Fully-Funded Residency Exchange for Agro-Ecology and Environmental Practices’ Artists in Palestine and Italy

Soil Futures is offering Residency Exchange, that is an initiative between Arts Catalyst, RIWAQ, Sakiya and Vessel Art Project, for artists to undertake a six-week residency. This is an exciting opportunity for artists who are active in the field of agro-ecology and environmental practices to delve into rural contexts in Palestine and Southern Italy and to work closely with organisations that operate at the intersection of disciplines while being responsive to their regional ecologies. 

This inter-institutional exchange is structured as follows:

1. UK based artists can apply for a residency at Sakiya - Art/Science/Agriculture;
2. Palestine based artists can apply for a residency at Vessel Art Project;
3. Italy based artists can apply for a residency at RIWAQ.

The selected artists will take part in a rich exchange with local communities of practices – including farmers, ecologists, activists, artists and soil caretakers – to develop their artistic research and to nurture new and existing networks with the support of the host organisations. We are particularly interested in practices that speak to some aspect of ecology, climate, economy, science or technology inherent to the locality where the residency takes place. 

 Applicants should research the host organisations, and submit a project proposal outlining what they would like to do while in residency in Ramallah (Palestine) or Puglia (Southern Italy), and the artistic rationale for wanting to be in residence there. Proposals may include developing a new body of artistic research and/or collaborations with artistic/cultural practitioners. 

 The artistic output can have an online or offline public manifestation in the form of an event or artwork – such as a performance, workshop, informal gathering, meal, walk, sound work, radio broadcast, screening, etc.

 Residency Dates:

6-week residency between October – December 2022 (exact dates to be agreed on with host organisations)

1. Return flights between UK-Palestine (Tel Aviv airport); Palestine-Italy (Bari or Brindisi Airport); Italy-Palestine (Tel Aviv Airport) & practical support for travel (particularly re: VISA application process)
2. Artist fee: £1,500
3. Production budget: £1,000 
4. Per diem: £1,100 (food and daily expenses)
5. Free accommodation for 6 weeks
6. Translation support for meetings – from Arabic / Italian to English (provided by the host organisation).​​
7. 1:1 mentoring and support during the residency by the host organisations
8. Access to the host organisation’s network of artists, curators, institutions, experts from multiple fields
9. Opportunity to be involved in the broader Soil Futures programme, for instance as an active participant in the online School of Soil Futures, podcast series and local assemblies.

1. Applicants should have presented previous projects publicly and have an ongoing practice.
2. Please note that this opportunity is addressed to UK, Italy and Palestine residents. We encourage people who are currently underrepresented in the visual arts sector to apply, including those of Black, Asian or minority ethnic heritage, those who have faced socio-economic barriers, those who identify disable and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
3. The majority of communication during the residency will need to happen in English, therefore good English language skills are required. We welcome basic Arabic language skills for the residency in Palestine; and basic Italian language skills for the residency in Italy, but knowledge of either of these languages is not required.

About Soil Futures:

Soil Futures is a network of creative organisations that explores the ground between us.

The network is a collaboration between five organisations: Arts Catalyst (Sheffield, UK); RIWAQ (al Bireh, Palestine); Sakiya - Art/Science/Agriculture (Ein Qiniya, Palestine); Struggles for Sovereignty (Yogyakarta, Indonesia); and Vessel Art Project (Puglia, Italy). 

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