Calling all creatives! Whether you’re a painter, fabricator, sculptor, circus performer or someone looking to get involved behind the scenes, we’ve got an opportunity for you this Summer! We’re launching two new initiatives to bolster our arts offering at Kendal Calling.
The first is an open call to Cumbrian or Cumbrian-based creatives who would like to display their work at Kendal Calling 2025. This opportunity would see you join us on site this year to develop a relationship and inspire work to be displayed or performed in the fields the following year. We are looking for all manner of artists here – whether it’s an installation, a performance or workshop – we welcome applicants at all stages in their artistic journey. Just a note that we will not be accepting applications that are solely music based, if you’re in a band and want to play the festival, keep your eyes peeled for our Apply to Play which will be launching later this month.
The second of our opportunities is a paid production placement. We’ve partnered up with the brainchild of original Kendal headliners, Sea Power and their festival Krakenhaus to offer a role across both shows working in event production. You don’t need any previous experience of production to apply, just a passion for festivals and a hands-on, team-centered approach to working.
See further details and how to apply for these in the drop down menus below.
ARTIST OPEN CALL (visiting artist fund)
We are inviting 5 Cumbrian creative artists to attend Kendal Calling 2024. By attending Kendal Calling we hope to develop a relationship with regional artists that will inspire new work for the festival in 2025.
Kendal Calling 2024 is live from the 1st to 4th of August. The festival takes place in the ancient deer park of Lowther Castle, within a mixture of parkland and woodland.
THE BRIEF
We are looking for 5 x artists, who are either from Cumbria, or reside in Cumbria, to attend the festival in 2024. You should attend with the intention of proposing a site specific work in 2024, with the intention to be commissioned for the festival’s 20th anniversary year in 2025.
We are looking for artists of any practice – from performance to installation, circus to dance, at any stage in their artistic journey. We will not be considering applications that are solely music based.
THE OFFER TO ARTISTS:
A general camping full weekend ticket for Kendal Calling 2 and travel expenses.
You will need to provide your own transport to and from the festival, or you can take advantage of our shuttle bus system noted here. Travel up to a value of £100 will be reimbursed. The festival is a greenfield site, so you will also need your own tent and sleeping equipment.
Mentoring and producing support
Tor Byrnes is an experienced outdoor arts producer having worked on award-winning arts programmes and production teams for festivals across the UK, she will be your contact for Kendal Calling. She will also give you a guided tour of the festival to discuss the current pieces of work on site.
You will also be invited to a networking event during the festival, where you will be able to meet other artists and creatives working in the sector.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Kendal Calling exists for everybody, as such we encourage everyone to apply, whether your background is in construction, festivals, fabrication or gallery work, if you consider yourself a currently practicing artist, then there is a place for you in this scheme.
We are interested in bringing the best work to Kendal Calling and supporting you in your journey as an artist.
We additionally encourage all artists to apply who experience an imbalance of opportunity, whether because of class, race, dis/ability, gender, sexuality or rural location.
Preference will be given to those operating in areas of Cumbria that suffer from a distinct lack of opportunities, highlighted as Arts Council ‘Priority Places’, but the scheme is not exclusive to this regions and we hope will offer opportunities to artists across Cumbria.
KEY DATES:
Kendal Calling 24 – Thursday 1st August – Sunday 4th August
Networking Event – Onsite during the festival
APPLY
To apply, please see below and complete the form by EOP June 3rd.
If you experience or anticipate any barriers within the application process or require help to make an application or access information, please do contact us on hello@kendalcalling.com with ARTIST QUERY in the title of the email and we can make any necessary adjustments.
Please ensure you title your email ARTIST QUERY, otherwise our team may not pick it up due to the volume of emails we receive on other matters.
production placement
Kendal Calling and Krankenhaus have partnered up to offer a placement scheme across the festivals, offering hands-on learning in event production.
You don’t need any previous experience of production, just a passion for festivals and a hands-on, team-centered approach to working.
We’re keen to support the next generation of talent. The aim of this scheme is for you to secure enough event experience so that you feel confident taking on future junior production roles, and that with two different scales of festivals on your CV, you can approach a range of production companies for future work.
About the festivals;
Kendal Calling is a music festival in Cumbria. Overlooking the incredible hills and valleys of the Lake District, Kendal Calling aims to bring headline experiences to the area, both in music and arts, whilst celebrating its incredible natural surroundings and the local community.
The festival has an audience with a large range of ages and stages, ranging from 17-70 as well as plenty of audiences that come with their young families. The thing that unites our Kendal Calling audience is their ability to have a great time, they are playful, social, know how to party, and throw themselves into any experience.
