From Gary Thomas:
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Research brief: Artists’ Moving Image - Legacy and Learning

Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts, 
and as such, has an interest in both the generating of a legacy for the 
work we support, and, equally importantly, in the exploitation of 
archive materials to make primary works and documents available.

Arts Council England has its own archive holdings and collections, 
including a loan collection of contemporary visual art, an extensive 
catalogue of arts documentary films, and video reference copies of 
artists’ film and video commissions. We also support organisations that 
have their own archives, including internationally important 
collections of work or documentation, such as the Royal Opera House, 
LUX Artists’ Film and Video Distribution, Live Art Archives, and The 
Video Place.

We have long recognised that the deterioration of moving image formats 
is a process which affects arts documentation and works by artist 
film/video makers, and we also view archives as benefiting both artists 
through the development of practice, and audiences by enhancing and 
broadening their experience of the arts.

We are currently supporting a range of initiatives related to the 
development of appropriate and effective strategies for engagement with 
moving image archive so as to further democratise access to the arts.

These initiatives are being delivered by a range of partners: British 
Film Institute/National Film and Television Archive; LUX; Tate; South 
East Film Archive/Film Archive Forum; Picture This Moving Image, 
Bristol; British Artists’ Film & Video Study Collection, University of 
the Arts London. The projects include:

•	an online resource for artists, arts organisations, exhibitors, 
curators and audiences, providing advice and information about holdings 
of artists’ moving image
•	a Source book on Performance, Literature and the Moving Image
•	a British Artists’ Films DVD series
•	a public Symposium on artists working with moving image archive
•	co-funding of a new Artists’ Moving Image Curator post at bfi NFTVA

In addition to these specific projects, the group has identified the 
need to establish and promote good practice in relation to the 
collection and preservation of artists’ moving image in England.

Brief
In association with our partners, Arts Council England wants to 
commission a research report on current archive related issues and 
practices for artists’ moving image, to include:

1.	a summary of key UK public and private sector organisations and 
their activities, and other projects, including:

•	acquisition/collecting policies
•	access policies
•	preservation standards and procedures

2.	a briefing paper summarising the above, indicating overlap, gaps, 
etc, and outlining the key issues, barriers to development, and 
ambitions, as identified through the research

3.	case studies of comparator activity, eg Tate, Pompidou Centre, MOMA 
New York, European collections/projects

4.	an overview of other current research, standards guidelines, 
initiatives, etc

The report will inform the group’s discussions and the development of 
strategies for the presentation of artists’ moving image in England, 
built around the notion of a ‘dispersed’ national collection of 
artists’ moving image.

The work must be carried out between December 2005 and March 2006, with 
a presentation to the group end February, and the final report to be 
submitted no later than 15 March.

We are looking for an individual, partnership or organisation. The work 
requires:

•	excellent communication skills
•	knowledge of the film and visual arts sectors
•	understanding of the technological and curatorial issues around 
collecting, commissioning, archive and exhibition
•	experience of research and consultation
•	ability to manage the above
•	ability to work proactively and independently
•	word processing skills
•	ability to travel

If you are interested in submitting a proposal to carry out this work, 
please:

1.	email [log in to unmask] stating your intention to submit

2.	Read through the standard terms and conditions attached.

3.	Prepare your tender providing:

•	an outline of how you will interpret and respond to the brief
•	a CV
•	details of two referees
•	a budget, indicating day rate
•	an outline schedule for the work

In order to encourage fair and open competition, our policy is not to 
provide a budget figure for the proposed work. You should provide an 
informed estimate of the cost of the proposed procurement and indicate 
VAT separately.

4.	Please return your tender by noon, Monday, 14 November 2006, to:

   		Gary Thomas
		Senior Officer, Moving Image
Arts Council England
14 Great Peter Street
London SW1P 3NQ
[log in to unmask]

by post or by email (followed by hard copy)

Applicants will be assessed on their previous experience, the quality 
of the proposal, their proposed schedule, and price.

Interviews with short listed candidates on the afternoon of Monday, 21 
November.