Category: Events
05 February 2025
Aveiro invites two artists from the CreArt Network to create an urban artwork as part of Festival dos Canais program, between 7th and 20st July, curated by João Fino.
The works will be displayed along the public space, focused in the surroundings of the water canals and the Ecomuseum Marinha da Troncalhada. The Ecomuseum is a saltpan still producing salt under the artisanall and ancient methods.
To the participants will be offered all conditions to present their work.
Festival dos Canais is a multidisciplinary event that offers a large program of activities from visual to performative arts, that aims to bring arts to the public space and make the city an enormous stage, able to attack all kinds of audiences.
Artists accepted
Aveiro will receive two [2] visual artists of younger generation.
During the staying in Aveiro, the artists will have a diversified cultural program, which will aim to widen their knowledge about the region and Festival dos Canais in collaboration with professionals.
To the participants will be offered all conditions to get inspired by the Aveiro region and the projects will be developed under the topic of different elements of the territory specificities and the local identity such as the lagoon, the water canals, the Art Nouveau heritage, the salt production, or the Aveiro’ historic neighborhoods.
The final works created will be presented in the public space, between 16th and 20th July.
Who can apply?
The call is open to local artists of younger generation – born or resident – in any of the cities taking part in the CreArt | Network of Cities for Artistic Creation: Artkomas, Kaunas [Lithuania]; Aveiro [Portugal]; Valladolid [Spain]; České Budějovice [Czech Republic]; Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen [France]; HDLU [Zagreb, Croatia]; Lublin [Poland]; Liepaja [Latvia]]; Lviv Artistic Council “Dialogue” [Ukraine]; Oulu [Finland]; Regensburg [Germany]; Skopje [North Macedonia], and Venezia [Italy].
Conditions and stipend
Aveiro will provide an artistic director to guide the artists, as well as to introduce them in the local artist’s community.
The organization will pay a grant of 2.500€ to each artist for travelling, subsistence and production costs.
The artists must have a European health card or equivalent.
Accommodation will be provided by the organization in the city center of Aveiro.
The two selected artists will develop their proposals with a curatorial assistance before starting the residency to define, mature and adequate the projects.
The works will be created in the city center of Aveiro, near the water canals and the Ecomuseum Marinha da Troncalhada.
Are you interested?
Requirements:
ID or passport (scanned copy);
A short version of your resume/CV [one A4]
Documentation material recent and related to the project, with technical specifications [maximum e examples of representative artworks, 5 pages and 5 pictures. links can be included];
A short written project proposal [one A4].This document should also contain a list of technical needs and other relevant technical details, which can help the organization to understand the project.
Artists need to register on the CreArt website and upload their portfolio.
Only applications with complete information will be accepted. The applications must be submitted before February 28th, 2024. Aveiro will inform of the results until March 10th. The shortlist will be published in the CreArt website.
If you have any problem to complete the application form please send the portfolio in PDF to creart@fmcva.org
The participation in this call implies the acceptance of these bases, and the artists selected should include a reference of in all their future communications that have been selected to participate in the CreArt 3.0 | Artists in public space – project co-funded by the European Union – Creative Europe program.
The curator
João Fino. Born in Aveiro in 1976. Painter and illustrator. Director.
He currently resides between Portugal and The Netherlands.
He has been on stage since he was six years old. Graduated in performing arts and stage direction from the Contemporary Academy of Spectacle, in Porto. From there, he began a 25-year career as a director, teacher, musician and actor in theater and cinema, where he won several national and international awards.
He has more than 50 plays in his curriculum. He directed, for 5 years, theater courses and all the stagings of Gretua, at the University of Aveiro, where he also won 3 Theater awards in Portugal and Spain.
He taught in several private and public schools.
In 2012, he left Portugal for the USA. Dedicating himself exclusively to painting and illustration, he exhibits regularly in cities such as Charlotte, New York or Chicago. He has paintings of his in several collections in the USA, Canada, Europe and Australia. 3 years after this journey, he left to Amsterdam.
During the decade he lived in Amsterdam, he taught theater and painting in local associations and communities. In parallel he expanded his curriculum in the visual arts with the design of scenarios and theatrical props, collective and individual exhibitions of Illustration and painting, created illustrations for dozens of album covers and books.
