Call for applications: Curatorial residency in Switzerland 2020
Important Dates
Open call: May 2019
Deadline for applications: July 18, 2019
Pro Helvetia shortlist: July 25, 2019
Skype interviews with shortlisted candidates: August 2019
Final Jury: End of August 2019
* conducted by Atelier Mondial and Ausstellungsraum Klingental team members
Jury
Short list:
the Cairo and Zurich offices of Pro Helvetia
Final decision:
the board of the “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” and the jury of Atelier Mondial will together determine the successful candidate.
Residency in Switzerland: Between mid-May 2020 and mid-October 2020 (up to 5 months)
International Arts Exchange Programme Atelier Mondial and Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council, have established a new exchange programme for curators in collaboration with independent art space “Ausstellungsraum Klingental”, located in Basel. Now one the pre-eminent international centers of the contemporary art world, Basel and the surrounding region function as a dynamic nexus of people, ideas and work, which at the same time has a creative life outside of the major contemporary art events that are convened annually. In 2019 this residency is targeting Egypt and the Arab region, and the call will be managed through the Cairo office of Pro Helvetia.
Call for applications
The call for application is open to institutional and freelance curators, art educators and art critics from all over Egypt and the Arab region who are interested in immersing themselves in the Swiss art scene, doing some deeper research about art in the heart of Europe and establishing a show with local artists in collaboration with the team of “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” and “Atelier Mondial”.
What we expect
The main goal of the curator’s exchange program is to know more about the philosophy and practice of curating in other countries and contexts. We are interested in a critical view from the outside at the local Swiss art scene; for a curator to articulate his/her perception and position on the way of “doing art” in Switzerland. The residency offers the curator from the Arab region an opportunity to realize an exhibition or event or an artistic program (in visual arts, performance, media art) at “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” in the framework of the residency.
We expect from the applicant
- Open-mindedness; willingness to network and cooperate with different people from the regional art scene
- An interest in the Basel region as a context for creative work and inquiry, and in Swiss/European art in general
- Commitment to set up a show or a project/event at “Ausstellungsraum Klingental”
- willingness to re-invest the Basel network into a project in Egypt and/or in other countries in the Arab region after coming back
- fluency in written and spoken English is essential
To apply please submit
- CV
- letter of motivation, ideally including some preliminary consideration of lines of inquiry that you would want to pursue through the residency, as well as any artists/networks you would specifically want to engage with.
- sketch/abstract of research/project/exhibition at “Ausstellungsraum Klingental”
- rough budget (as far as possible)
What we provide to the incoming curator
- accommodation in one of the Atelier Mondial Studios.
- Living and travelling costs: up to CHF 12’000.- (up to 5 months).
- networking-dinner with curators from Basel in May 2019.
- Contribution to exhibition costs up to maximum CHF 5’000.- plus provision of technical equipment, invitation cards and other support for the promotion of the event.
- a motivated, active and curious host team with a lot of connections and experience in non-institutional artistic initiatives.
Contact: If you have questions concerning the residency and to apply please write to dsuleiman@prohelvetia.org.eg putting “curator-in-residency 2020” in the subject line no later than July 18, 2019.
About independent art space “Ausstellungsraum Klingental”
For generations Ausstellunsgsraum Klingental has served as a platform to discuss and present visual art projects developed in the region of Basel. It presents four to five exhibitions every year, alongside a variety of spontaneous events, concerts and performances. The program is run by artists and art historians and feeds on the ideas and initiative of its many volunteer contributors who like to move with ambition, diligence and limited budgets.
Ausstellungsraum Klingental is focused more on experiment and artistic research than on presenting established positions. It is a rather unique model of how to renew and sustain a city gallery on a high level. Guest curators can benefit from its widespread and hospitable networks. They will be invited to participate in Ausstellungsraum Klingental’s creative machinery /environment – which could be inspiring to all involved and inform the curators about the field where they will present their project towards the end of their residency.
About Atelier Mondial
Atelier Mondial is an International Arts Exchange Program which offers visual artists from the region of Basel, Southern Germany and Alsace (France) the opportunity to spend a number of months working abroad. Atelier Mondial has nine studios in the trinational region of Basel and currently arranges exchanges with ten partner organizations abroad. Salon Mondial surrounded by the seven live-in studios for the guest artists from around the world is a 135m2 exhibition space on the first floor at Freilager Platz 10. Here Atelier Mondial organizes its own exhibitions presenting the work of the currently residing guest artists as well as of exchange studio grantees from the region.
