) lead to a formal degree but we’ll be evaluated for associative professor competence. The “product” so to speak of the fellowship project is two-fold. In my case the primary part is the number of art projects I’ve realized during the period but I also have to provide documentation and reflections on the artistic process itself. All of my art projects tend to be temporary so evaluation to a large degree depends on the documentation of the projects. I’ll be doing one project near the end of the fellowship period so that it can be experienced in “real life” by the evaluating committee. My fellowship terminates by the end of October next year so for practical reasons this project should take place late August/early September. I have still not any agreement on where to exhibit this. We discussed several possible options in the meeting and I’ll investigate these further. For a number of obvious reasons KHIB would very much prefer the project to take place in Bergen.
I imagine the documentation in the form of a book or booklet with a DVD and possibly CD insert. The book should contain one section providing brief descriptions of the various projects carried out including photos and another section covering the “documentation of the process”. This section I’d like to do in the form of a series of essays on various topics of interest. The publication should be in English. The DVD would contain video documentation of projects carried out over the period of the fellowship. I have completed documentation of most of the projects but would probably have to ensure a common layout for titles etc. In addition I’d like the sound to be properly mastered.
As a side project to this documentation I’d like to update my web pages so that projects are properly documented. This is a major job and I don’t think I’ll have the time to start working on it before spring. This web log will of course also form a background and addendum to the documentation.
I’ll have to apply to be evaluated at least 6 months in advance. For this application I have to give a description of the project sketch the planned documentation and document that obligatory requirements have been met. The application have to be recommended by my supervisors. If possible KHIB and the board of the program would like to receive this application earlier. In the long run they’ll change this regulation so that one have to apply for being evaluated 9 months in advance.
There’s a general deadline for applications for grants for publications at KHIB February 1st. My publication might not be funded the same way but we all agreed that February 1st seemed a reasonable deadline for the next formal steps to be taken. By then plans for finalizing should be pretty clear I should apply for being evaluated apply for grants for the publication as well as raise issues concerning funding of the final project to be carried out.
Johan also recommended planning backwards from the end of the fellowship period. That seems a good idea. By the end of October next year all required documentation should be completed and handed in publication prepared for printing etc. In short everything requiring work on my side should be completed. I really want to finish in time. I know several PhD students that got into serious problems by not finishing in time. Suddenly they didn’t have funding and time for further work and it all came to a halt. At all costs I want to avoid that situation. I’ve been pushing myself hard all the way thinking that I do not have a lot of time and continuously put myself in situations were I’m forced to keep a certain level of productivity. The final year will probably be a busy one as well but I should be able to make it in time. I’m not sure I’ll be able to take a long summer vacation next year though.
If everything is completed in time the evaluation could happen sometimes late next fall and the book could go to print at about the same time.
The first two issues to address are:
- Finding a place for the final project and start planning it.
- Start working on final project description the application for being evaluated etc.
In addition I should start writing up on the essays and descriptions of projects.
Next week there is a gathering of the fellowship program. During one of the sessions we’ll be filled in with additional information on formalities.
Later today I’ll have supervision with Jeremy and Morten. We will probably continue to discuss these issues then. (And hopefully the evening ends with a few beers…)