Currently, along with his career as a painter and illustrator, he is responsible for all theatre training, staging and drawing and painting workshops for the company Ofícios com História, working with the most diverse communities in Portugal.
About Aveiro
Located in the center of Portugal [halfway of Porto and Coimbra], by the sea, Aveiro is one of the major cities of the country. Nowadays its relevance and increasing number of inhabitants comes from the presence of the University [founded in 1973] and from the industries and companies operating in the technological areas, as well as from the improvement of the harbour facilities, seen as an important gateway to Europe and a strategic point to international trade.
Aveiro is also placed by the central national railway which contributes to the easy traveling to everywhere in the country. All types of services are available and there are several sports and cultural facilities to serve the population and the visitors. Museums, a municipal theater, a congress center and a large number of culture associations and culture agents [CCI] create the pleasant and dynamic cultural atmosphere of the city, highlighted by the Festival dos Canais and the International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics [since 1989]. Encompassing the cultural dynamics, Aveiro has been the first Portuguese Capital of Culture, in 2024.
The lagoon and the canals provide more than a peculiar landscape. The water shapes Aveiro’s urban space and define the community collective memory and heritage.
A city full of history, of several former monasteries, baroque churches, Art Nouveau facades, colored tile panels. With a long tradition in ceramics, fishing [including the famous codfish] and salt production, Aveiro is also known by the 15th century Portuguese princess Joana who chose to live, became nun and is buried in Aveiro [her tomb is a masterpiece of Portuguese baroque]. Blessed since 1693 and motive of deep religious devotion of the community she is the saint patron of Aveiro. Side by side with the city’ long history, is the university campus, a complete catalogue of the Portuguese contemporary architecture design by renowned architects such as the Pritzker’s awarded Álvaro Siza Vieira and Eduardo Souto Moura.
The weather conditions are pleasant, on both summer and winter, and the brightness provided by the large lagoon and the ocean brings a special glow to the city and the buildings colors.
The beaches around Aveiro [Barra, Costa Nova and São Jacinto] are a main holiday center for people from center Portugal and Spain [Salamanca, Valladolid, Ciudad Rodrigo]. Barra’ beach is also a significant spots for surfing all entire year. Besides that, the lagoon [European protected area – Natura 2000 network] attracts a large number of visitors and researchers to appreciate and study the landscape and the biodiversity [mainly the birds]. The saltpans still producing according to artisanal methods are one of the major local touristic attractions. Art Nouveau heritage is a significant cultural attraction too [Aveiro takes part of the Art Nouveau European Cultural Route and become the president of the network for the next 3 years], side by side with the moliceiro’ boats and the street art produced by local and renown national artists.
Within the project:
Partners:
Co-funded by:
Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2023-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101128499]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
30 January 2025
CreArt Exhibition Call: European Month of Creativity / Galleria MABD
CreArt Oulu and Galleria MABD are opening a call for artists in the CreArt network as part of the European Month of Creativity festival in Oulu this May.
Galleria MABD is a privately owned gallery located in one of the Oulu landmarks in Oulu city centre. Galleria MABD is part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture program with a goal to internationalise the Oulu art scene and build a network of artists and galleries, for making organising exhibitions abroad easier.
The open call is aimed at visual artists in the CreArt network. We are looking for a complete exhibition setup that is easily transportable to Galleria MABD or can be produced in Oulu for the exhibition.
The goal of the call is to create an inspiring exhibition to introduce European art for Oulu residents and visitors alike as part of the European Month of Creativity in May 2025.
Overall schedule and eligible artists
The exhibition call is open from 20 January to 20 February 2025.
Artist and work selections will be made by 28 February 2025. Selected artists will be notified of the selection separately to initiate travel and accommodation arrangements. The artist or the group of artists are published as part of the communication of the CreArt project and Galleria MABD’s marketing campaigns.
The artist applying for the residency must have been born, resident or domiciled, in one of the cities in the CreArt 3.0 network: Kaunas (Lithuania), Liepaja (Latvia), Skopje (North Macedonia), Aveiro (Portugal), Valladolid (Spain), Lublin (Poland), Venice (Italy), Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen (France), Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic) and Regensburg (Germany).
