OPEN CALL
Culture Moves Europe (CME) - from May 02 to 28 2025
Call closes on 25 September 2024 at 23:59:59 CEST
Call closes on 25 September 2024 at 23:59:59 CEST
Culture Moves Europe is the permanent mobility scheme funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.
The Residency Action offers financial support to legal entities registered and based in one of the Creative Europe countries to invite artists and cultural professionals residing in other Creative Europe countries to participate in a residency project. The Residency Action covers projects involving any of the sectors included in the CULTURE Strand of the Creative Europe programme, and provides support to the hosting legal entities to contribute to mobility and hosting costs for these artists and cultural professionals.
Visit the CME site for complete details https://culture.ec.europa.eu/
About NAHR www.nahr.it
Nature Art and Habitat (NAHR) is a Residency that studies elements of nature through multidisciplinary practices in Val Taleggio, Italy. Since 2016, as non profit association, NAHR has hosted many creative people from a variety of disciplines to collectively reimagine sustainable ways of inhabiting this planet as a way to bridge the worlds of science, technology, art and culture to transform our lives for the better. NAHR fosters collective reimagination of how to build relationships between our eco-social habitats and each other by offering time and space to fully immerse oneself in the ecology of the pre-alpine mountains. Participants share ideas and methodologies and support each other to create their site-specific artistic projects. The residency concludes with an open studio to share the work on-site with the local community. https://nahr.it/Past-Programs
NAHR Address: https://nahr.it/Where-we-are-Contact
Contacts and Inquiries: info@nahr.it
NAHR team: https://nahr.it/Organization-Chi-Siamo
Project dates & duration: 2 A&CPs’ (Artists and Cultural Professionals) participants
Short-term Residency Project: 27 continuous days - from May 02 to 28 - 2025
The 2 A&CPs must be present at the residency location at the same time, for the same duration, and without interruption.
The eligibility criteria (from CME) for the participating A&CPs are:
- Over 18 years old;
- Artists or cultural professionals;
- Active in one of the eligible sectors: architecture, cultural heritage, design and fashion design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts;
- Legally residing in one of the Creative Europe countries: Albania, Austria, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo,[1] Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Ukraine;
- Or in one of the 9 Outermost Regions: Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), French Guiana (France), Guadeloupe (France), Madeira (Portugal), Martinique (France), Mayotte (France), Reunion Island (France), and Saint-Martin (France);
- Or in one of the 13 Overseas Countries and Territories: Aruba (The Netherlands), Bonaire (The Netherlands), Curaçao (The Netherlands), French Polynesia (France), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (France), Greenland (Denmark), New Caledonia (France), Saba (The Netherlands), Saint Barthelemy (France), Sint Eustatius (The Netherlands), Sint Maarten (The Netherlands), St. Pierre and Miquelon (France), and Wallis and Futuna Islands (France).
Project description and objectives
Main artistic sector: Cultural heritage
Secondary sector: Visual arts
Main disciplines: Cultural Heritage and Natural
Objectives of your project
To explore: to conduct research, to investigate and work on a specific theme or a new concept.
To create: to engage in a collective process seeking to produce a new piece of artistic/cultural work
Please note: the residency grant cannot be used purely to support travel for artists to present their existing work in a professional setting (showcase, exhibition, concert, performance) at the host. NAHR is looking forward to receiving original project proposals fitting the call and NAHR web site overall information about the vision and mission of our non profit association.
The CME Residency Project
NAHR’s aim is to develop a deeper understanding of the role of fire in climate change.
The work produced in this residency will provoke a deeper understanding of the natural and cultural role of fire in the context of rural living, climate change, and local habitats. It will focus particularly on exploring domestic spaces such as fireplaces and chimneys which relate to fire and have helped to define the design, architecture, and way of life, in rural alpine abodes. Artists who are new to Val Taleggio will engage in a creative cultural exchange which aims to encourage local communities to reflect on their relationship to fire.
