Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
[note: this section will be updated regularly]
No. This open call assesses applications based on the artistic profile and its correspondence to the project’s aims and framework. There is no need to present a project, or even to try and respond to the data provided within the terms of this Tandem (eg: indicating how you intend to engage the “Hosting Communities” in the two territories where the artistic work is to be developed). A project layout, budget, and work plan will be requested to the coproduced artist/company further along the creative process, after the two research residencies.
The artist(s) should be ready to be influenced/nurtured by the contexts within which they will be working. Should there exist an initial idea for a project that could fit into this specific creation process, artist(s) may, nonetheless, approach it within their application – while still providing a wider overview of your artistic career and research.
Having prior coproducers and/or financial support granted is not a motive of exclusion, provided no conflicts of interest are identified and that existing partnerships are clearly stated within the application. Stronger Peripheries does encourage that further financial support is granted to the coproduced projects. Any ongoing projects should, however, keep a relevant degree of permeability to the specific contexts where they are to be developed within the territories of Stronger Peripheries’ coproducers.
Stronger Peripheries’ calls are directed to artists presenting an established body of work, albeit not yet internationally accomplished, meaning that the opportunity to have their work coproduced within the project would decidedly leverage their international careers. Emerging artists are not, as such, the project’s main vocation. Still, if you feel especially compelled to apply given the project’s premises – that is, if you are very motivated to explore participatory and/or locally anchored artistic practices, and feel a strong wish to delve into the Tandem’s topic –, feel free to consider submitting an application
Yes. You do not need to apply as an established company, nor are the calls solely directed at individual artists. In case you are applying as a newly formed collective, whose members have developed creative work previously and independently, please provide each of the collective’s members short portfolio, to provide an overview of their creative endeavours. Note that the (1) person submitting the application will be the project’s contact throughout the assessment process, and that – should your application be shortlisted – only one member of the collective will be able to participate in the final step of the selection process, the Tandem Workshop.
The artistic domains covered by Stronger Peripheries’ open calls are those of the performing arts: dance, theatre, new circus, performance in urban/natural spaces or any hybrid/transdisciplinary forms cutting across them (may vary depending on the calls, see yours pecific Tandem’sTerms&Conditions). That said, and in the latter stance’s vein, it is possible to apply even if your background work and/or training has been mostly developed within other languages, such as cinema, music, or visual arts, provided that your artistic alliances/intentions, as expressed in this particular application, portend that your work will result in any sort of hybrid performative expression.
No. You artist(s) may apply individually, as a collective, or as a company. Consider, however, that the coproduction fee is a lump sum, including all expenses you will need to incur throughout the creation process and performances’ deliverance – traveling, accommodation, and subsistence costs for all team members on tour. This means that the wider the team is, the smaller the net amount for artistic production expenses will be (as logistics will become heavier on the budget).
Yes, applications from individual artists are welcome too. However, bear in mind that the income generated by this coproduction may be burdensome on personal finances. Individual applicants may need to consider associating with a legally constituted organization for purposes of contracting and financial management.
Applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria:
Artists’ body of work
Balance: 40%
– The body of work’s robustness/degree of experience
– Artistic quality: innovation/relevance/perceived interest
– Merit/adequacy of artistic team’s profile
Artistic profile suitability to the project’s framework
Balance: 50%
– Experience/motivation for participatory artistic practices
– Experience/motivation for local contexts-inspired artistic practices
– Transnational mobility as presenting an added value to the development of the artistic career
– Motivation to work on the Tandem’s topic
– Artistic field correspondence
Engagement/Commitment
Balance: 10%
– Perception of commitment to the application/clarity/degree of contents’
development
The coproduction fee offered within Stronger Peripheries’ Tandem coproduction is a lump sum (gross or +VAT, according to what is stated in the “Terms & Conditions”). This means that all expenses concerning the participation in research and artistic residencies – travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs -, as well as artistic fees and artistic production costs (including translation of theatrical texts and live subtitling, if required), and logistics involved in the performance’s presentation are herein included. See point “I. Financial Conditions” in the Tandem’s “Terms & Conditions” for further clarifications.