In addition, HDLU (Croatian Association of Visual Artists) members can apply for the residency period.
Ukrainian artists apply in cooperation with Lviv Artistic Council Dialogue.
The exhibition period is 7 – 25 May 2025 (three weeks). Installation period is 5 – 6 May 2025 (Monday-Tuesday). The vernissage of the exhibition is on Tuesday 6 May 2025.
Description of the work plan
The work plan for the exhibition must include a brief description of the theme, introduction of the artist or artists together with photographs of the artwork suggested for the exhibition. The artist applying must submit a CV and a portfolio (including work samples in a suitable file format) and a copy of the passport.
Exhibition fees and other costs
The exhibition plan must detail an estimate of the shipment of the artworks or the production costs onsite. After the exhibition, the works will be shipped without frame.
The exhibition period in Oulu includes:
- the artist’s fee of 500 euros/gross (per artist) for participation in the exhibition (the artist applies for an A1 form from their native country for payment of the 15% withholding tax)
- travel expenses from the artist’s hometown to Oulu and back + accommodation in Oulu, to install the exhibition and be present in the opening (from 4 to 8 May 2025)
A cooperation agreement with the CreArt Oulu will be drawn up for the implementation of the selected artist or group of artists.
Selection criteria
The artworks are selected by Galleria MABD’s gallerist Hanna Manninen. The work plan must support the goals of the CreArt 3.0 project in general.
Portfolio delivery and application deadline
The open call deadline is Thursday 20 February 2025.
Register on the intranet of the CreArt project and upload your portfolio by 20 February 2025.
The exhibition work plan can also be submitted by email (zip file or link to the application materials): Project Coordinator Hanna Jakku, hanna.jakku@ouka.fi, tel. +358 50 3468 537.
For inquiries about Galleria MABD: Hanna Manninen, hanna@mabd.fi, tel. +358 40 1780 980.
Within the project:
Partners:
Co-funded by:
Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2023-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101128499]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
24 January 2025
CreArt Kaunas and Kaunas Artists’ House announce an open call for land/environmental art creators and invite them to create land/environmental art installations in public spaces along the river Nemunas in Kaunas. The artworks must be made of natural, biodegradable materials and integrate harmoniously into the local context and landscape.
The created works will be presented on Saturday, May 24, 2025, during the festival “Let’s Celebrate the River!”, which is part of the CreArt 3.0 program’s “European Month of Creativity.”
ABOUT THE RIVER AND LAND ART PLEIN AIR
The River and Land Art is a small-scale plein-air event taking place from 10 to 24 May 2025, as an introductory part of the festival “Let’s Celebrate the River!”. The festival is a community-based cultural initiative born during the period of Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022. Its goal is to encourage the city’s inhabitants to reconnect with Lithuania’s major rivers flowing through the city, to open them up for cultural events and community meetings, and to jointly search for the signs and expressions of the identity of the local communities that are located along the rivers. Once a year, on the birthday of Kaunas, a large-scale event called “Let’s Celebrate the River” is organised, when the river and its banks become a space for cultural action.
The aim of the River and Land Art Plein Air is to create a land/environmental artwork that highlights the riverbank’s unique natural, geographical, cultural and historical context, turning it into a cultural attraction and meeting point. The completed artworks will be included into the overall programme and activity map of the “Let’s Celebrate the River” event.
For more details about the festival “Let’s Celebrate the River”, check out the video
To learn more about the River and Land Art Plein Air, visit this link
OVERALL SCHEDULE AND ELIGIBLE ARTISTS
The portfolio search is open from January 24 to February 24, 2025.
Artist and work selections will be made by March 3, 2025.
2 land/environmental art artists of younger generation from the CreArt network will be selected. The artist applying for the residency must have been born, resident or domiciled in one of the cities of the CreArt 3.0 network: Kaunas (Lithuania), Liepaja (Latvia), Skopje (Northern Macedonia), Aveiro (Portugal), Valladolid (Spain), Venice (Italy), Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen (France), Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic), Oulu (Finland), Regensburg (Germany), members of HDLU (Croatian Association of Visual Artists), Ukrainian artists through collaboration with Dialog from Lviv.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
– Implementation period: May 11–25, 2025. Location: Nemunas Riverbank (outdoor space), Kaunas. The exact site will be coordinated individually, considering the artwork’s format.
