OPEN CALL
FOR NEXT EDITION OF
WATER TOWER ART FEST 2015
20- 28 June 2015
Water Tower Art Fest is an artist run initiative and the biggest international contemporary art festival in Sofia, incorporating alternative spaces in series of exhibitions in June each year since 2006.
The festival now has developed as a platform of exchange of national and international artists working in all disciplines within contemporary visual art. It gives the opportunity to share ideas and to question the sociopolitical situation with its socially engaged works done especially for the venues and showcase of contemporary artworks with notion of overcoming the paradigm of our age, dominated by economic structures that obstruct our very prime right to exist.
Part of the festival this year will take place in the city of Pernik, (very close to Sofia ½ h) which in the 1980s boasted more than 80 working factories with heavy industry – now, nearly all shut down, abandoned and in ruins, especially after the earthquake 3 years ago. In the face of this visible product of post-communist catastrophe, the notion of being politically correct is no longer satisfactory and we take a stand with the unquestionable power of art. The hunches we follow this year are mere ideas to be where needed, as artists and fully aware of the function art has in society nowadays.
We are calling for revival, trying to bring back hope and sense in hopeless places and senseless time.
You are invited to contribute towards the revival trial and searching for sense during the 9th edition of Water tower art fest 2015. The general theme this year is:
“Towns in need of love”
Participating venues:
Public spaces around the city of Sofia – 20 – 28 June
Old tram station DEPO – one day action only
SAMSI – ARSENAL museum of contemporary arts
Lavele hostel art gallery
Square of St. Nedelya and Cervantes cultural center
Private galleries
City of Pernik 25- 28.06.2015 “To Pernik with love”-
Old mine,
Old fortress “Krakra”,
Old Machine factory “Struma”
Different public spaces
Click on link to view venues in separate folders: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2gqDgNTx6J-Rk52SjdLSm44dm8&usp=sharing
More TBA
Note: The team of WTAF preserves the right to change, add or replace venues destinations, due to unforeseen circumstances, beyond our control.
Deadlines:
Open call launch – 25th of February, 2015
Deadline for proposals – 01.04.2015
Announcing the results – 15.04.2015
Festival dates 20-28th of June 2015
Selection committee:
Chief curator: Nia Pushkarova (BG)
Maddalena Mauri (IT)
Niclas Halberg (SE/Serbia)
Marcos Vidal (SP)
Who can apply?
Anyone, working in the fields of contemporary visual arts, with no restriction to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality or education!
We accept proposals on the basis of our proposed venues being site specific or according to our theme. We also accept proposal topics for our discussion panels during the festival and workshops.
Selection committee consisting of prominent art figures in the world of art is invited to assist us in choice of artists.
NOTE: Artists are responsible for their own travel and shipping of artworks, unless otherwise arranged, under third parties relations made in advance. What we can do is send an invitation to be used for applying to available funding and grants at selected artist’s countries of residence.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR APPLYING:
Please send in a proposal, consisting of:
• a detailed explanation and concept of your proposed art work, including visuals (photos) or sketches
• specific technical requirements and material needed for its implementation
• Short CV or resume mentioning name, country of origin, gender and past artistic history and/or general interest in the arts sphere
What you can expect from us during WTAF 2015:
— Free access to all events of festival
— Extended coverage in media and official catalogue of the fest and site along with publications in different medias with links to websites
— Assistance in finding affordable accommodation – hostel or private based with discount being part of the festival
— Recommendations and invitations for travel funding
— Technical and other assistance during the festival, assistance in finding materials and equipment, if not exceeding certain amount, is covered by festival
— Overall guidance and assisting in production of work by our volunteers and professional technical team
— Possible airport pick up and accompanying to hotel or accommodation by team and/or volunteers
— In case your artwork requires special equipment hire, please state this in your application, so further arrangements can be made, if possible
— Great time interacting with different artists, both local and international, a chance to get valuable contacts for your professional and personal life
— Generally meeting great people and experiencing festival’s frenzy in its full
Please distribute or repost this open call freely.
P.S. The festival is under the Cultural Calendar of Sofia Municaplity for 2015 and National
Cultural calendar
P.P.S. Also the festival is in close partnership with Nomadic village which has its own open call and program within the festivals program in Pernik 2015: http://nomadic.cd/
Water Tower Art Fest Team
25.02.2015, Sofia
Contacts:
9 Bogatica Street, app. 12
Sofia 1421
Bulgaria
* Special sending requirements will follow if needed.
Nia Pushkarova
Director of NGO IME and organizer/chief curator of Water tower art fest
Member of Bulgarian Festival Association (BFA)