[Nettime-ro] Call for applications Backyard Residencies - Vector Association, Iasi, RO

["vector gallery" <vector.gallery@gmail.com>]

 *BACKYARD RESIDENCIES!*

*New Program of Artists' Residences in South-East Europe*

Vector Association, Iasi, RO – Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Centre,

Istanbul, TR – New media center_kuda.org, Novi Sad-Belgrade, SCG

** supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers*


*CALL FOR APPLICATIONS*


WHY "BACKYARD RESIDENCES"?

*(back yard* *n*.  1. a yard at the back of a house, etc.  2. *in one's own
back yard*. a. close at hand.  b. involving or implicating one.)

What do we know about our own backyard? The Balkans or the "South East
Europe" have recently become the object of interest in the West and this has
caused many local controversies about the way how this "Balkan" has been
imagined. But do we really know how do we imagine the region where we live?
What kind of facts and fictions may influence our own image of this
geographical and cultural territory? As "neighbours", what do we really know
about each other? Do we travel through our region, do we want to explore how
similar and how different our experience of the region might be, do we want
to know more about what is going on just on the other side of the border?
How to carry out a research project in our own neighbourhood, and try to do
"our own stuff" around here?

This program aims at stressing the artistic cooperation in the SEE
"backyard" and to amend the most common type of available artists'
residencies in our region as the way of communication between the East and
the West, in which the western approach is often simply exoticist and the
eastern one is often just opportunistic. Recently there has been
considerable focus and interest in the countries of the Balkans, but this
development has reiterated the notion of the "cultural divide" between the
East and the West, and has not been very much beneficial locally. On the
other hand there is a considerable lack of dialogue and co-operation among
the artistic scenes in the region. Because of the usual donor-driven logic,
artists in the SEE rather looked at residency opportunities in the West then
at models of co-operation and artistic research in the region itself. With
the generous support of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the "Backyard
Residencies" aim at re-connecting artists and local art scenes in the
countries of SEE with the primary objective to activate interest for
artistic research which may be beneficial for understanding and learning
more about each other.

WHAT DOES THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM OFFER?

Twelve selected artists will be offered *twelve six-week to eight-week
residencies* at the three prestigious independent art institutions in *Iasi
(Romania), Istanbul (Turkey) and Novi Sad / Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro)
*.

The residencies will be available from *June 2006 to June 2007*.

All residencies include accommodation, per diems, working facilities and
equipment, library and artist archive, internet access, etc. Artists will be
provided with necessary contacts and assisted in their research as well as
in discussions and joint activities with local artists and art
professionals, in organizing events and the realization of the final
project. Each artist will be also reimbursed for the "tour-retour" travel
expenses (train or bus) to the place of residence.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The project is conceived as a residency program for visual artists from the
SEE region who wish to carry out projects of artistic research within the
region. The project is based upon the need to open up regional co-operation
which will focus on artistic research, reflections and actions regarding the
very conditions of living and working here. The residencies are meant for
active artists, without any age limit, who are living in the region and who
may conceive projects which would be both beneficial for them and their
careers and for localities where they would conduct their research. The
program is open for applicants from the following countries: *Romania,
Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia*.

HOW TO APPLY?

Before applying, artists are suggested to explore which one of the offered
places of residency and institutions is most suitable for their own work and
which place offers a clear research potential for them. In their
applications artists will be asked to show a focused research interest and
to briefly explain why they have chosen a particular place of residence. *In
order to apply, artists are asked to complete the attached application form,
which has to include the statement about the particular research interest,
as well as a CV*. Applicants may also include any relevant publications on
their previous work as well as any visual material they find important for
this application.

*The completed form (in English language) has to be sent before May 1, 2006,
either by electronic mail or by regular post, directly to the institution of
choice*. Alternatively, the form may be sent to the Program Coordinator,
Branislav Dimitrijevic.

HOST INSTITUTIONS?

- *Vector Association*, Iasi, Romania (represented by Matei Bejenaru);

- *Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Centre*, Istanbul, Turkey (represented
by Vasif Kortun);

- *new media center_kuda.org*, Novi Sad-Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
(represented by Zoran Pantelic).

(*please see short profiles of each institution attached to this document)

FOCUS AND SELECTION CRITERIA?

The program is focused on the priority to support *relevant and ambitious
artistic projects* based upon the research conducted during the residency
period in one of the proposed locations. The general focus of the whole
program is to raise awareness on cultural and artistic issues in the SEE
region, to strengthen the ties between independent art institutions and
producers, and to create a new platform for projects which will be of some
importance locally. Applications will be reviewed and selection of artists
will be made by a selection panel consisted of representatives of host
institutions and other art professionals. Apart from evaluating the artistic
relevance of the applicant's draft of the project, the selection panel will
pay attention to the applicant's *clearly stated research interest*, her or
his experience in the field of artistic research and awareness of regional
issues. It is important for applicants to explain interest in the preferred
place of the residence and in the host institution.


MORE INFORMATION?

For further information on the Backyard Residency Program please contact the
Program Coordinator, Branislav Dimitrijevic:
*branko@bgdmail.com*<branko@bgdmail.com>


*For more details on host institutions please contact:*

*Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Centre*

Istiklal Cad. No: 276 Beyoglu

Istanbul, 34340 Turkey

Tel: 90 212 293 23 61

Fax: 90 212 293 30 71

www.platform.garanti.com.tr

*platform@garanti.com.tr* <platform@garanti.com.tr>

*Vector Association, Iasi*

Cuza Voda 41

Iasi, Romania

Tel/fax 00040 232 237486

http://www.periferic.org/vector/rezidenta.html

*bmatei@mail.dntis.ro* <bmatei@mail.dntis.ro>, vector.gallery@gmail.com

*new media center_kuda.org*

Brace Mogin 2

PO BOX 22

Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro

*office@kuda.org* <office@kuda.org>

*http://www.kuda.org* <http://www.kuda.org/>
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