– The completed artwork must be presented on May 24, 2025, during the “Celebrate the River!” event. Artists are expected to present their work (including its theme, format, and execution techniques) to event visitors in person. Duration: up to 4 hours.
– The work does not have to be directly related to the river, but it is encouraged to look for links to the themes of the festival „Let‘s Celebrate the River“: water, rivers, local stories and narratives, nature in the city or the city in nature, sustainability, community).
– The artwork must be created using natural materials found at the site, in public urban spaces, respecting local biodiversity and living trees (attachment to trees is not allowed).
– The artwork should be resistant to outdoor weather conditions and pose no danger to the public.
– Depending on the concept, after the festival “Let’s Celebrate the River”, the artwork may be deconstructed or left to observe its process of decay, transformation, and interaction with nature (for no longer than 12 months).
WHAT WE OFFER
- A fee of €1,000 (including taxes) for two-week residency in Kaunas and the creation of a land/environmental art piece.
- Travel expenses from the artist’s hometown to Kaunas and back (up to €400), and accommodation in Kaunas (up to 15 days).
- Materials budget capped at €1,000. The residency work plan must include a detailed amount of materials necessary for the implementation of the artwork. Preference is given to natural and biodegradable materials.
- Additional resources provided by the organizers, including technical equipment, inventory, and volunteers.
- Extensive promotion of the works and the creative process through the communication channels of CreArt, Kaunas Artists’ House, and partners.
- Professional documentation of the event, including activities and artworks.
INTERESTED? APPLY NOW:
The following documentation is required:
Please log in the CreArt website as artist and upload file here: https://creart2-eu.org/open-calls/
- A short version of your resume/CV and portfolio (including work samples in a suitable file format);
- A brief description of the work to be implemented (max length 2 A4 pages);
- The list of materials used and its technical requirements;
- ID or passport (scanned copy).
Only applications with complete information will be accepted. It must be submitted before February 24, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact: sveskime.upe@gmail.com, +370 611 17139 (Aiste).
Within the project:
Partners:
Co-funded by:
Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2023-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101128499]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
16 January 2025
15 January 2025
Kaunas invites 4 artists from the CreArt 3.0 Network to work for six weeks in Kaunas AiR in the period of May 5 – June 15, 2025.
Kaunas Artist-in-Residence program is an initiative of CreArt 3.0, launched in 2012. CreArt 3.0
Kaunas partners, PI “Artkomas”, have a large experience of organizing visual arts projects, and short-term residencies in their city as well as other cities and towns of Lithuania. With their own focus on painting, “Artkomas” co-operates, however, with experts of other visual arts’ fields (like Lithuanian Artists Asociation, Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University New Media Studies Department, etc.). Therefore we are able to offer necessary conditions for creation to painters, photographers, and new media artists, who would like to participate in this part of CreArt 3.0 project.
ABOUT KAUNAS
Kaunas is the second largest city of Lithuania, with active cultural life. Situated in the valley of the confluence of the two longest rivers of Lithuania, the Nemunas and the Neris, the town itself became an example of a confluence of people and cultures, an attractive blend of architecture and nature. Although Kaunas is called the city of students and rich in cultural, sport, students’ events, it is an important industrial and cultural city with a population of over 300.000.
ARTISTS ACCEPTED
4 visual artists of younger generation (we can offer acceptable conditions for a painter, a photographer or a new media artist) born or living in one of the cities of the CreArt 3.0 network: Kaunas (Lithuania), Liepaja (Latvia), Skopje (Northern Macedonia), Aveiro (Portugal), Valladolid (Spain), Venice (Italy), Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen (France), České Budějovice (Czech Republic), Oulu (Finland), Regensburg (Germany), members of HDLU (Croatian Association of Visual Artists), Ukrainian artists through collaboration with Dialog from Lviv.
CONDITIONS AND GRANT
The organization will reimburse to artists travel expenses to Kaunas (up to 400 €). Studio and accommodation is free. The artists will receive a grant of 600 € + 300 € for materials.
