Open Call: International artist-in-residency platform GuestRoomMaribor (Maribor, Slovenia)

Application deadline: 10 April 2017

International Artist-in-residence program GuestRoomMaribor was established in 2011 by Pekarna Magdalenske mreže (PMM) – a non governmental organization focused on independent cultural production in Maribor, Slovenia. PMM originates from the concept of creative and emancipatory physical and mental space, initially meant for activities of production, promotion of production and informal education in the fields of art, culture, youth work, civil society and active citizenship. The organisation’s activity is defined by the conceptual field of informal culture, subculture, deinstitutionalized culture, counter-culture, independent culture and urban culture, as well as social movements. In the context of contemporary art practices PMM represents an important generator of non-institutional and independent art practices; it encourages socially engaged art, hybrid and experimental artistic expressions and approaches.

If the primary idea of large number of Artist-in-residence programs is to create a possibility for the artists to create beyond their usual work and/or existential environment, then GRM - the only Artist-in-residence program in Maribor providing continuous presence of international artists - can be to a large extent characterized by the specificity of local cultural-artistic context. Therefore, it favours artistic approaches that form explicit relations with the specific social, historical, political, etc. context of Maribor, local independent cultural producers and the wider community of the city (participatory, site-specific art projects, interventions in public space, etc.). From its outset GRM also has strived that the selected projects are permanently located in the urban landscape, which is also planned for the future.
GRM is extending its focus on the field of so-called experimental curatorship focused on relation between curating and history making, exhibiting hybrid, performative, relational, participatory art practices, exhibiting in non-gallery spaces, curating and feminist/queer theory/feminist and queer art curating, locally bounded art production versus cosmopolitanism of art, circumstances of cultural/art production; rise of a creative class and entrepreneurship of art and culture.

GRM is well connected with local independent cultural producers (individuals and organizations), alternative production and presentational spaces in Maribor, local self-organized collectives of curators (for instance collective Rezidenca Maistrova, focused on non-gallery exhibition spaces like private apartments, public space and more general in-context related art.), connections with “young” scene of art theorists, art critics and curators from Ljubljana etc.

GRM is offering:

• 2 residential ateliers (96 m2 and 76m2, located in the core of the old city centre, equipped with kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping area) 
• The residential visits are expected to last for one to two months (in case of more complex projects the duration can be prolonged by mutual agreement)
• Professional assistance and support for the artist and introduction to the local (art) scene by GRM team of curators and producers
• Coverage of production costs up to 300 EUR (in the form of reimbursement of actual costs on presentation of original invoices)
• Coverage of travel costs up to 300 EUR (in the form of reimbursement of actual costs of 1 arrival and 1 departure on presentation of original invoices)
• Scholarship 300 EUR

GRM is expecting:

• Public presentation of the artist's previous work, field of interest and proposed project in the beginning of the residency in a “Meet the resident” event in the form of an artist talk (approx. 45 min long), preferably including visual/video presentation.
• Artist has to provide general information about the event for the PR to the GRM team at least 5 days prior. .
• Participation and presence on a guided tour “Interest safari” based on the artist’s field of focus.
• Public presentation of the project created during residential stay in Maribor, or working process resulting from the time in residency - »Project presentation« event. “Project presentation” event is organized in the last week of artist’s residential stay, preferably held in PMM’s gallery space K18 (or elsewhere, if it makes sense because of the specifics of the project). If the project is not finished, so it cannot be presented in the form of exhibition/performance, it can be presented as working process presentation (in the form of a shorter lecture including visual/video/audio presentation). Artist have to provide general information about the event for the PR to the GRM team at least 5 days prior.

Application procedure and updated dates:

• send Application form, Portfolio and Motivation letter (up to 4000 characters) to [email protected] until 10th of April 2017
• until 17th of April: notification of selected proposals for shortlist 
• 17th - 24th of April: skype meetings with selected artist for shortlist 
• 24th of April: notification of selected proposals and fixing the dates for residencies in 2017

Source:

http://www.guestroommaribor.si/curated-residencies