Category Archives: archive 2023

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: WATER TOWER ART RESIDENCY – LOM 10 – 20 JULY 2023

Posted on by
Reply
Selection of artists is over – 12 artists from around the world are going to our decentralized annual edition of Water tower art residency to Lom – where the Danube is going to inspire us to create communicate and interact with people, places and things.
The initiative is made possible through the support of Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: WATER TOWER ART RESIDENCY – LOM

10 – 20 JULY 2023

Water Tower Art Residency #7 presents an exceptional opportunity for artists to join an esteemed community of creatives. Building upon the success of Water Tower Art Fest, a renowned festival featuring over 80 contemporary art proposals from across Europe, Brazil, Canada, USA, and Japan, the residency aims to foster artistic development, create impactful works, and engage audiences within a unique context.

 

This year, we are committed to effecting positive change within the community by exploring diverse themes. We invite artists of all ages and experience levels to join us in Lom, one of Bulgaria’s oldest Danube towns. As a former cultural hub, Lom boasts a rich history, being home to the first women’s society, one of the country’s inaugural community centers, and a pioneer in theater productions. However, today it faces socio-economic challenges as one of the poorest regions in the European Union.

 

In every situation and location, lies great potential. Our motivation for selecting Lom as the residency site is to tap into this potential and redefine its future. Through research, immersion, and collaboration, participants will have the opportunity to interact with mentors, share knowledge, and exchange experiences, resulting in the creation of compelling artistic works.

 

Why Join?

 

Immerse yourself in the captivating ambiance of Lom, an ancient town brimming with untapped artistic inspiration.

Expand access to cultural content by producing and disseminating adapted or new works, reaching diverse audiences through digital and physical platforms.

Engage and inspire young audiences, fostering a lasting presence of Bulgarian art and artists in international partner organizations.

Connect with the local community, harnessing its inherent potential to shape a brighter future.

Collaborate with esteemed mentors from various parts of the world, drawing from their expertise and guidance.

Cultivate new skills, broaden your understanding of art and culture, and forge connections that transcend boundaries.

Embrace a new culture, exploring interconnections between people, environment, heritage, and technology, with a focus on coexistence and sustainable development.

Residency Details:

Artists working in digital art, sound art, painting, printmaking, photography, installation, performance, music, and socially engaged arts are encouraged to apply.

 

We offer:

 

Accommodation during the residency period.

Shared spaces for communal cooking and interaction among participants.

Please note that the cost of food products is not covered by the organizers.

From the organizers:

 

The residency accommodates up to 12 artists.

Participate in a mentorship program, receiving personalized guidance, workshops, and presentations from our esteemed mentors.

Access to a dedicated venue to realize your projects and ideas.

Assistance in finding accommodation options at preferential rates or shared living arrangements.

Technical support for installation and artwork creation.

Exhibition of the residency results.

Extensive promotion of the residency outcomes through media and social networks, including individual presentations for each participant.

Mentors:

Nia Pushkarova – artist and organzier of WTAR – performance interaction https://nia.watertowerartfest.com/

Boyan Avramov – percussion workshop  “Music within us”

Svetly Damyanov - workshop and presentation with the topics of installation, sculpture of clay, site specific and more at his ceramic studio and public spaces

Voin De Voin – performance artist running AEther art space Sofia https://voinvoin.wixsite.com/voindevoin

More tbc

 

…

 

To apply, please send an email to watertowerartfest@gmail.com accompanied by your CV and a cover letter before 01.07.2023. Please note that there may be restrictions on safety and other requirements imposed by municipal managers, which are beyond our control.

 

For further inquiries or to submit your application, please contact: watertowerartfest@gmail.com. Kindly indicate your availability and interest in the 2023 residency position in your cover letter. The application deadline is July 1, 2023.

 

***This project receives support from the Ministry of Culture.

Feministas Futuristicas- Feminism & art practice an international exchange 26 – 30.03.2023

Posted on by
Reply

Gallery of photos from meeting

We are happy to announce the first of series of meetings with female artists and activists to share their artistic practices over feministic issues

“Feministas Futuristicas – Feminism & art practice an international exchange”

26- 30 March 2023
Sofia, Bulgaria
Performances, Talks and more

Public presentation @Goethe Sofia on 28.03, 18:00h
Exhibition and performances @Æther Art Space 28.03, 20:00h

As a continuation of IME’s residency program over the years, this project focuses on the exchange of creative practices of internationally renowned artists working with socially engaged art. Its first edition in Sofia will take the form of a series of closed and public meetings of international women artists and local activists and artists working in different fields of art. During a three-day meeting, they will present their creative practice in a public space using feminist emancipatory methodologies, artistic practices and community building practices.
As a result of these meetings and the resulting collaborations and exchanges of ideas, an exhibition of the creative product (solo or group, as well as individual events) is planned in the participants’ countries – Bulgaria, USA, Italy, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland – this year and next. In this sense, our project foresees the exchange and networking between professional artists from different localities at an international level, with interrelated artistic and cultural practices, thus aiming to build on and exchange best practices in the field of arts and culture.

Women’s solidarity* has always been a powerful tool in our daily lives, but it can become an enormous force in times of crisis. That’s why we believe there is a need for a connection that is more than a simple professional network.

We invite women* activists working in Bulgaria and different parts of the world to participate in a long-term professional exchange program. Together with activist women* from different countries, we will discuss how feminism and sisterhood can contribute to overcoming the current crises and what joint actions can be taken. Some of the topics that will be touched upon are: equality and empowerment of women, respect for women at every age, the right to choose in a hierarchical system of male-dominated power leading to aggression and non-dialogue, and other topics important for the preservation of peace and the well-being of women and children today.

The program provides space and tools for professional and personal growth – there will be training sessions, study visits to civil society organizations, mentoring and mini-fellowships to plan your further development and realize ideas that have been on hold for a long time.

During the first short residential meeting ideas will be developed (individually or in groups) and then through a mini-fellowship can be implemented. For example, researching, writing an article or doing online or offline activities.

This project stimulates the Creation of a shared space for new ideas and collaborative action at an international level to achieve peace and equality.

 

26- 30 March 2023
Sofia, Bulgaria
Performances, Talks and more

Public presentation @Goethe Sofia on 28.03, 18:00h
Exhibition and performances @Æther Art Space 28.03, 20:00h

 

Artists:

Viviana Druga- Germany

Corinne Fhima – France

Ginny Sykes – Chicago, USA

Gaby Biela-Günter, aka LADY GABBY – Germany

Ana Vujic (Serbia), lives and works in Basel, Switzerland

Catherine Constance Gjelsnes – Norway

Ralitza Petrova – BG

Maddalena Mauri – Italy

Nia Pushkarova – BG

 

 

Organizer NGO IME/Water tower art residency 2023
For attendance of talks and discussions please write to :
watertowerartfest@gmail.com

 

With kind support of National Fund of Culture & special thanks to Goethe Institut Sofia, Æther Art Space and Swimming pool

 

design by Agnieszka Ziemiszewska, PL

@Association IME_ Water tower art residency 2023