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Draw to Perform Online Mentorship Program
Opportunity for Artists
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The Draw to Perform online mentorship program for Drawing Performance practice.
What does the program offer?
DTP ONLINE is a unique program that offers professional artists and art students an opportunity for personally tailored mentorship in the art of drawing performance. The program is guided and mentored by Ram Samocha, a nationally and internationally acclaimed drawing performance artist and the founder of Draw to perform.
What is Drawing Performance?
Drawing performance is a multidisciplinary form of art, which focuses on the use of drawing as a performative tool, and on sharing the creative process with the audience via live action. Using a wide range of methods of artistic expression (i.e. mark making, dance, light & sound) the artists creates a dialogue with the viewer while exploring how drawing can be used as a way to communicate and to collaborate.
About Ram Samocha and Draw to Perform:
Ram Samocha is an artist, an independent curator and the founder and director of Draw to Perform. In his work, Samocha combines between drawing, photography, video, installation, sound and performance art.
The passion for drawing and performance lead Samocha to establish Draw to Perform, an art company founded to promote the discipline of drawing performance in the UK and worldwide. Draw to Perform became a leading hub in the international scene of drawing performance, hosting, supporting and collaborating with leading artists in this discipline. Festivals and symposiums organized by DTP are unique in their dedication to celebrating this art form, providing it with a platform, a stage and an audience.
Amongst the various activities of the company are five international symposiums about drawing performance which host and showcase over a hundred of emerging and established artists, organized various art events, workshops and lectures. Amongst the many institutions with whom DTP have collaborated in the past are leading establishments such as Goldsmiths, OCAD U and Crawford College of Art and Design. Educational programs of the company include workshops to artists and for the general public, international residencies for artists and designers, and the 1-ON-1 mentorship.
How is the program constructed?
This mentorship is a weeklong online program, designed for a single artist. It includes daily Skype/Zoom sessions, creative exercises, artistic brainstorming and personalized coaching with Ram Samocha. It will start with investigation of the artist’s current body of work and identification of motifs and elements, which can be translated and expanded into live action. By exploring different methods of performance (on camera and video, to online audience or as a personal undocumented process of exploration) the artist will work on a new creation demonstrating their own artistic DNA, which is transformed into action. The artist will be given an opportunity to showcase their work in live streaming within the different platforms of Draw to Perform.
Who would benefit from the program?
There is a wide range of artists, designers, and other creative people who could benefit from exposure and training in drawing performance.
These include traditional fine art artists who focus on painting and drawing. These artists will benefit the creation of a live dialog with their viewer, which helps to enrich, augment and challenge the creative process.
On the other side are performance artists (dancers, actors, musicians) who wish to expand their range of expression. For these artists, the focus would be on finding how mark making, and the creation of a visual image can add an additional layer to their creation. These artists gain from expanding their creative toolbox with an additional powerful mode of expression.
The mentorship is also suited to individuals who are not necessarily from the artistic world but who wish to use performative and expressive art as part of holistic communication, therapy or as a meditative tool.
What is the difference between the DTP online mentorship and the DTP onsite program?
The DTP online program is designed for an individual wish to focus on personal internal investigation. From a practical term, the DTP online program is more attainable within the limitations of the pandemic. The strength of the DTP mentorship is the ability to tailor the program to the very specific needs of the apprentice.
The what and the where:
This week-long program will include seven online sessions via Skype/Zoom. Each meeting will run for one hour with a program that specifically focus on the development of each individual artist.
When:
The artist will need to suggest in the application the suitable dates for this one-week program.
What’s included?
– Daily online one-on-one tutorials meetings with artist and curator Ram Samocha
– Online meeting and discussions with guest artist
– Talks and lectures about drawing and performance art
– Links to a wide range of publications and books about drawing and performance
– Opportunity to share and showcase work-in-progress
– Intensive promotion of your work via the Draw to Perform social media
– Live online screening of a drawing performance at the Draw to Perform Facebook page and YouTube channel
Participation Fee & Financial Assistance:
The total program cost for 7 days of intense online mentorship is £600.
To help fund your participation in the Draw to Perform online program, view a compiled list of national and international opportunities here.
Artist statement:
120 word text that outlines your artistic practice. Describe why you wish to attend this program, what you hope to do and learn, and what impact it could have on your practice.
CV:
One A4 page describing selected relevant experience such as academic, exhibitions, and performances (if available).
Images:
Please attach 4 images from your past work.
Website:
Please attach a link to your website and other online social media.
Contact:
Email address, mobile number, and mail address
drawtoperform@icloud.com (with the title ‘Your name_DTP ONLINE mentorship program’ in the subject line).
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“I’ve wanted to get to the D2P residency for a year now and I was glad when Ram announced that it is possible to go online.
The week passed very quickly and I wanted to gain knowledge and practice even further.
For myself, I noted things that I will use in my performances in the future and develop the depth of my creativity. I also realized that everything is possible and it’s worth being bolder and looking for new forms.
I also want to go in the future through an offline residence, because it can reveal a completely different side. I thank Ram for his knowledge”.
Marat Yagfarov (Kazakhstan) Artist and street dancer, Oct 2021
“Thank you firstly for choosing me to be a part of DTP. You might not know but this journey is very important to me and I came at a time that was both significant and urgent. I can safely say that DTP has changed my life and given me direction. The programme is so generous and dynamic, and that spirt, I am sure, came from you Ram.
Thank you for staying hopeful and keeping this going, I hope you know how much of a difference you are making both through your art and the programme. You still light up in the face of good art and that childlike wonder is so rare for experienced practitioners. I hope one day to repay DTP and give back to it for it has given me so much.
This time here like you predicted, has so quickly come to a close, and I am so sad, but I will keep this time so close to my heart. Thank you so much”.
Zoea Tania Chen(Singapore), Nov 2019
I had the privilege of being mentored online by Ram Samocha for a week of intensive research, discussion, networking, and collaboration; culminating in a live cross hemisphere (me in Southern and Ram in Northern) performance on Youtube, which has received a plethora of views and positive feedback. Due to the absolute commitment Ram had to support me and my practice during this time I was able to consolidate my intention to be, and confidence in, working in this field of creative practice. Ram’s expertise has taken me from a place of uncertainty to a place of certainty in my practice, and I would recommend this online mentorship programme to anyone who is interested in further building their knowledge base, experience, and confidence in performance drawing.
Tarsha Cameron, artist on Kaurna Land (Adelaide, South Australian). Sep 2022
For past DTP activities please visit us on Facebook or Instagram
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Draw to Perform 