ACCOMMODATION
Guest house “Domus Pacis“ is situated in the centre of Kaunas, close to the historic Old Town and right by the tranquil park of Santaka which invites for lovely walks. All the town’s favourite places and sights are within walking distance and public transport takes you to any part of the town.
STUDIO
The painters will work at the painting studios near “Domus Pacis”. For the photo, video and other fields artists we will provide all possible assistance.
KAUNAS AiR PROGRAMME
* Kaunas will provide an assistant to help with settling in the city (info about cultural institutions, events, useful places);
* Kaunas will organize introduction to the local artists’ community (in the form of meetings, etc., where the artist has to make a presentation of his/her work and art);
* The artists will have to have open days for visitors;
* Kaunas will make a final public presentation of the artworks created during the residency (a group exhibition of the 4 artists). The exhibition will be displayed in Kaunas, in co-operation with the Lithuanian Artists Association gallery. Kaunas will organize the exhibition opening ceremony, media, publicity, will publish exhibition catalog;
* 1 artwork must remain for Kaunas Art Center (PI ‘Artkomas’).
WHO CAN APPLY
Artists – born or resident – in any of the cities taking part in “CreArt 3.0. Network of Cities for Artistic Creation”. Preference is given to works with a wide variety and diversity. There is no age limitation, yet it is necessary to have a degree in a field of art (university level). If the applicant does not have a university degree, proof of equivalent ability must be provided through his or her artistic career. In a period of five weeks you will work towards a final public presentation.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
The following attached documentation is required.
Please log in as artist in the CreArt website: https://creart2-eu.org/open-calls/
- ID or passport (scanned copy);
- A short version of your resume/CV;
- Documentation material recent and related to the project (not more then 5 pictures);
- A short written project proposal (not more than ½ of A4).
Only applications with complete information will be accepted. It must be submitted before March 15, 2024.
Kaunas AiR is going to consider your application and will inform you after March 21, 2025.
If you have any questions please contact creart@fmcva.org
Within the project:
Partners:
Co-funded by:
Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2023-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101128499]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
09 January 2025
The Croatian Association of Fine Artists is leading a new European project titled “Healing Nature – Animation for Health and Well-being in Children Hospital Environments”, which will be implemented in partnership with Universidade Lusófona / Cofac from Portugal and New Bulgarian University from Bulgaria.
This innovative project, authored by Dr. Melinda Šefčić and Dr. Lea Vidaković, is an outstanding example of Croatia’s success in conceptualizing and executing artistic-research initiatives aimed at the aestheticization and artistic revitalization of spaces, particularly hospital environments. The project emphasizes the transformation of traditionally sterile hospital spaces into aesthetically enriched and inspiring environments that positively impact all users – patients, healthcare staff, and visitors.
The central idea of the project relies on a holistic approach to healing, recognizing art and culture as key elements in promoting mental, spiritual, and physical health. At the European level, the project supports interdisciplinary research on the impact of art on the well-being of individuals and communities, with a particular focus on inclusivity and sustainability.
Moreover, “Healing Nature” contributes to raising awareness about the critical role of culture and art in improving quality of life and promotes art as an integral part of healthcare strategies. By implementing the project, not only is the visual identity of hospital spaces transformed, but collaboration between artists, healthcare professionals, and the local community is fostered, creating inclusive environments that cater to the needs of all users.
Innovative Approaches and Objectives of the Project
While most artworks in hospitals consist of traditional murals, paintings, or sculptures, this project introduces contemporary interactive works and animations into children’s hospital waiting areas. The goal is to create an innovative experience using augmented reality (AR), which will provide a pleasant, calming, and distracting environment for children, encouraging interaction and communication. The project builds on the success of two previously implemented pilot projects by Dr. Melinda Šefčić and Dr. Lea Vidaković at Zagreb University Hospital Center: “Digital Fauna” (2021) and “Animated Forest World in Hospital Space” (2023).
A key aspect of innovation is the use of the SCREENless format – a sustainable, low-cost approach that combines murals with digital animation elements within augmented reality. These layered interactive experiences are designed to encourage children to play and explore the space, rather than passively consuming content.
