26 Jan 2018

Open call 2018 for artist in residency at Maribor, Slovenia

Deadline: 28. 2. 2018

GuestRoomMaribor is seeking applicants for residencies in Maribor, Slovenia.

The residential program 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 organization'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.

GuestRoomMaribor favors projects that:
form explicit relations with the specific social, historical, political, etc. context of Maribor and/or the local community (participatory, site-specific art projects, interventions in public space, etc.), are dealing with the power relations and tactics of domination in current neoliberal social context question engagement of art, it's position in society and relations between art and politics. GuestRoomMaribor is also interested in 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, feminist and queer theory and art, locally bounded art production versus cosmopolitanism of art, circumstances of cultural/art production; rise of a creative class and entrepreneurship of art and culture.
The programe 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 emerging scene of art theorists, art critics and curators from Ljubljana etc.

GuestRoomMaribor is offering:
- Free accommodation (2 studio apartments 96 m2 and 76m2, located in the core of the old city center, equipped with kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping area)
-Fee for the artist 500 EUR
-Coverage of production costs up to 400 EUR (in the form of reimbursement of actual costs on presentation of original invoices)
-Duration of the residency 5 weeks
-Professional assistance, support for the artist and introduction to the local (art) scene by GRM team of curators and producers

GuestRoomMaribor is expecting:
- Public presentation of the artist's practice and of the proposed project that will be executed in Maribor at a public event 'Meet the Resident'
- Participation and presence on a guided tour 'Interest safari' based on the artist's field of focus.
- Public presentation (exhibition, performance, ...) of the project created during residential stay in Maribor, or working process resulting from the time of residency

Application procedure and updated dates:
-The application form is available to download at this link. (Hit 'File' and 'Download as', then choose format that suits you)
- Send Application form and Portfolio to guestroommaribor@gmail.com until 28th of February 2018
- 5th of March: Notification of selected proposals for shortlist
- 7th - 9th of March: skype meetings with the selected artist for shortlisting
- 12th of March: Notification of selected artists

The application should be written in the English language. This call is open to artists whose permanent place of residence is outside of Slovenia and who have completed their training. Slovenian citizens cannot apply for this programme. A basic working knowledge of English is required.