Rucka

Rucka Artist Residency is happy to announce an OPEN CALL for residencies in Spring 2019.

Deadline for the residency application 1 September 2018.

Description of the artist residency programme

The aim of residency programme is to bring together artists from different spheres (film and photography, multimedia, dance, theatre, design, drawing, etc.) to create artworks that address important social and environmental issues and preferably involve the local community in the development of artwork. The programme is offered to artists both from Latvia and abroad.

Cesis is a small medieval town, an hour’s drive from Riga, the capital of Latvia, with a rich cultural heritage and numerous new creative initiatives. Cesis region has historically been known for its intellectual capacity as many writers, artists and politically and socially active people come from this area. The aim of the Rucka Artist Residency is to continue the well-established intellectual traditions and to create a space that serves as a meeting point for artists coming from various disciplines to create cross-disciplinary projects dealing with social and environmental issues and a place where new ideas and initiatives are born.

The residency center is located in the middle of an old park providing the inspiring atmosphere for work, while the historic town center is within a walking distance. Cesis has a recently built modern concert hall where high-quality music events, film screenings and exhibitions take place on a regular basis. The town is located in the middle of Gauja National Park with plenty of opportunities for active recreation depending on the season, a sports complex with a pool and gym is located within a 10-minute drive.

From September to May Rucka Artist Residency is open to individual residents, while from June to August the building serves as a venue for different summer events. The activities of Rucka Artist Residency are also firmly based on ideas of green living, community involvement and downshifting as a way of life. The food served at the residency is prepared using the locally grown produce, the residency is cooperating with the municipal Social Service to involve socially disadvantaged people as workers, residency centre is providing open lectures during the summer events and organising documentary film screenings, residents and summer school participants are working on projects that ensure interaction with local community.

Duration of residency Residencies last 1 (one) month. Residencies will take place between 1st March 2019 and 31th May 2019.

Disciplines supported

Rucka Artist Residency programme is open to arts professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to film, photography, multimedia, dance, theatre, design.

Accommodation

Artists live in private bedrooms with a shared bathroom. A fully-equipped kitchen and dining area is also available to the residents on a self-serve basis.

Workspace/technical information

The residents have access to video editing room, analog photography laboratory, shared open space studios and library. Fast internet is available in the whole building.

Fees and support

The programme covers accommodation and shared open studio space costs for one month. Applicants are responsible for covering travel and food expenses, materials, production costs etc. Applicants have access to analog photo laboratory and video editing room. Rucka Artist Residency will issue an acceptance letter for successful residents in order to help him/her obtain grants to cover travel, insurance, food costs, materials etc.

Expectations towards the artist

At the beginning of residency period, artists are expected to introduce themselves, their previous artistic experience and upcoming residency project at public opening event. At the end of the residency period, artists are expected to share the results of the work created with the local community in the form of artist talk, screening, exhibition, other performance or to give a workshop. And to leave one art peace in Rucka Artist Residency.

Application information

Please send us application form with hyperlink for downloading samples of previous work to email [email protected] Deadline for applications are 1st of September 2018. The results will be available after 15th of October 2018 on our website. Selected applicants will also receive a letter of notification by email. Please note that only selected applicants are informed. For any inquiries concerning the residency program, please email us at [email protected]

Selection process

The application criteria will include importance of the topic proposed and its relevance to the aims of residency programme and Rucka Artist Residency, previous experience and artistic merit of the applicant, and interest/ability of the applicant to involve local community in development of his/her work. The applications for residencies will be evaluated by the committee of experts including representatives of Rucka Artist Residency, Latvian Centre of Contemporary Art, New Theatre Institute as well as academic staff of Latvian Academy of Culture and Riga Stradina University.

 

Application Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScGqQSPd6PyDk9bU6MwEm3dussaojleN01sah8OL4yh8C1kGQ/viewform