OPEN CALL: TURN2 Residencies
Curatorial Research Residencies in Johannesburg for curators and cultural practitioners based in Germany.
For Residencies in Berlin for curators based on the African continent, please click here.
A joint project of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation), the ZK/U – Center for Arts and Urbanistics and the Triangle Network.
In collaboration with and hosted by the Bag Factory, Johannesburg (South Africa).
Application Deadline: 05 April 2021
As part of the programme TURN2 - Artistic Co-Creation between Germany and African Countries, the Federal Cultural Foundation has launched the TURN2 Residencies - Curatorial Research Residencies in Berlin, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi.
The TURN2 Residencies facilitate research for curators and cultural practitioners with curatorial experience (visual arts, cross-disciplinary) either from the African continent to come to Berlin, or from Germany to come to Johannesburg, Lagos or Nairobi. The programme thus supports the development of transcontinental working relationships and sustainable networks between emerging curators and established art and cultural institutions, as well as the exchange between the different art scenes. The TURN2 Residencies are a cooperation of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation), the Center for Arts and Urbanistics (ZK/U Berlin) and the Triangle Network and are carried out in collaboration with the Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI), the G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos and the Bag Factory in Johannesburg.
This call invites emerging contemporary visual arts curators and/or visual culture practitioners with a cross-disciplinary curatorial interest based in Germany, to undertake a fully-funded 2-month residency at the Bag Factory in Johannesburg. The residencies will take place between September 2021 and September 2022 (exact dates to be finalised in consultation between the host and each selected candidate).
The Host
The Bag Factory is an independent Non-Profit Organisation that provides a community and studio space for practicing visual artists. With a focus on exchange of ideas and innovation, Bag Factory hosts resident artists’ studios and develops a programme of international residencies, exhibitions, specialist skills workshops and audience outreach activities and events. The Bag Factory has been supporting and promoting the visual arts in South Africa since 1991. It is affiliated with the Triangle Network.
The Residency
The aim of the residency programme is to widen the professional network and research opportunities for curators and cultural producers based in Germany, providing them with access to the visual cultural scene in South Africa and facilitating sustainable exchanges.
The TURN2 Residencies are research-driven and open to all areas of interest. They don’t require a formal outcome or final project, however participants are required to share their experiences or work-in-progress through discursive activities or events, developed in conversation with the hosts and other project partners.
The selected candidates are offered a studio at Bag Factory, with access to the gallery and events facilities. The candidates will have the support of Bag Factory staff and artists to quickly become part of the community. They will also be encouraged to explore the cultural resources in the city and interact with local artists, curators and other arts professionals in order to expand their networks and experience the new context.
At the same time, the selected curator/cultural practitioner is expected to be driven, self-sufficient and use their initiative to ensure a successful residency.
The residency is fully funded and comprises:
- Accommodation (self-contained room with own bathroom and basic kitchenette) in a B&B in the vicinity of the Bag Factory.
- Assistance with all residency logistics including flights and visa.
- A studio with desk with access to other facilities to organise activities (opening times/access?)
- Networking opportunities to provide the candidate with an overview of the local art scene and to help facilitate their research during the residency.
- Regular administrative support for organising curatorial/cultural activities including talks, a conference, an exhibition, or a publication.
- Opportunity to become part of the life of Bag Factory, benefiting from the involvement in the organisation’s other activities and programmes.
- A monthly scholarship (1.500 Euro), covering of travel expenses, rent and additional costs for research.
- Public presentation of one’s work in progress or research
Selection and Eligibility
This call invites emerging contemporary visual arts curators and/or visual culture practitioners with a cross-disciplinary curatorial interest based in Germany. Applicants should have at least a moderate level of spoken English, and should feel comfortable engaging in (public) artistic discussions in English. It is important that all applicants research Bag Factory thoroughly before submitting their application so as to be fully aware of the context which they would, if successful, be entering.
The selected curator/cultural practitioner should be able to engage discursively and speculatively with Bag Factory’s environment and Johannesburg's wider artistic and cultural context. With this in mind, applicants should submit a project proposal within their application, outlining their specific research interests and intentions for the residency. Those who fail to submit a considered proposal that is specific to this residency and the Johannesburg/South African context will be disqualified.
Please note:
- The residency offer is subject to the candidate being able to obtain the relevant visa and any other documentation/health screenings required to enter South Africa.
- The residency offer is subject to Covid-19 travel restrictions in South Africa, and residency dates/travel arrangements may be changed at short notice.
- For an update on the current entry restrictions and quarantine regulations in South Africa please visit the website of the https://www.suedafrika.org/en.html.
Selection Process
Three candidates will be selected by a jury that will meet in May 2021. Successful candidates only will be notified in early June.
Application Procedure
We accept digital applications only.
Please apply by using the Application Form.
You will be asked to provide the following:
- A statement describing your areas of interest and research in general (up to 300 words).
- A short plan for your residency. This could include a short description of a research project specific to the context of South Africa and, if applicable, an indication with whom you wish to conduct your research (up to 800 words). This proposal does not have to be definitive and can change during the course of the residency.
- A portfolio with images and descriptions of 2 to 3 recent projects (as PDF, max. 12, pages up to 10 MB).
- A CV/Resume (as PDF, max. 2 pages, up to 10 MB).
Application Deadline: 05 April 2021
About the partners:
Triangle Network is a global network of artists and visual arts organisations that support professional development and cultural exchange amongst artists, curators and other arts professionals through residencies, workshops, training and knowledge sharing.
The Center for Art and Urbanistics (ZK/U) is a place of art production, an artists' and researchers' residence and a programme platform in Berlin that combines local creation with global discourses. The ZK/U Berlin investigates existing forms of knowledge and practices in urban spaces as a springboard for the self-determination of the individual and the community
The ZK/U Berlin promotes the development of resilient and integrative networks that do justice to the complexities of urban life in the 21st century.
The Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation) promotes art and culture within the scope of federal competence. One of its main priorities is to support innovative programmes and projects on an international level. The Foundation focuses on cultural exchange and cross-border cooperation by initiating projects of its own and funding project proposals in all areas of the arts with no stipulations as to theme or subject. The German Federal Cultural Foundation is financed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media by resolution of the German Bundestag.
The Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to facilitating international artistic and cultural exchange and developing creative practices through artist residencies, public programmes and international collaborations. Based on an idea Shonibare began developing back in 2011, G.A.S. Foundation was established in 2019 and launched under the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (a UK registered charity).
Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI) is a non-profit visual art space dedicated to the growth and preservation of contemporary art in East Africa.
The Bag Factory is a non-profit contemporary visual art organisation providing studio space to a cross-generational community of Johannesburg based artists, and hosting international artist residencies, the David Koloane Award and Cassirer Welz Award. Bag Factory regularly curates exhibitions and a public programme With a pioneering 30-year history, Bag Factory provides a fertile international environment for experimentation, innovation and cultural dialogue between creatives in South Africa and the rest of the world.
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The TURN2 Residencies are a joint project of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation), the ZK/U – Center for Arts and Urbanistics and the Triangle Network. In collaboration with the Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI), the G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos and the Bag Factory in Johannesburg.
Funded by the TURN2 programme of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation). Funded by the Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media).
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