A new course will allow four young creatives in the Gulf and the UK to collaborate on a digital art project over a four-week programme of online mentoring.
The Arab British Centre, in partnership with the British Council, has opened applications for the winter edition of their "Connect ME" digital residency programme.
The scheme was launched this year as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is a digital continuation of the Arab British Centre’s creative exchange programme Making Marks, where people from the UK and Gulf collaborate.
Connect ME connects creatives aged between 18 and 30 based in the GCC countries and Britain to create collaborative work that considers how digital tools can encourage connectivity across borders.
Applicants can decide the theme and direction of each project.
Applications are welcomed from all creative backgrounds. The only conditions are that the work must be delivered to the public through digital channels, and must be acollaboration.
The four selected participants will benefit from a residency fee of £1,000 ($1,312), guidance and support from the Arab British Centre and a mentor from a cultural organisation.
The works will be featured on the Making Marks website, home to all of the artworks created under the programme.
The Arab British Centre and British Council social media channels will also promote the applicants’ work.
Four young artists collaborated in the summer residency, which ran from July to August 2020.
Ellie Niblock, a London artist whose work explores the relationship between the physical and digital worlds, and Alaa Tarabzouni, an artist in Riyadh who specialises in urbanity and the built environment, were paired together over the summer.
Their digital project, With Love: From Nowhere (بالحب: من العدم), takes viewers on an exploration into "unknowable places of the not yet".
In the work, the artists convey the impossible physical experience of visiting fictional non-places into the digital realm through a combination of drawing, sculpture, 3D scanning, mapping and sound.
Tarabzouni said the pair relied heavily on social media platforms, video calls and instant messaging to share inspiration and develop the work.
“We also used more traditional modes of communication, by using the postal service," she said.
"Found objects were sent from Saudi Arabia to the UK to create hybrid, hand-held, sculptural objects.
"They were used as the foundations for the [digital] non-place, as they were thoroughly translated in various ways."
Niblock said: “Working one on one with another artist was a great experience for me, and I was surprised to work so well in collaboration online.
"I did not expect to create such an ambitious project.
“My advice to any artists thinking of applying to the residency would be to be open to ideas, change and challenging your practice.”
The Connect ME Winter Residency Open Call is open now.
Applications can be submitted in English or Arabic before 11pm GMT on November 29, the details for which can be found on www.makingmarks.uk.
Tour de France 2017: Stage 5
Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km
It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Related
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
