Europe Grand Central: open call for urban residencies in Lublin, Poland

Application deadline: 11th of March 2016

In the framework of the EU funded project Europe Grand Central, the European Foundation for Urban Culture (EFUC) and the Workshops of Culture  (WoC) in Lublin are launching an open call to invite artists, social animators, cultural managers, curators,  researchers to submit proposals to the Community Arts Lab – Urban Residencies (Laboratorium Sztuki Społecznej – Rezydencje Miejskie) programme on the concept of borders. The residency programme will be run by the EFUC, WoC and local cultural managers and art spaces that encourage interaction between artists and local inhabitants. The programme will be based in Lublin (Poland). A minimum of 8 residents will be selected. Profiles include artists from all artistic disciplines, curators, cultural/social animators, researchers, cultural managers, new circus / theatre / dance practitioners coming from Eastern and Western Europe (European Union and Eastern Partnership countries).

A simultaneous synchronised event in February 2017 will highlight the works produced as well as the Bordr virtual platform. Read more about the project here 
 
Europe Grand Central is a 2-year (September 2015 to August 2017) cooperation project funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe programme. It groups together independent cultural spaces in European countries from the Trans Europe Halles network on the theme of « borders ». The aim of the project is to transform perceptions of border crossings from suspicion into curiosity, empower under- and misrepresented individuals and groups through storytelling, and exchange methods of inclusion between cultural practitioners and organizations. A unique digital and conceptual platform also connects audience-created-narratives about the human act of crossing borders.

The seven partner organisations are Not Quite ekonomisk förening, Fengersfors, Sweden, Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, Bremen, Germany, Assoziazione Laminarie, Bologna, Italy, Vyrsodepseio ODC Non-profit theatre company, Athens, Greece, European Foundation for Urban Culture and Workshops of Culture, Lublin, Poland, Fond Roberto Cimetta, Paris, France, Trans Europe Halles (TEH), Lund, Sweden. Through the latter, a European network of independent culture operators, the project reaches some 70 cultural organizations in 28 countries.

Applications should be made in English. The call will be open for one month (February till mid-March 2016). Results of the call will be announced on 8th March 2016 and the residencies will begin at earliest 1st June 2016. Each of the grants awarded amounts to 600 € that covers fee and per diems and food, we also covers international return travel (up to 300 €), we provide materials needed for the realization of the project (up to 400 €) and we reimburse visa costs.

Description and criteria for the residency:
 
Organizers: European Foundation for Urban Culture and Workshops of Culture in Lublin
Place: Lublin, Poland
Number of residencies: 8
Duration: between 2 to 4  weeks
Deadline: 11th March 2016
 
Lublin, although not a big city, has an incredible amount of resources, institutions, groups, and cultural agents working on culture. Although Poland’s economy is considered one of the most stable and growing in the EU, the country is experiencing similar processes which happened in the West and later, post-1989, in East Central Europe. Culture is playing an increasingly important role in shaping creative subjectivities and opening potentials of populations. Culture is also seen as an effective tool to solve a variety of social problems, create environments of tolerance, citizen empowerment, increase participation in urban affairs, build stronger communities, open new means of dialogue, creative expression and alike.

In the frame of the Community Arts Lab – Urban Residencies programme we are experimenting how culture and arts can cross divides between locals, strangers, neighbors, artists and local communities living the city of Lublin. Artists and cultural animators who are curious about crossing borders and interested in building relations with local communities using public space as site of participation and cooperation, are invited to the residency. The programme is not focusing on artistic intervention in public space but rather on carrying out activities involving communities living in Lublin in order to create lively public spaces. We want to question the role of artists/cultural animators/managers in contemporary society and our rapidly changing world.

Method:
Selected residents will be invited to Lublin for the 4-day study visit (the beginning of April 2016) to recognize the space, people, local communities that they are going to work with to know better the local context of the city and discuss the project ideas that they would like to develop in the frame of the residency. Each of the resident will work with local cultural managers who will play the role of guide and “teacher” of the local context. During the time between the study visit and the residency period the residents will be in contact with curators of the programme and local cultural managers to elaborate the project together.

Territory:
The residents will be invited to work in the city of Lublin in selected areas: 
districts: Bronowice, Tatary, Wieniawa, LSM, Kalinowszcyzna, streets: Zamjska, Lubartowska and Sieroca. More information about selected areas can be found here. General information about the city of Lublin

Criteria: 
We are looking for artists of all artistic disciplines, curators, cultural/social animators, researchers, cultural managers, theoreticians and practitioners coming from Eastern and Western Europe (European Union and Eastern Partnership countries) who speak English. The invited residences should be ready to:
• carry out activities focused on a process in one of the districts of the city of Lublin involving the local community and in collaboration with local cultural manager
• work with one of the target groups: children (3 – 13 years old), seniors (plus 60 years), difficult youth, unemployed, homeless, young parents, addicted to alcohol. 
• be ready for public presentation during the study visit about the work/projects they do in Arpil 2016

Schedule:

The call will be open from the 8th February to 11th March 2016
Results of the call will be announced on 14th of March 2016 
Study visit for selected residents will be from 7th to 10th of April 2016
The residencies will begin at earliest 1st of June 2016
 

How to apply:
 
Fill in the short questionnaire and submit it and send the portfolio (inluding your CV, desription of your work profile and photos) to [email protected]. Applications should be made in English.

Source:

lssresidencies.wordpress.com