Call for Curators: TMLAB Grant Program (Italy)

This opportunity supports the development of curatorial practices through a hybrid mentorship programme starting in July, and offers the chance to curate a showcase to be presented at the next edition of C2C Festival in November.

This call aims to support underrepresented curators. If you feel comfortable, you’re invited to share how your background, experiences or perspective resonate with this mission in your Motivation Letter. The successful applicant will be notified by early July 2025.

TMLAB is a European project aimed at supporting and empowering emerging artists from underrepresented communities across Europe. Spanning cities like Athens, Turin, Madrid, Lyon, and Brussels, it focuses on providing opportunities for artists and curators from diverse backgrounds to grow and develop their careers.

The project encourages reclaiming narratives and challenging historical structures in the music industry. Through live events, tours, and radio shows, TMLAB showcases the ever-evolving music scenes across Europe, while also challenging existing inequalities in the music landscape.

Funding Information

• Financial and Technical Support:
  • Curator contribution: €3,000.
  • Travel, accommodation, and per diem (up to 3 days) during C2C Festival 2025.
  • Technical and production support for the showcase.
  • Communication and promotion.
• Mentorship and Job Shadowing with Turin-based professionals:
  • Hybrid structure: online sessions from July and an in-depth workshop during C2C Festival 2025 until the end of the year, covering key curatorial methodologies, audience engagement strategies and cultural production insights.
  • The curator’s engagement will last at least 6 months, including project development, artist contact, meetings, and shadowing. Regular 1-1 meetings to track progress.
• Curatorial opportunity to programme a showcase at C2C Festival 2025:
  • The selected curator will organise and present a showcase featuring three emerging national artists during C2C Festival 2025 edition in November.

Responsibilities

• Selected Curator’s Responsibilities
  • Deliver a public showcase with 3 national emerging artists during C2C Festival 2025.
  • Provide a final report on the experience and project outcomes.
  • Write a thematic essay on the local underground scene (minimum of 3 pages).
  • Acknowledge TMLAB, Situazione Xplosiva, and the European Commission in all public communications and materials related to the project.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to curators based in Italy, regardless of nationality.
• No age limit; applications will be evaluated based on the stage of the candidate’s career.
• Individuals and collectives may apply (if applying as a collective, a lead applicant must be designated).
• Applicants must commit to being available remotely for the duration of the residency and in person for festival dates (30 October – 2 November).

Selection Criteria

• The selection will prioritise curators from underrepresented backgrounds that reflect the vision of C2C Festival and are aligned with the ethical, critical, and inclusive values promoted by TMLAB.

Application Requirements

• The proposal must include:
  • Personal details (name, contact info, nationality, etc.).
  • Brief biography and previous curatorial works (max 1,000 characters). Please describe up to three events, projects or other relevant work that showcase your curatorial experience. If available, feel free to include links.
  • Motivation Letter explaining interest in the project and intended professional growth.
• Incomplete or over-length applications will not be considered.

For more information, visit C2C Festival.