07 Dec 2015

Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen – International Fellowship Program for Art and Theory: Call for Applications

Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen
International Fellowship Program for Art and Theory 2016–17

Call For Applications


Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen invites visual and media artists, art critics, theorists, and curators to apply for a fellowship in 2016–2017. Candidates can apply for one semester (October 3, 2016 – February 12, 2017 or February 13, 2017 – June 24, 2017). The fellowship can be split across two semesters.

The closing date for submissions is January 29th, 2016 (postmark).

INSTITUTION
Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen is a post-graduate center for production, research, exchange in the fields of visual arts and art theory. Within the framework of the International Fellowship Program for Art and Theory, the Künstlerhaus provides a platform that facilitates the development and production of artistic and art-theoretical projects in a critical context. At the same time, Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen offers a forum for direct exchange between professionals – artists, theoreticians, critics, and curators – from the region and abroad, as well as a point of interaction with local interested audiences. Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen is affiliated with the Tyrolean Artists' Association, the major association of visual artists from the region.

Büchsenhausen brings together two programs under one roof. On the one hand, it is the site of the International Fellowship Program for Art and Theory. On the other hand, it is the location of several studios for artists based in Tyrol who require space for working in a professionally interesting environment. Three apartment studios are used by the participants in the fellowship program. The other six studios are available to artists based in Tyrol. The project and presentation space is equipped with multimedia facilities and is at the fellows' disposal. The space was designed by Atelier van Lieshout.

INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
With its Fellowship Program for Art and Theory, Büchsenhausen promotes internationally relevant artistic production, research, and discussion in the region of Tyrol. The program is based on the idea of generating and maintaining a context for production and discussion, in which artists and theorists can connect and reflect on international art and societal discourses in relation to local topics and issues. At the same time, it affords the opportunity for an artistic laboratory of experimentation, where new artistic practices and strategies may be tried out.

The program's aims are:
* to promote and relay a critical, socially relevant production of knowledge in art and art theory;
* to produce, through the fellowship projects, qualified discourses on art and society within the local and global contexts;
* to enable the transfer of knowledge between the field of art and other publics outside the art context;
* to facilitate the exchange between cultural producers in the visual arts and beyond (creating a network of experts).

The program combines the advantages of a residency with the possibilities of a postgraduate, non-university lectureship on the basis of an open, non-formalized structure. In terms of content, the program addresses a worldwide public made up of professionals in the fields of contemporary art, architecture, art and media theory, and criticism.

The fellows are selected by a jury of experts following an open call for applications. They come to Büchsenhausen for one or two semesters to work on realizing their proposed undertaking, and accompany this process with public events. For this purpose, Büchsenhausen offers a monthly stipend, a production budget, working spaces, free lodging, and artistic and technical advice.

The conveyance and discussion of the fellow's own work occurs parallel to the development of the individual proposals. The public events take place in series. The focus of these series of events is determined by the respective emphases of the various fellows' works. Within the framework of this discursive format, the fellows (or their guests) can present various points in their investigations, open up their works-in-progress to critical discussion, interact with experts who they invite, work through content with the public, and/or try out new ways of working. The fellowship year ends with a group exhibition curated by the director of the Fellowship Program.

For former and current fellows and their realized work please visit buchsenhausen.at/index.php?newlang=eng (Menu item 'Fellows').

FELLOWSHIP
> a grant of EUR 3,150 to cover the costs of living during the period of residency in Innsbruck;
> an individual studio for working and living, furnished with a large shared kitchen;
> a production budget for the realization of the submitted proposal;
> a budget for inviting experts to Büchsenhausen for the purpose of professional exchange;
> the opportunity of a group exhibition at the end of the fellowship at the Kunstpavillon in Innsbruck.

FACILITIES
> free access to the 'Lab', the project/gallery space;
> free use of the available multimedia production equipment in the 'Lab';
> free DSL/WLAN Internet access;
> professional artistic advice;
> technical advice if required.

ELIGIBILITY
Professional visual/media artists, art theorists, art critics, and curators from all over the world are eligible for the fellowship.

REQUIREMENTS
The application must include a concrete work proposition. Work on the submitted proposal forms the core of each fellow's activities during his/her stay in Büchsenhausen. A description of a series of public events intended to accompany the individual work during the duration of the fellowship (up to four events) is also an integral part of the working proposal. If the application is successful, the fellows are required to specify the details of the presentation series and carry out the proposed program.

The fellows declare themselves willing to be present at Büchsenhausen for the duration of the fellowship. Working knowledge of English is required.

SELECTION
The selection of fellows is made by a jury of experts and based on the quality, originality, and relevance of the proposed undertaking and the work samples submitted by the applicants. The jury includes the director of Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen, a member of the advisory board at Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen and one external expert.
The selection procedure occurs in two stages.
In the first stage, the submitted applications are evaluated and the jury makes a shortlist of candidates who will be invited to Büchsenhausen for personal interviews.
The personal interview with the jury forms the second stage. For the interview, the applicants have to come to Innsbruck to personally present their working plans and aims during the fellowship.
Büchsenhausen will pay for accommodation in Innsbruck for one night, but cannot cover the costs for travel to Innsbruck. Alternatively, a video conference (for instance via Skype) is also possible.
There is no legal right to be awarded a fellowship at Künstlerhaus Büchsenhausen. The jury is therefore under no obligation to justify decisions. The jury's decision will be communicated in written form in March 2016 (first stage) and April 2016 (second stage).


For the full text of the call, more information on the application procedure, financial questions, etc. please consult our website (buchsenhausen.at/index.php?newlang=eng) or contact us at: office@buchsenhausen.at, phone +43 512 278627, fax -11.