The project promotes the sensory quality of handcrafted techniques, enriched by contemporary technologies, merging digital animation with real-world elements. The aim is to advance social inclusion through the public hospital system and educate the community through creative workshops dedicated to nature, art, animation, and technology.
Research Component and Expected Results
The project includes systematic research through questionnaires for patients, visitors, and healthcare staff to analyze the impact of artistic interventions on the everyday hospital experience. The project findings will be documented in a digital booklet, which will be available in all partner countries and on the project’s website upon completion.
“Healing Nature” is not just an artistic project – it is a vision of humanizing hospital spaces by combining traditional artistic values and modern technological innovations, setting new benchmarks for future projects on a global scale.
The project includes:
- 3 murals in hospitals in Croatia, Bulgaria, and Portugal;
- 3 augmented reality experiences in hospitals in Croatia, Bulgaria, and Portugal;
- 6 workshops with children;
- 1 study on the impact of such content on patients and hospital staff;
- 1 digital booklet presenting the results;
- 3 press conferences to showcase the project outcomes.
Project Partners: Universidade Lusófona / Cofac, Portugal, and New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria.
The European Commission has recognized the importance of this project and supported the two-year project with 199,189.30 EUR, with the first activities starting in 2025.
The value of HDLU’s engagement in the Healing Nature project amounts to 99,223.66 EUR, of which 80% is funded by EU resources, with additional financial support from the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Republic of Croatia.
Within the project:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
[Project Number: 101173267]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
Co-funded by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Republic of Croatia. The views expressed in this release are the sole responsibility of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists and do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Republic of Croatia.
30 December 2024
With the last day of 2024, the project Artists for Artists Residency Network (AFAR), aimed at improving the mobility of contemporary visual artists and curators while creating greater opportunities for women in art, comes to an end. The project was implemented in four European partner countries: Romania, Germany, Croatia, and Austria. The consortium consisted of the project leader (ARAC) in Bucharest, Romania, and three partners: the Goethe Institute network, the Croatian Association of Fine Artists (HDLU) in Zagreb, Croatia, and Künstlerhaus in Vienna, Austria. An additional associated strategic partner was La Kunsthalle Mulhouse, which also serves as the Centre d’Art Contemporain d’Intérêt National de la Ville de Mulhouse, located in a former industrial building shared with the University of Haute-Alsace, the city archives, and the Ateliers Pédagogiques d’Arts Plastiques.
The project focused on developing new international exchanges and transcultural dialogue, providing a range of new opportunities for art practitioners of all ages and disciplines, with a particular emphasis on women in art and gender equality. It included a series of artist and curatorial residencies, discussions, and three international exhibitions. The overarching goal was to create self-sustaining models of mutual support and collaboration and to foster long-term cultural and social international relationships, emphasizing themes of ecology and inclusion.
Key elements of the project included:
- 12 artistic residencies in Zagreb (Croatia), Mulhouse (France), Bucharest (Romania), and Săcel, Maramureș (Romania).
- 4 curatorial residencies in Zagreb and Bucharest.
- 12 discussions in Zagreb, Bucharest, and Vienna.
- 3 exhibitions in Vienna (Austria), Zagreb (Croatia), and Bucharest (Romania).
As Josip Zanki, the project’s artistic director, notes in the preface of the exhibition AFAR: Topography of the Project held at the Bačva Gallery, Meštrović Pavilion in Zagreb (October 24–November 24, 2024), the Croatian Association of Fine Artists focused its part of the project on establishing an international residency in Zagreb. This included collaboration with students from the Academy of Fine Arts, engaging cultural workers and policymakers in the presentation of residents, and organizing specialized textile workshops.
The selection committee for artists and curators (Anca Poterașu and Josip Zanki) chose the following participants for the Zagreb residencies: artists Larisa Crunțeanu, Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol, Megan Dominescu, and Iza Tarasewicz, along with curators Eve Woods and Sarah McNulty. The curators’ residencies resulted in a research text on the art scene in Zagreb, while the artists produced new artworks during their stay in the Zagreb residency.
The residency program was inaugurated by curator Eve Woods in January 2024, followed by curator Sarah McNulty in February. Subsequently, the artist residencies took place: Larisa Crunțeanu in March, Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol in April and May, Megan Dominescu in May, and Iza Tarasewicz in June 2024.
