Kunstraum Lakeside | Call for Curator
Kunstraum Lakeside is a site for the production and presentation of international contemporary art, which aims to provoke critical reflection on aspects of the economy that concern society as a whole. Given its location at the Lakeside Science & Technology Park in the immediate vicinity of the University of Klagenfurt, the Kunstraum operates at the interface of economic, scientific, and cultural research, practices, and forms of discourse, and strives to make an enduring contribution to the social and cultural dynamic at Lakeside Park.
In October 2005, the Kunstraum opened its doors in a close cooperation between the management of Lakeside Park and the curators Christian Kravagna and Hedwig Saxenhuber, who were succeeded by Hemma Schmutz in 2015. In 2018, Franz Thalmair assumed the role of artistic director, and in his second working period from 2021 to 2023 he was responsible for the curatorial program together with Gudrun Ratzinger. The permanent establishment of the Kunstraum reinforced the public character of the artistic program, expanding and enriching the art-institutional landscape of the region with a unique place for critical artistic-theoretical debate.
The mission of Kunstraum Lakeside is to convey and challenge divergent perspectives on common social relations. Through its various exhibitions, public art projects, lectures, discussions, film evenings, and publications as well as cooperations with universities and other institutions, the Kunstraum triggers interdisciplinary debates on the pressing issues of our time among correspondingly diverse audiences. Implementing such a program capitalizes on the potentials that arise from the close-knit ties on site between business, university research, and the artistic field.
Call for Applications
Designed by artist Josef Dabernig as an exhibition, performance, and project space, Kunstraum Lakeside sees itself as a place for open communication and discourse and as a laboratory for artistic research. Departing from this premise, curators are called upon to prepare a program for the 2024–2026 program period at the Kunstraum, independently and without further restrictions outside budgetary constraints. The objective is to accentuate the links between science, technology, and art, to foster sustainable developments at the intersection of research, cultural education, and business at Lakeside Park, and to highlight the overlaps between contemporary artistic production, scientific methods, and technological innovations. We are looking for curators with experience in the field of transdisciplinary art and artistic research—that is, art in connection with technology and scientific fields, and in particular candidates with a professional practice that transcends disciplinary boundaries.
Thanks to its location in a science and technology park within direct proximity to the university, the Kunstraum serves as a bridge between university and corporate institutions. With the support of the park, curators can realize thematic projects that thrive on a critical, reflexive, and profound engagement with the conditions at Lakeside Park and beyond. Collaborations with protagonists from cultural studies, research, and natural sciences present ample opportunities for in-depth examinations and reflections on the impact of modern technologies and ever new modes of communication on society, the economy, and individuals. Additional aims at the Kunstraum are to create synergies, enter into an artistic, scientific, and cultural dialogue, and stimulate the creativity and knowledge of young people in an interplay with the Lakeside Science & Technology Park, the businesses and research facilities on site, and the Educational Lab.
Tasks at Kunstraum Lakeside
To ensure the sustainable and responsible development of a multifaceted artistic program with an international scope in the field of transdisciplinary art, which addresses the aforementioned context of Kunstraum Lakeside and takes into account the budgetary conditions in a cooperation with the administrative manager.
- Concept, planning, and implementation of programs based on annual budgets
- Authoring texts as well as concept and editing of accompanying publications
- Soliciting grants, sponsorships, or other contributions, and participation in competitions
- Press and public relations work
- Communicating and representing Kunstraum Lakeside to the outside world
- Networking and image development, maintaining contact with artists and cultural workers,
interested parties from the surrounding region, and partners - On-site engagement with the location and its audiences, addressing business enterprises in the park,
and attracting new target groups - Concept, design, and preparation of communication and documentation materials, etc.
- Elaboration of the archive and library
- Guided tours / discussions in the framework of openings, exhibitions, or events (on-site presence)
- Developing models to connect Kunstraum Lakeside with the Educational Lab, an open research lab for
new forms of education (art education, participatory practice, critical reflection, etc.) - Involving cooperation partners in the program (among others, university institutes, etc.)
- Concept and planning of evaluation processes for the realized program
Prerequisites
- Extensive curatorial experience with the expertise to develop and implement sophisticated exhibition concepts and cultural projects
- Familiarity with contemporary art discourses
- Experience in research and publication activities
- Network with national and international contacts
- University degree and/or relevant professional experience or comparable knowledge
- Excellent knowledge of German and English, other foreign languages are an advantage
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Well-structured work method and advanced administrative and organizational skills
- Dedication and flexibility
Conditions
The annual budget, financed by grants, sponsors, and the Lakeside Science & Technology Park, is set for the upcoming year. The implementation of the annual program thus depends on the budgetary coverage of the respective year.
The curator is commissioned by Lakeside Science & Technology Park GmbH (owner) on an independent basis (project and performance-based contract). The target for program implementation is a three-year period; a lump sum fee in the amount of 30,000.00 EUR net per year is offered.
For administration, coordination, and on-site networking, a person is designated to assist the curator in the amount of 20 hours per week. In addition, the team of the Lakeside Park or outside individuals can be contacted for special needs or requirements. Kunstraum Lakeside is intended to be open to the public for a minimum of 15 hours per week.
Duration
Curator of Kunstraum Lakeside for a planned period of three years.
Thematic program period: January 2024 – December 2026
Begin of activities: immediately after the decision
Begin of programming: January 2024
Procedure
Interested individuals must submit their documents by February 26, 2023 (midnight) via email to
office@lakeside-kunstraum.at
- Curriculum vitae highlighting qualification
- Letter of motivation (max. 1 page)
- Outline concept for the new programming of Kunstraum Lakeside
- Description (and documentation material if available) of at least one and a maximum of three of your own – from your perspective – outstanding projects, which have already been realized. Please describe what is special about them from your point of view and what motivated their reference in this context.
Additional visual material can also be sent to us by mail:
Lakeside Science & Technology Park GmbH, Kunstraum Lakeside, Lakeside B11, 9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Jury
The evaluation is performed by a jury appointed by the Kunstraum Lakeside association.
Time plan
Submission deadline: February 26, 2023, 24:00
Possible inquiries: until mid-February 2023
Jury session: March 2023
Concept for 2024: Submission of funding applications by the end of September 2023
Commissioned program period: January 2024 to December 2026
For any further questions, please contact Lea Lugarič, Kunstraum Lakeside coordination and administrative manager: office@lakeside-kunstraum.at or +43 463 22 88 22-60
Applications will be treated confidentially.
Photo: © Johannes Puch | Kunstraum Lakeside