Self-Organizations is a program that aims to provoke inventive ways of working and collaborating.
The program offers support to projects where different arts practitioners take the initiative and join forces to define a mutual resource or interest that’s important for their work, and propose how to share or develop it. The overall purpose of the program is to incite productive conversations, encourage the development of bespoke protocols for collaboration, and push for new art experiences to take place. Eventually, through different experiments with self-organization, the value of collective sharing and generosity amongst arts communities may show itself to be more relevant than funds and structures. The program will involve a diversity of participants working according to the specific guidelines below in order to try different formats and methodologies. For this second edition, this open call is reaching out to those interested in self-organizing under this program. The program will support projects by informal groups or collectives across four different categories as follows:
1. Informal Co-ops: Rather than replicating the same individual remedy for needs that are common, this program supports imaginative practical solutions for a mutual concern of a group. A minimum of four practitioners need to take the initiative to come together and identify a resource that they can share for a period of six months to one year, that can help them develop their own work. Examples include but are not limited to: a shared work studio, a music PA system, a video editing suite, a 3D printer, or hiring an assistant for the group. It is necessary that all the collaborators are involved from the start, and articulate their need of this specific resource for their own practice.
A maximum budget of US$6,000 will be available to cover the cost of this shared resource for approximately two selected proposals, starting from May 1, 2021 for no more than one year.
2. Private Audiences: As the use of public spaces and access to institutional venues becomes increasingly difficult, this program wants to make sure that practitioners can continue presenting and engaging with audiences. The program is designed for those interested in organizing art events in domestic and workplaces or other temporary private locations, where people can come together in small groups of peers, neighbors, friends, family, etc. The organization of the event must involve at least three people working collaboratively as curators or presenters, and can be a one-time event or a series that presents for example, but not limited to: a small exhibition, a performance, a dance piece, a concert, etc.
A maximum budget of US$1,000 will be available to realize the event/s for approximately three selected proposals, which can take place between May 1, 2021 and October 1, 2021.
3. Topical Assemblies: This program supports access to specialized intellectual or vocational knowledge where formal structures or public platforms for such learning are lacking. This category is for a group that wishes to come together and organize a collective discussion such as a seminar or workshop, on a specialized topic of their interest. Depending on the needs, this can be online or in-person, with or without invited guest speaker/s, however it must have a committed group of at least four people to develop it together. The assembly can be public or limited to the group.
A maximum budget of US$1,500 will be available for approximately two selected proposals, for activities that can take place between June 1 and October 1, 2021.
4. Your Ideas: We are also open to ideas that we have not considered and fall under the notion of self-organization. We are keeping this category open to hear from potential participants on what they want to initiate as part of this program. The proposal must be made by at least three collaborators, and the budgets will be determined by the specificity of the proposal but should not exceed US$4,000. One proposal will be supported in this category, and the timeframe will be agreed upon based the proposal’s specific needs.
*Due to the volatility of the current Covid19 crisis, if you are invited to participate in the Self Organizations program, then you commit to conforming your project to the prevailing sanitary advice and taking any needed precautions.
SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
In addition to complying with the general eligibility criteria that you can read here, please note the following:
- Arts practitioners from all disciplines and stages of their careers are welcome to apply.
- Priority will be given to proposals taking place within the Arab world.
- Institutions or already existing projects are not eligible to apply.
PROCESS
Mophradat’s team in collaboration with two external advisors will evaluation the applications based on how they align with the objective of the program.
All applicants, whether selected or not, receive a response to their applications by April 15, 2021.
Shortlisted participants will be invited for an online conversation to elaborate on their application before final selection is made.
As we often receive a high volume of applications, Mophradat does not provide individual feedback explaining why an application was not selected.
On selection, an agreement will be signed between the recipient and Mophradat.
Project participants will be asked to commit to providing a narrative report at the end of their project to let us know what happened, help us understand their experience of the project, and how it fulfilled (or not) the overall objective of the program.
This program is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
APPLICATION
You can apply by filling in an online form here. (Please note that you can’t save your application online therefore we recommend that you work offline and then paste your answers into the form.)
For any questions, please email grants@mophradat.org
