International Arts Exchange Programme Atelier Mondial, located at Christoph Merian Stiftung in Basel, 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 of the pre-eminent international centres 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 2016, this residency will target the Southern African region, and the call will be managed through the Johannesburg office of Pro Helvetia.
Call for applications
The call for applications is open to (freelance) curators, art mediators and art critics from Southern Africa 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 which includes regional and Swiss artists, in collaboration with the team of “Ausstellungsraum Klingental”. Applicants can be from any of the following countries in the Southern African region:
Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Seychelles, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Submissions should reach Pro Helvetia Johannesburg by August 1 2015.
What we expect
For art space “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” the main goal of the curator’s exchange programme is to build more knowledge about the philosophy and practice of curating in other countries and contexts. We are interested in a critical view from the outside of our local art scene; for a curator to articulate his/her perception and position on our way of “doing art”. “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” offers the curator from Southern Africa the opportunity to realise an exhibition or event as part of the annual “Regionale” – this is a big exhibition featuring local artists and taking place in/around 16 venues in the tri-national region of Basel (Switzerland), Alsace (France) and Südbaden (Southern Germany).
What we provide to the incoming curator:
▪Accommodation in one of the Atelier Mondial Studios
▪Living and travelling costs: CHF 12’000.- (5 months)
▪Networking-dinner with curators from Basel in September 2016
▪The opportunity to set up an exhibition or project/event at art space “Ausstellungsraum Klingental” in November 2016 (during the “Regionale”), with the support of local volunteers
▪A 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
For further information, please visit: http://www.prohelvetia.org.za/Curatorial-Residency-Call.3890.0.html