Additional costs, such as rental of technical equipment required by the production, as well as payment of copyrights, is subject to agreement among parties and limited to the budget available.
[note: this response applies to the Tandem “Connecting Dots” (Portugal). Different formats may be attempted within each of the upcoming Tandems in the project]
The Tandem Workshop is the final step of the selection process within Stronger Peripheries’ open calls. Throughout four days, five shortlisted artists/companies will get to know the Southern Coalition’s partners and have the chance to present their work in a face-to-face situation – namely through an “artist talk” of 1h15 duration. A fee of 250€ is granted to each of the shortlisted artists/companies to prepare and deliver the artist talk. The artists’ work will moreover be framed within the local contemporary performing arts scene with the support of two experts/culture and creative sector professionals, who will introduce the artistic panorama to the Southern Coalition’s partners. Networking will be fostered in “Connecting Dots Labs”, where partners and artists can meet one-on-one, and attempts at leveraging the artist(s) work within the Coalition’s countries will be drafted. Lastly, the Tandem’s topic debate will be inaugurated in a joint debate, which is meant to inspire the research and creative processes.
The coproduced artist/company will be notified of their selection shortly after the Tandem Workshop’s completion.
Travel, accommodation, and perdiem costs (for 3,5 days) are granted for up to 1pax per shortlisted artist/company. Exception made for the “artist talk” – when artists are free to participate with as many persons as wished – collective participation in the overall program of the Tandem Workshop is to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. No further financial support can be offered for increasing numbers of participants.
Each Tandem coproduction offers a total of four residencies of approximately 11-15 days each*, according to the timeline described in the “Terms & Conditions”: one research residency per coproducer and one creative residency per coproducer (note that in Tandems where partner L’arboreto – Teatro Dimora is involved, the first creative residency is to be developed therein). Throughout the research residencies, the artist/company will have the chance to deepen its relations to the territory and may be accompanied by a research team, who, if wished, could provide further inspiration on means to address the Tandem’s topic: resources, readings, practices. The final creative residency may, in many cases, be tied with the final performance’s première – in which case technical conditions will be offered by the hosting partner throughout its final days.
*Longer residencies may be provided in some cases, subject to agreement among parties and space’s availability. Note that longer residencies in a foreign country entail added costs with traveling team members’ expenses, which are to be managed within the coproduction fee lump sum.
Yes, artists/companies may have other residencies booked as a commitment/counterpart by other partners who may be involved in the same coproduction. The external residencies’ timeline should, however, take the calendar of Stronger Peripheries’ Tandem coproduction into account, as stated in its “Terms & Conditions”.
A Hosting Community is a group of up to 20 local people – that is, inhabiting the territories of the coproducers involved in each Tandem – with diverse profiles, that is to accompany the artist/company’s research and creative processes. The specificities of the group’s profile are to be defined by the artist and the coproducers, according to the former’s interests, and to the latter’s audience outreach strategy. The group’s gathering will kick off by hosting an artist dinner at the beginning of the research process, in which they’ll get to know one another. Their tasks include guiding the artist/company in its relation to the local context and helping interpret the Tandem’s topic locally (eg.: by proposing unusual encounters or introducing them to places/people/ideas), adding value to the creative process through different initiatives/participation opportunities and/or moments of conviviality. The terms of the group’s participation are broadly understood – albeit necessarily based on the principle of mutual benefits -, and up for further definition throughout the process. This means the “Hosting Community” may keep on enlarging throughout time, up until the final performance’s première. A “Connector” per location will be assigned to help mediate relations with the local group.
In case the artist/company does not convey specific guidelines concerning the “Hosting Community” before commencing the research process, a clearer idea should be communicated to both coproducers by the end of the first research residency.