Selected projects will advocate for an urgent response to the climate crisis through artistic cooperation. For example, by uncovering historic and future cultural heritage related to household heating selected artists may seek to unveil possible changes in attitude and mindset to develop a greater sense of accountability around fire and the environment.
NAHR will support the chosen fellows to explore and create through established working relationships with the local community and organizations such as the Ecomuseum. Mentors will also be available to collaborate with the fellows through prompts, conversations and guidance.
Longer-term outcomes
This project grows NAHR’s connection to the local community, by enriching and shifting the way one thinks about fire’s impacts on climate change. Art as a medium fosters new thinking and lifestyle choices in relation to fire and heat. It is vital that the art works produced be presented and immersed within the community not hidden in a studio or distant city, to effectively interact with the forested mountainous regions.
The fieldwork, participation, and engagement with the other members of the residency and local community and experts will feed the A&CPs deep, long-term resources for their future practice, expanding the dialogue around the role of fire beyond their experience at NAHR. NAHR will also retain an archive of the work for future exhibitions, projects and on-line forums.
In addition to the above description please refer also to NAHR 2024 Call, which might add details to NAHR work about FIRE: Renewal, Rituals, Power https://nahr.it/Current-Program
For residency details see also SCHEDULE below.
Sustainability of the facilities and the project
NAHR is premised on sustainable approaches to nature and culture. A&CPs are asked to understand fuel and heat as part of a regenerative cycle, promoting these aspects of it through cultural and artistic creations.
A&CPs have previously used bio-inspired photography, locally sourced natural and waste material, and land art to address a more sustainable artistic creative process.
We strongly encourage A&CPs to travel to the valley using low-impact public transport and explore it by foot. We ask people to be mindful of water and energy usage (the program runs in the summer when long days provide daylight and there is no need for heating and air conditioning). Food is never wasted but shared and explored, taking advantage of local produce such as Taleggio cheese.
The program deepens awareness of how humans can engage responsibly in shaping the future of our natural spheres by looking macroscopically at Earth’s ecosystems and closely reading the Valley’s natural characteristics.
Project details and budget estimate
The residency project duration includes the residency project implementation, and not the travel time.
Participating A&CPs will be able to arrive 15 days before the start of the residency and depart 15 days after the finalization of the residency, in agreement with the host. Their hosting and daily costs during this additional time are not covered by Culture Moves Europe, and the host does not have to provide accommodation and services for this time.
The estimated budget is calculated as follows:
- Accommodation is provided by NAHR
- A&CP allowance: daily allowance for artists and cultural professionals, supporting costs such as food, local transportation, and production material. Fixed at 25€ gross per day (taxes of Country of A&CP to be paid by A&CPs), per A&CP’s participant. Payment will occur on Phase 2 (after successful completion of residency).
Disability support: up to 75€ per day for people with a disability that may affect their ability to carry out the mobility, based on personal needs.
Mobility of participating A&CPs
The travel of each participant A&CP should be uninterrupted and to a single destination. The mobility must be from and to a Creative Europe country , meaning that the travel allowance contributes to travel expenses for the journey between the place of legal residence and the place of destination and back to the place of residence.
Travel allowance: financial support for travel to the residency location and back. This is set of maximum 700€ per A&CP, and then will be reviewed during Phase 2 (after successful completion of residency) based on how far A&CPs travel and which forms of transport they use.
Top-ups depending on individual needs:
Green mobility top-up: fixed amount of 350€ per participant for A&CPs who take any form of transport other than airplane (journeys of 600 km and above, distance calculated one way on a straight-line basis) and have a one-way travel distance of 600 km or above.
Overseas Countries and Territories / Outermost Regions top-up: 150€ extra to support applicants from and/or traveling to these regions.
Family top-up: 100€ extra to support those with custody of children below the age of 10.
Visa top-up: 80€ extra to support visa fees.
Disability support and top-ups: additional financial support paid to qualifying A&CPs based on individual situations and needs. These top-ups are not included in the estimated budget – they are added in Phase 2.
