The Rivington Fund is calling on Islanders to come forward and apply for funding ahead of the deadline on Wednesday 1 November 2023.
Rivington supports any Jersey resident with a passion for arts, crafts or history who requires financial support to travel off-Island, including individuals, families or groups. The fund’s objectives are threefold: to broaden experiences of art, crafts and history by travelling off-Island; improve applicants’ quality of life through art experiences specific to individual needs; and to develop artistic skills through attending international events.
The call comes as Jersey resident Megan Woolsgrove recently returns from a Rivington funded trip to Mexico. Having first heard about the fund through social media posts Megan applied for funding to travel to Cancun, Mexico to experience the art and history of the area. Specifically, the Underwater Museum of Art located in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, in the area surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Punta Nizuc.
She applied to do a short diving training course which would allow her to see the sculptures, specifically ‘The Silent Revolution’ and ‘Anthropocene’ close to Isla Mujeres. She also took a snorkeling trip in the waters of Punta Nizuc to see the sculptures ‘The Muse of the Ocean, ‘The Gardener of Hope,’ ‘Reclamation,’ and multiple others.
Of the trip Megan Woolsgrove said: “Experiencing the collection of sculptures situated in the Caribbean Sea has been an activity I wanted to do since studying Jason deCaires Taylor around 10 years ago. The museum has a total of 500 sculptures, by a series of international and local sculptors, with three different galleries submerged in the ocean at the Cancun National Marine Park. I am currently a Graphic Design masters student and have previously completed a degree in Fine Art. Experiencing the sculptures gave me inspiration for my university work centred around environment and forms. I have previously designed two photography books based on areas in Jersey. Travelling to Mexico provided me with a new environment and history to base my work around.”
Whilst in Mexico Megan undertook other activities to deepen her experience of Mexican art and culture. She visited Isla Mujeres, a small island off the coast of Cancun to discover the wall art and the statues that are scattered throughout the town dedicated to the history of Mexico, including the ‘Goddess Ixchel’, the ’Sea Turtle Monument’, and the ‘La Triguena’. She also photographed Chichén Itzá which was a sacred city of pyramids and temples, and is classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
She explained: “This trip has immersed me in a different culture and provided me with inspiration for my current project, pushing the content of my design and photography beyond a smaller environment. I now feel more confident in doing solo trips and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I found the application really easy and I felt supported throughout the whole process. Everyone was really helpful throughout to answer questions and provide advice.”
Applying for Rivington Funding
Those who think they may qualify for Rivington’s financial support must be Jersey residents and have an interest in the arts or history. They must be able to outline their trip in detail, demonstrate their passion and reasoning for the trip, propose a realistic budget and commit to sharing their journey with Rivington so they can help inspire more Islanders to benefit from the fund.
Simply visit the Rivington website to read through what is needed. All applications take place online and application support is always available via email. The deadline to apply is midnight on Wednesday 1 November 2023.
Picture: Credit Megan Woolsgrove