A Hosting Community is a group of up to 20 local people – that is, inhabiting the territories of the coproducers involved in each Tandem – with diverse profiles, that is to accompany the artist/company’s research and creative
Not necessarily. The participation of Hosting Communities is settled according to the artistic intents, and it may or not entail an active presence in the final performance. (see also FAQ “What is a “Hosting Community”). Should the artist’s decision encompass bringing non-professionals on stage, they might or not travel abroad for the performances taking place elsewhere, depending on how the project is designed and if their role is, or is not, replaceable (eg. by the other local Hosting Community, consisted in this location). Whenever they do travel, however, they are considered part of the artistic team, and all logistics expenses regarding travel/flights, accommodation, and subsistence costs are to be supported by the artist (costs included in the coproduction lump sum). Furthermore, if participating as performers, non-professionals should be granted a monetary fee.
Indeed, it is. English is the official language in which the creative process is to be conducted, including personal contacts and email exchanges with the “Southern Coalition”’s partners, as well as with “Hosting Communities” in foreign counties (note that in some cases, the “Connector” may need to serve as interpreter to facilitate communication with local, non-English speakers). As such, even if not at a proficient level, artists/companies need to be able to express themselves in English, both in writing and orally.
While most of the partners in this Coalition manage or partner with venues which offer technical and spatial conditions for presenting a performance on stage, you are free to conceive your work in whatever format/timing suits its intent (durational performances included). Nonetheless, unless justified for compelling motives, final artworks should be presented live. For Tandems including as an artistic domain performance in urban/natural spaces, it is assumed that finalized artworks will not be thought for a traditional stage/audience setting.
No, applicants are not required to speak any language other than English, and this information needn’t be conveyed within the application. Added language skills will, however, surely open room for deeper relations to non-English speakers amid foreign “Hosting Communities”.
“Stronger Peripheries” is seeking artists who could profit from the mobility opportunity(ies) offered by the project. Having an established international career can, however, be a rather subjective stance. It could happen that applicants have had their work touring extensively in one or several European countries, but have never worked with any or most of the countries comprised in the “Southern Coalition” (see point “B. The partners” in the “Terms & Conditions” for a listing of the Coalition’s partners). Assessing mobility benefits also comes down to what the fellow applicants’ mobility careers look like: if they are, on average, mostly established or, on the contrary, fairly emerging. Do apply!
Not necessarily. The form will allow applicants to advance even if links to longer videos are submitted. Despite this technicality, the Jury’s economy of attention does advise 3min as an optimal length, whenever existing video material makes it possible to abide.
The image intended for in this field is a portrait picture of either the artist or collective/company (vertical format preferred). This image will be published on Stronger Peripheries’ website, accompanied by a presentation (an edit of the artist statement provided) by each of the 20 artists/companies selected for portfolio dissemination. Photographs of your artistic work should be included in the portfolio.
No, there is no minimum number of characters. Each development question in the application form allows for a rather extensive response (typically ranging 3.500 to 5.000 characters), so as not to limit ideas. However, you are not required to fully fill in the field: use whatever number of words make your stances clear!
Yes. Open calls will be launched regularly throughout the project’s implementation period. In the last trimester of 2021, Stronger Peripheries will be looking to coproduce artists who reside in Portugal, Slovenia, and France. From January to May 2022, artists resident in Greece, Italy, Romania, and again Portugal will also have the chance to apply. Finally, between February and May 2023, the project will welcome applications from residents in Spain, Hungary, Croatia, and encore France. Keep attentive for calls launching in the website’s Calls area, subscribe to the newsletter, and/or follow Stronger Peripheries on Instagram for updates.
This question does not forcibly refer to artistic proposals that are conceived for a specific location and cannot be reproduced in any other context (though it may also encompass these). It could be that the context has provided inspiration/triggered some reflection or practice, which applicants have explored in previous artistic endeavors, or that they imagine would like to attempt in the future. “Stronger Peripheries” is interested in knowing what form have these experiments taken in the past, and/or how do applicants envisage they could take in the scope of this coproduction
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