Please note you will have to provide supporting documents, before or after the implementation of the project, to prove eligibility for top-ups or to justify related costs.
Receipts of expenses will have to be provided: you will have to provide supporting documents, before or after the residency, to justify the costs and top-ups. The budget will be subject to change if, for example, participating A&CPs change their means of transportation; cannot provide proof of green travel, visa request, travel from or to an OCT/OR or family obligations (if requested), or if they are not able to travel for the duration agreed.
See also CME site for details https://culture.ec.europa.eu/
Premises and services
see also https://nahr.it/Accommodations-Alloggi and https://nahr.it/Accommodations-Alloggi-IT
NAHR’s premises are located in the village of Sottochiesa and provide each A&CP with their own live/work space alongside shared work areas. It is strongly encouraged that A&CP’s spend time outdoors in the local natural environment, as a space to think, create and make. One of the group work spaces doubles as an exhibition room and hanging space. The A&CP’s have access to projectors and a sound system. The Valley residents are open to collaboration: examples of this from the past have involved the local church, exhibition spaces, buildings for projections, and plots of land for public performances. Local organizations that collaborate with NAHR and the residents include Ecomuseum Val Taleggio, La casa del bergamino, Centro Storico Culturale Valle Brembana, Museo della Valle Zogno. They provide logistical support, a bridge to the local community, and information about the ecology, cultural heritage and economics of the local area.
Details about the accommodation
For each A&CP, NAHR provides a single occupancy apartment with a private kitchen/working space, bedroom, and bathroom and additional shared living spaces. There is also access to a washing machine for clothes. The accommodations and working areas are situated in the same building complex where NAHR is based. This provides the residents with privacy and a quiet space for detailed work and contemplation. In addition, the residents can make use of the communal relaxation spaces for some downtime. There is also a communal working space with WiFi, and an ample garden. The town where NAHR is based has food shops, bars, cafes and restaurants all within a 5 minute walk.
For those who require a greater ease of mobility, NAHR has live/work units on the ground floor next to the communal studio/working space. These can be entered through a small set of one or two steps and so would be better suited to those who require greater ease of access. A car service can be offered by the Ecomuseum for those A&CP’s with complex transport needs, in order to support visits to higher mountain pastures and villages. We would work with any participants who have access needs on a case by case basis to ensure that they are able to make use of the various facilities they require in their visit. A&CP’s will have to please include specific requests on thier application material.
Support provided to A&CPs
NAHR ensures that all A&CPs have organised their transportation to and from the valley through communication and support prior to the start of the residency. In order to attend the residency the A&CPs must engage with NAHR ’s online instruction process. At this point it will be possible to attend to any specific needs or requirements of the A&CPs before their visit. https://nahr.it/Where-we-are-Contact
As the host is also onsite the A&CPs will be able to ask for guidance if required about local transport recommended walking routes, places to eat, local attractions, where to buy food and how to manage the administrative side of the residency (e.g. uploading archival materials to the google drive).
If any references or supporting documents are required in order for the A&CP to visit the host will make sure to have provided these in a timely manner to allow for the procurement of visas etc.
Provision of safe and appropriate accommodation and working environment:
The host provides the participating A&CPs with a safe and appropriate accommodation and working environment and services to implement the residency project.
Open call - Selection of artists and cultural professionals
NAHR ’s international jury includes architect, artist and scientist, who choose the A&CP’s based on their project proposals submitted online. These are read over and discussed by the jury before coming to a final decision. It is most important that the proposal fits the call, is able to deliver the longer-term impacts for the local community, it is aligned with the social and environmental ethics of NAHR, while providing a creative experience for the applicant. The key selection criteria we will use include:
An integrated response to the topic through a commitment to explore, research, investigation and creativity.
An interest in contributing to the local community and building dynamic relationships between the Valley’s ecological resources, socio-cultural practices, and the built environment.
To create original work relating to NAHR’s archive and the mountain environment.
An ability to produce emphatic work which can be shared with the community in the given time period.
