Open Call to artists for Modernism for the future 360/365

In cooperation with the Creative Europe project ‘Modernism for the Future 360/365’ partners from Kaunas 2022 (Lithuania), the Culture Strategy Institute (Lviv, Ukraine) and Industra Art (Brno, Czech Republic) are announcing an open call for artistic residencies.

The modernism movement is one of the strongest recent cultural stories in Europe, bringing together various European regions. For us, it still provides unrealized opportunities for intercultural dialogue, cultural identity and tourism development.

Many of today’s modernist objects in Europe are at a “crossroads” where action is needed, whether due to aggravation, neglect or other factors. The project Modernism for the Future 360/365 (MoFu 360/365) addresses the challenges of protecting the global modernist heritage:

• an insufficient story (in many countries, modernist architecture lacks recognition or attention, in relation to the more dominant stories of older architectural epochs).
• involvement of owners and users (modernist cultural heritage sites are often privately owned and therefore the dissemination of values and approaches is essential for their preservation).

The aim of the residencies projects is to strengthen the narrative of European modernist heritage, to reflect its current significance for European and global society through artistic interpretations and the resulting realizations focused on a specific place.

Project partners are looking for artists-researchers whose art projects will be based on the interpretation of cultural heritage, will promote a holistic approach to sustainability and question the importance of modernist heritage for our and future generations.

The aim of the resident artists is to carry out artistic research into one modernist building (Kaunas, Kortrijk, Brno, Lviv), involving the local community, heritage owners, experts, employees working in the field of cultural heritage and last but not least the general public. Through their work, they will try to develop a diverse interpretation and discussion by way of the accompanying programme and the project itself.

Methods: Co-creation / inclusion of resident and local community (inhabitants of certain area of the city) in creation of new artworks and actions / research on local history, stories, legends, public spaces and memories / integration and disclose of common European topics of XX C heritage its’ contexts / active and passive interventions into public / private space / discuss and act in public.

Please note! This is an exchange program for local creatives, so the artists or creators participating in the open call must be citizens or residents of the project countries: Lithuania, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Belgium.

Kaunas artists choosing an international residency in Lviv (Ukraine) or Kortrijk (Belgium):

• develop a work inspired by the The Trade Unions Building (Lviv) or the Prior department store (Kortrijk);
• should practice English on a sufficient level to engage with owners / users on their work;
• produce their artistic research between 1st May and 30th July 2021, on site, for at least 15 days;
• agree to end their artistic residency by a screening / exhibition in the chosen city.

From the open call, the international expert jury will select 2 artistic projects proposed Kaunas artists: one to Lviv and the second one – to Kortrijk.