Art Futures Fellowship Programme

Art Futures, Serendipity in Action is an international non-profit organisation that supports and initiates activities with an unconditional belief in the value of the arts, culture and education. Its activities aim to widen participation and engagement in the arts towards more just and sustainable societies in Europe and beyond.

Theme, the Fellowship prioritises proposals with a clear view on how the fellowship, including the residency period, is embedded in the overall artistic practice and discourse of the applicant. The proposal should outline how the artist will engage in meaningful interactions within the cities of Athens and Zutphen, and/or its institutions, and communities. With the challenge of working in two totally different societies (a capital city in a Mediterranean country and a provincial Medieval city in the East of the Netherlands) the Fellowship gives a unique opportunity to start an artistic conversation between those two worlds.

Art Futures: Critical Friends, is an international platform that meets annually to discuss ‘the role of the arts and higher arts education in future societies, in an international arena’. The profile of Critical Friends is made up of colleagues with a proven contribution to, successful position and seniority in, the cultural and/or higher arts education sectors. Critical Friends develop ideas set out in the activities of Art Futures and act as a sounding board and think tank, and in the case of this Fellowship a pool of experts that can provide tailor made mentoring for the fellows. In return the Fellowship programme will provide meaningful interactions with the Critical Friends.

Through the host organisations [sic] and Dat Bolwerck and their local networks, including arts venues (theatres, galleries, museums etc.), educational partners, and grass root initiatives, they aim the Residency to be embedded in the cultural and social fabric of the two cities. The project spaces offer possibilities for a final presentation of the outcomes as well as for research or collaborative works. The fellow’s needs for these possibilities must be indicated in advance, to enable them to discuss and if possible, facilitate these actions.

Benefits

• Accommodations available are fully equipped studio-apartments at the host organisation [sic] in the city centre of Athens and at Dat Bolwerck, in the historical centre of the city Zutphen.
• Successful applicants will additionally receive a total expense allowance of 8000 euro which is intended to cover travel costs/expenses, a visa (where necessary) and subsistence over the residency period.

Partners

• Art Futures collaborates with [sic] and Dat Bolwerck and is supported by a network of individuals from public and private arts institutions in Athens and Zutphen and a wide range of institutions represented by the Critical Friends network.
• Art Futures and Dat Bolwerck are grateful for the generous support of its donors and the City of Zutphen. The grant from the city of Zutphen was made possible through a stipend in memory of the artist Edith Meijering.
• Art Futures and its partners are fully committed to a policy of equality, diversity and inclusion, both in relation to the operation of the organisation and to all the activities they engage in. Art Futures, and Dat Bolwerck regret and apologise for the limited access to the accommodations provided for the residencies that may restrict some applicants.

Venues

• Athens: [sic] Space for International Cooperation, is an independent, non-for profit, project-space in the heart of Athens. It is privately run by a group of international friends that each bring in their professional background and networks to host, support and facilitate co-operations among local and international partners. Artistic residencies, exhibitions, symposia, workshops or longer-term projects explore new ideas and new forms of knowledge and policies across the usual divide of cultures, disciplines and sectors.
• Zutphen: Dat Bolwerck is a multi-disciplinary art space, focussing on contemporary art, contemporary music and philosophy, offering a carefully curated programme of high-quality exhibitions by (inter)national contemporary artists, concerts, lectures and workshops. Dat Bolwerck is located in a sixteenth century monument in the historical centre of Zutphen, a city 115 km East of Amsterdam.

For more information, visit Art Futures.