Peace Painting - what next?

Thoughts from the research trip as I figure out what will happen next for the Peace Painting project.

I sent out a press release to some existing contacts, and was invited to speak on University radio about the project, however, they used a quote in which I said we need some space to exhibit.

This is true, however, I'm very wary of being asked to exhibit or work for free somewhere in Lincoln, and those that will try to circumvent #payingartists.

So the first thing is funding. The comics workshops last year were funded by Paradigm Arts, and I ran some peer to peer digital arts workshops funded by OnLincolnshire at The Collection. I'm meeting up with Paradigm Arts next week.

So I am seeking sponsors and other sources of funding.

I am reluctant to spend any time on an Arts Council Grant application, as I've had too many rejections, it's too time consuming, and if I were to risk assess it, the risk of financial destitution from a negative outcome is too great to risk it.

I'm fairly sure that this is what is expected of me, but I was expecting not to have to apply for funding myself.

My experience with the DWP from 2015 to 2016 has totally demolished my resolve to just keep applying for Arts Council funding whilst next May I may have even less money to live on due to proposed cuts to Working Tax credits, which I still unfortunately rely on. I'm still waiting for total reversal of welfare rights abuses and just want to be paid to do the project.

Catrine thinks I should be able to earn a living doing Peace Painting workshops - my idea for this is to be given opportunities to run them in schools, colleges and Universities in Lincoln, ideally at The Collection, and to exhibit the resulting work.
So far, The Collection have said no.

Catrine hopes this will be exhibited in hotels in London, or spaces such as Gatwick Airport.
However, I'm wary of not doing this for free, as I need to be paid.

Another plan is to invite artists from Norway to visit Lincoln / London for the Peace Painting workshops and exhibition.
For this, it was suggested to ask the British Embassy in Oslo, so I'm making initial enquiries.