We always seek to take a diverse range of A&CP’s into the programme to represent a broad section of the European artistic community, and to develop as deep a cultural exchange as possible.
Details about accessibility and equal opportunity
NAHR actively searches for a diverse (age, gender, nationality, discipline) group of residents for each programme as we consider that co-living, discussing, and co-creating alongside people from different backgrounds, paths of life, genders, and ages is key to enriching perspectives, and achieving more sustainable, accessible, holistic and inclusive results. NAHR also advertises the residency across multiple platforms to encourage artists and researchers from as many different backgrounds as possible to engage in the artistic exchange, and support an international cultural dialogue.
Collaborative environment and mentoring activities
On arrival A&CP’s are introduced to program and premises in a session with the host and fellow A&CP’s. In the first two days they’ll share the proposal with a multidisciplinary group of artists and mentors, receiving feedback and inspiration. All ongoing work is encouraged to be augmented through a participatory exchange with the NAHR staff, the other A&CPs and local organizations, by sharing methods and approaches, and brainstorming and remaining open to the larger community. Spending time in the Valley fosters a collaborative environment where the A&CPs can develop the project proposed in response to their experiments, research and learnings.
As the project develops A&CPs are introduced to relevant scientific/artistic/research mentors. Weekly 1-1 mentoring meetings as well as a group meetings and outdoor activities will facilitate the findings of the project location and completion. An open studio day will close the residency, followed by a group meal to celebrate and converse on the challenges, learning experiences and fun discoveries.
A&CPs will collect and submit report and archival project materials: short written report and photographic documentation of process and final outcomes.
Project schedule, outcomes, and collaboration activities (subject to changes and adjustments)
May 2025
2: ARRIVAL and set up. Tour of NAHR and its surroundings: accommodation, working spaces, nearby services
WELCOME meeting with hosts and other A&CPs. Initial group and 1-1 meetings.
4 - 7: EXPLORING: Group and solo hikes in the mountains, valleys. Communion with ecosystems. Learning about the long-lived culture and economy of fire.
8 - 10: EXPLORING: Data collection. Artistic based research of the learnt and observed environment and local community. Project development inspired by place.
16 - 22: CREATE: Data elaboration: intensive making phase.
22 - 24: Preparation for final showcase and pamphlet.
25 - OPEN STUDIO DAY: presentation and dissemination of the pamphlet/zine.
26 - 27: A&CPs to collect and submit report and archival project materials: short written report and photographic documentation of process and final outcomes, and final dinner.
28: Packing, cleaning and departure.
Schedule includes weekly: Formal 1-1 meeting with mentor, group meeting, and Pot luck dinners.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR APPLYING:
All the required documentation must be sent in one Single file, PDF only, in English, 16 pages (20 if with top-ups) Maximum, max size 8 MB.
send to: info@nahr.it
email subject: application to CME - NAHR call May 2025_your last name
- National Identity Document for A&CPs
This should be an official national identification document, such as an ID card or passport.
2. Proof of legal residence in a Creative Europe Country for A&CPs
Here you can provide any document that proves the participating A&CPs are legally resident in a Creative Europe country (e.g. ID, passport, refugee status, housing contract, bills, etc.).
3. Curriculum vitae
This should be a short curriculum vitae, written in English, that gives a brief description of education, qualifications, and previous work experiences.
4. Artistic portfolios
An artistic portfolio presents a sample of current work, links to past projects, etc. if available, it is suggested to highlight project that relate to the subject of this call.
5. Project proposal (max 250 words)
6. Letter of personal motivation (max 250 words)
Eligibility documents for top-ups
If you are claiming the disability or family top-ups you will have to include proof of eligibility for each of them.
Proof for disability top-up: any official document proving that the participating A&CP has a disability that affects their ability to carry out the mobility project.
Proof for family top-up: documents that prove the participating A&CP will have custody of a child below the age of 10 during the implementation of the project. (E.g. birth certificate, family booklet, Child’s ID or Passport, legal notice of guardianship, etc.).