15 May 2017

Call for applications: Balmoral fellowships 2018

Preconditions

The conditions for all fellowships with the exception of the curator fellowship are a completed course of study in art (M.F.A. or comparable degree) and two to three years (depending on the respective fellowship) of continuous artistic work after the conclusion of the studies until the beginning of the fellowship. Applications are also possible for autodidacts distinguished by special artistic achievements, as documented by exhibitions and prizes.

To foster artistic dialog and interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge of German or English is expected.


I. International residential fellowships

Six residential fellowships will be awarded to international visual artists.

The theme for the Balmoral residential fellowships is 'Shaping the future. How do we want to live, love and work?'

Our world faces complex challenges of a social, ecological, political and economic nature. While the present we live in is a time of global crises, the latest developments in science and technology open up a view of the future that is optimistic and full of great promise, and these are at the heart of lively discussions over a wide social spectrum. Many exhibitions, interdisciplinary symposia and publications are currently dedicated to exploring how we want to live in the future.

What is the role of the visionary potential of art in this context? The creative, critical, emancipated and playful view that artists bring to bear enables us to look at life and society in new ways. They reflect our present and create a design for the future from an aesthetic perspective. Does this mean that artists offer a relevant contribution to the topics of our age? Are they the trailblazers who are shaping our future? The Kuenstlerhaus Schloss Balmoral is taking up this ongoing debate and asking artists for their visions and drafts of the way we are to co-exist in the future. This means that the focus of the artistic work of applicants for the 2018 residential fellowships must relate to the theme of 'Shaping the future. How do we want to live, love and work?'.

What are the themes that will affect individuals and society in the future? What opportunities will be opened up? What criticism will there be? What do we need more of? What is lacking? What is superfluous? What can we dream of? What can we look forward to? What is (im-)possible? What we are looking for with this year's theme is a multi-media, cross-genre interaction linking fine arts with neighbouring disciplines such as architecture and design as well as various scientific fields. Visual interaction will be at the forefront for the residential fellowships. We are looking for images, objects and other visual translations that imagine the future and deal with the (re-)shaping of the world of tomorrow.

Since 2013, fellowships are offered in one artistic genre or one theme each year. This offering, which is unique in Germany, is intended to enable deeper mutual creative cross-fertilisation among the resident artists. It will also lead to a more intensive specialist exchange of ideas with external artists, speakers, teachers, curators, etc.

Two fellowships last three months and four fellowships last nine months. All residential fellowships run from June 2018.

The residential fellowships are endowed with 1,400 € a month and include free accommodation in the Kuenstlerhaus Schloss Balmoral.


II. International curator fellowship

To foster dialog between artistic work and theoretical reflection, Balmoral awards a residential curator fellowship to a fellow in the humanities (preferably art history). The curator fellowship is awarded to persons whose university degree (at least M.A.) was completed not more than 5 years ago. For the curator fellowship, mastery of the German language spoken and in writing as well as good knowledge of English is essential.

The fellowship lasts nine months and begins in June 2018. It is endowed with 1,400 € per month and includes free accommodation in the Kuenstlerhaus Schloss Balmoral.


III. Project, foreign and exchange fellowships exclusively for artists with relation to Rhineland-Palatinate

Relation to Rhineland-Palatinate means (and/or) is born in, has studied fine arts with graduation in, lives in or works in Rhineland-Palatinate.

- Two 6-month project fellowships (not tied to any site)
- One 6-month fellowship for New York (Residency Unlimited)
- One 3-month fellowship for South Korea (MMCA Residency Goyang)
- Two 6-month fellowships for the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
- One 5-month fellowship for Kuenstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf, Brandenburg/Germany

Attention: Since 2015, artists with relation to Rhineland-Palatinate can apply three times for each state fellowship, meaning three times for a project fellowship, three times for a fellowship in Paris etc. (past applications included), but only every two years.

The project, foreign and exchange fellowships are endowed with 1,200 € per month (except for South Korea).


Awarding of fellowships

A jury of specialists will award all fellowships, taking into consideration the developmental potential of the applicant's artistic or theoretical work.

Additional information and application forms are available on our homepage www.balmoral.de. Applications must be made with these application forms. Other applications will not be taken into consideration.