Neutral Ground is an Artist run centre located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. A well established art centre in Canada, Neutral Ground promotes the exhibition and production of new art in all media. The artistic goals of Neutral Ground emphasize a leadership role within the community regarding research and representation of contemporary aesthetics and cultural diversity.
Neutral Ground's artistic objectives are designed to facilitate a forum for the presentation and production of artwork that is investigative either formally, conceptually, politically or aesthetically. As well Neutral Ground is engaged in furthering critical debate in the Fine Arts and to advocate for the purpose, role and value of all forms of contemporary art in society. Neutral Ground supports the development of new work responsive to diverse racial and socially determined communities.
Neutral Ground is an independent and self-determined professional art space managed by artists to provide a forum for artists working at the creative edge of the arts; to provide access to resources and equipment and mentors; to collaborate in the transdisciplinary development of ideas and innovative strategies for art making. Neutral Ground's research evolves new artistic expressions and identifies key questions, concepts and issues that can lead to the transformation of culture with input from the fine and liberal arts. We seek to articulate new cultural positions and understandings through the convergence of the arts using intermedia techniques and strategies.
To accomplish these goals, Neutral Ground engages in a strategic and diverse programming schedule which includes organizing and curating programs in the following formats:
- Gallery installations and exhibitions
- Performance, performance collaboration, interventions
- Emergent artist exhibitions
- Audio and Video art production-creation projects
- Digital Media and web art w/SOIL
- Poetry reading and lecture series
- Alternate Site Projects
- Experimental film and video screenings
- Video production and editing; documentation projects & independent projects Production
- Publishing projects; digital and hard copy
- Professional development programs in arts administration, new technologies, curation
- Artistic, Creative residencies
- Touring
- International research and exchange
Creating opportunities for Regina and Saskatchewan-based artists for artistic collaboration with senior artists:
- especially performance art
- web art
- video
- video editing
- new media
- documentation
Continue cross cultural collaborations which foster coexistence between cultures and is defined by race, gender and class or social status.
Engage in a continuous program of defining and achieving excellence in the arts through experimentation, innovation, presentation, research and networking, collaboration and through the investigation of issues relevant to the contemporary arts. To achieve objectives through supporting the work of artists as producers by achieving excellence in cultural organization and management.
Further develop initiatives in digital and new media through SOIL in Web art, video editing and production, internships and member-training programs and including presentation or workshops with visiting artists.
Provide opportunities for professional development for artists in artistic practice, as administrative interns and digital media producers through internships, apprenticeships, residencies, workshops, project grants, travel and research projects, publishing projects, as Board and jury members, through exhibition opportunities and employment and in tandem with guest artist presentations.
Stimulate awareness of the arts and opportunities for participation in the arts, increased audience attendance and community support and acceptance of programs; to support programs which increase opportunities for interpretation of contemporary art and ³historical² discourse by qualified artists, curators, and writers; to contribute to a context for contemporary artistic practice in Regina through dialogue and dissemination of artists¹ works to other parts of Canada and beyond.
To create a proactive, relevent arena for discussion and debate on social, political and cultural concerns. Goals:
- Maintaining a stable environment (forum) for artists to conduct research and development in the arts and exhibit work and receive support for difficult or controversial work based on its merit and quality.
- Provide opportunities for development (professional development) for artists, curators, educators, administrators and writers.
- Provide a higher profile for artists working in interdisciplinary and experimental media and encouraging innovation in expression including that from artists from other cultural communities.
- Creating a context for contemporary art in the local and national community (dialogue).
- Change or enhance the general public's understanding and/or appreciation of contemporary practice through interpretation, education and visibility.
- Create opportunities for members of the collective to engage with the art world and to provide a forum for responding to current social and aesthetic events which affect art and culture.
Other artist run centre's in Canada include:
Sources:
http://www.neutralground.sk.ca/index.html
Bull, Hank - Sharla Sava - Scott Watson (eds.): "Robert Filliou: From Political to Poetical Economy", Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery - University of British Columbia, Toronto, 1996
Western Front Society, "FRONT Magazine", Western Front Society, Vancouver
Last Updated 12.08.01