Kendal Calling ‘24 is live from the 1st to 3rd of August. The festival takes place in a mixture of parkland with ancient trees dotted across the landscape.
Krankenhaus Micro-Festival is brought to you by Sea Power & Muncaster Castle.
Sea Power are a BAFTA winning & Mercury Prize nominated band (www.seapowerband.com) and our hosts at Muncaster Castle, the Pennington-Frost family. Krankenhaus Festival will be held once again at the stunning setting of Muncaster Castle, a striking and ancient outpost near Ravenglass, amid the wild and beautiful western edge of the English Lake District. Ravenglass was described by John Ruskin as “The gateway to paradise.”
THE BRIEF
This year we are looking for people in the beginning of their career in events, to work alongside the festivals’ production teams to deliver the festival.
You will have full support from both the festivals, with a hands-on role within the production team’s on site. This role will vary throughout the festival, as production covers many logistics.
You need to have worked or volunteered at events (or any other type of production work) before, showing that you have a good understanding of how an event or production runs. You must be self motivated and be able to use your own initiative, while adhering to the health and safety regulations of each festival.
The events are located in the countryside in a festival setting. We will provide you with a place to stay – this may be in a bell tent and you may need to share a space.
You must be available for the week of either one or both of the festivals to apply.
This is a paid placement your time on site will be, plus we are able to offer a small budget for some external extra training which may assist with your learning and development within this role, before or after the festival. This also includes 3 meals a day in crew catering for each event.
Mentoring and producing support at Kendal Calling
Tor Byrnes is an experienced outdoor arts producer having worked on award-winning arts programmes and production teams for festivals across Europe (Including examples Boomtown, Glastonbury, Arts by the Sea, Outlook and Dimensions), she will be your contact prior to being on site at Kendal Calling and will provide pastoral support throughout the programme.
Alongside Steven Collins who will be your point of call during the festival. Steven is part of the renowned Engine No.4, who run all logistics and production across Kendal Calling, Parklife, Bluedot and Lost Village.
You will also be invited to a networking event during Kendal Calling, where you will be able to meet other artists, creatives and producers working in the sector.
And at Krankenhous
Jem Noble
Production manager at Krankenhaus over the last 5 years. Jem has 25 years experience in live music production working for such diverse clients as The Labour Party, the Go Team and Sam Fox! For the past 10 years has been chief production manager and FoH at the Dome in Brighton working with a huge range of national and international touring artists.
David Taylor has over 40 years experience in the music industry from artist and tour management, running record and publishing companies, and recording studios and record shops. Starting as programmer since the opening of the Sheffield Leadmill through to consulting with Sheffield City Council on its ground breaking Cultural Industries programme including BBC Sound City and Rock on the Rates. For the past 18 years has managed Sea Power and been Krankenhaus festival director since its inception
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Kendal Calling exists for everybody, as such we encourage everyone to apply, whether your background is in construction, festivals, fabrication or gallery work, there is a place for you.
We are interested in bringing the best work to Kendal Calling and supporting you in your journey in festivals.
We are particularly interested in hearing from artist/s where this is their first experience of paid work at a festival, from those from or living within Cumbria and those who see themselves as underrepresented in the sector.
We additionally encourage all artists to apply who experience an imbalance of opportunity, whether because of class, race, dis/ability, gender, sexuality or rural location. If you have any concerns about working on the festival in relation to these imbalances, please reach out to chat to us on hello@kendalcalling.com with PRODUCTION SCHEME in the title of the email.
This is a paid placement, plus we are able to offer a small budget for some external extra training which may assist with your learning and development within in this role, before or after the festival.
KEY DATES
Kendal Calling 24 – LIVE DATES -1st August – Monday 5th August
Onsite dates – Wednesday 31st July – Monday 5th August
Networking Event – Saturday 3rd August (Time and venue tbc)
Krankenhaus 24 – LIVE DATES – Friday 23rd August – Sunday 25th August
Onsite dates – Thursday 22nd August – Monday 26th August
APPLY
To apply, please press the button below and complete the form by EOP June 3rd.
If you experience or anticipate any barriers within the application process or require help to make an application or access information, please do contact us on hello@kendalcalling.com with PRODUCTION SCHEME QUERY in the title of the email and we can make any necessary adjustments.
Please ensure you title your email PRODUCTION SCHEME QUERY, otherwise our team may not pick it up due to the volume of emails we receive on other matters.