During the curatorial and artistic residencies, a special program titled AFAR Talk was organized, serving as a model for presenting curatorial and artistic practices. Each session featured an expert in cultural education and cultural policy engaging in dialogue with the residents. These discussions were conducted in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb, as part of the activities of the Discursive Program of the Doctoral Studies in Fine Arts and the course Introduction to Art Theory (led by Associate Professor Dr. Josip Zanki).
The discussions included:
- A Selection of Irish Eco-Artists with Eve Woods, moderated by Luja Šimunović.
- Shared Space – How Do We Co-create and Co-opt Space? with Sarah McNulty, moderated by Deborah Hustić.
- Topographies of Love with Larisa Crunțeanu, moderated by Professor Dr. Nevena Škrbić Alempijević.
- Speechless with Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol, moderated by Leila Topić.
- Slowly But Boldly Going Nowhere: A Map of Artistic Practice and Visual Upbringing with Megan Dominescu, moderated by Sven Jozić.
- “your type of unity”: Art Practice as a Way to Hold Yourself Up with Iza Tarasewicz, moderated by Professor Dr. Leonida Kovač.
Since one of the focal points of the AFAR project was work with textiles, the residency program in Zagreb featured three artists whose artistic practices are either entirely centered around textiles (Megan Dominescu) or include textiles as part of their oeuvre (Larisa Crunțeanu and Iza Tarasewicz).
During their residencies, specialized workshops on Weaving Techniques were organized, led by Nikolina Hrgović Knežević, mag. art. edu., from the School of Applied Arts and Design in Zagreb. These workshops included participation by the artists, students from the Academy of Fine Arts, and interested cultural workers. The aim was to introduce participants to traditional weaving techniques.
During the artistic residencies, special fieldwork activities were organized in consultation with the residents. As part of this fieldwork, the residents were able to conduct artistic research necessary for creating their works or document their experiences of being in a specific environment. Liesbeth Bik and Jos Van der Pol participated in fieldwork at the locations of the Carmel of St. Elijah (Buško Lake) and Veli Zaton (Pag Island), while Megan Dominescu conducted her fieldwork at the Kamačnik location.
It is important to emphasize that the activities AFAR Talk, Weaving Techniques, and the fieldwork, while primarily designed for residents, also served as educational and extracurricular activities for students of the Academy of Fine Arts. These initiatives expanded the scope of artistic education and frameworks for artistic research.
University studies have traditionally been oriented toward the institutionalized education and development of students, promoting knowledge of the scientific world and involving students in scientific projects. However, the contemporary era calls for new perspectives that go beyond limited, reductionist scientific approaches to include qualitative, phenomenological research and perspectives. Exploring the sociocultural environment today requires the incorporation of innovative and rarely used strategies.
While the degree of rationality in such strategies may be debated—science is often regarded as a bastion of reliability, whereas art (or the newly established field of artistic research) is sometimes criticized for its subjectivity and lack of validity—it is crucial to understand that different disciplines employ diverse methodological research strategies and levels of rationality.
The AFAR Talk, Weaving Techniques, and fieldwork represent precisely such an innovative format: a comprehensive research project that highlights the personalized experiences of participants within a specific space and time.
The project concluded with the exhibition AFAR: Topography of the Project, which was held at the Bačva Gallery (Meštrović Pavilion) from October 24 to November 24, 2024.
The exhibition was curated by Josip Zanki, and the artists featured were: Željko Beljan (HR), Bik Van der Pol (NL), Tanja Boukal (AT), Larisa Crunțeanu (RO), Megan Dominescu (RO), Nikolina Hrgović Knežević (HR), Zoya Laktionova (UA), Sarah Mcnulty (DK), Iza Tarasewicz (PL), Eve Woods (IE)
Video: Marta Dijak
Narration: Astrid Jakšić
Within the project:
Project partners:
Co-funded by:
Co-funded by the European Union – CREA-CULT-2022-COOP. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101100309]
Project is co-financed by the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
The views expressed in this announcement are the sole responsibility of HDLU and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
MEŠTROVIĆ PAVILION CLOSED DUE TO RENOVATION
INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
Web Hosting
