Call for applications: TURN2 arts residency in Germany

The three-month residencies seek to promote the initiation of curatorial partnerships and transcontinental networks between emerging curators and established art and cultural institutions as well as the exchange between the respective art scenes. TURN2 residencies are a joint project of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, ZK/U Berlin and the Triangle Network. The programme is implemented in collaboration with the Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI), the G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos and the Bag Factory in Johannesburg.

The residency

The aim of the residency is to widen the professional network and research opportunities for curators and cultural producers based on the African continent, providing them with access to the visual cultural scene in Germany and facilitating sustainable exchanges.

Residents are also explicitly encouraged to visit and network with cultural institutions throughout Germany. TURN2 residencies are research-driven and open to all areas of interest. They do not require a formal outcome or final project; however, participants are required to share their experiences or work in progress through discursive activities or events, developed in conversation between the hosts and other project partners.

The residency comprises:

• A studio at the ZK/U Berlin for living and working with access to communal spaces (kitchen, terrace, library) for three months.
• Residency programme: Participation in weekly dinners, monthly studio visits and open studio events (OPENHAUS) and the possibility to be part of ZK/U’s public events.
• Mentoring programme: Every selected candidate will be supported by a mentor who facilitates contacts to relevant cultural institutions and actors and accompanies the research development during the residency.
• Promotion of the fellows’ work online and locally.
• Networking opportunities across Germany to provide the candidate with an overview of the national and local art scene and to help facilitate their research during the residency (includes travelling to art institutions in Germany).
• Covering of travel expenses and limited budget for research material and networking travels to art institutions in Germany .
• A monthly scholarship of €1 500 ($1 750).
• Public presentation of one’s work in progress or research at ZK/U and other German art institutions.

Note: The selected curator/cultural practitioner is expected to be driven, self-sufficient and use their initiative to ensure a successful residency.

Selection and eligibility

The residency is open to emerging contemporary visual art curators with a cross-disciplinary approach and cultural practitioners with a curatorial interest based in the African continent. The selected curator/cultural practitioner should be able to engage discursively and speculatively with ZK/U’s environment in Berlin and Germany’s wider artistic and cultural contexts.

With this in mind, applicants should submit a project proposal with their application, outlining their specific research interests and intentions for the residency. Applicants should have at least a moderate level of spoken English, and should feel comfortable engaging in (public) artistic discussions in English. It is important that all applicants research ZK/U Berlin thoroughly before submitting their application so as to be fully aware of the context that they would, if successful, be entering. Six candidates will be selected by a jury that will meet in November 2021. Successful candidates will be notified in December. 

Note: The residency offer is subject to the candidate being able to obtain the relevant visa and any other documentation/health screenings required to enter Germany. The residency offer is subject to COVID-19 travel restrictions, and residency dates/travel arrangements may be changed at short notice.

For updates on current entry restrictions and quarantine regulations in Germany, applicants should visit the Federal Foreign Office website.

Application procedure

Only digital applications are accepted and applicants should apply here before 24 October along with the following:

• A statement describing the applicant’s areas of interest and research in general (up to 300 words) .
• A short plan of the applicant’s residency. This could include a short description of a research project specific to the context of Germany and, if applicable, an indication with whom the applicant wishes to conduct research (up to 800 words). This proposal does not have to be definitive and can change during the course of the residency.
• A portfolio with images and descriptions of two to three recent projects (as PDF, max 12 pages, up to 10MB).
• A CV/resume (as PDF, max two pages, up to 10 MB).
• Applications that do not follow the requirements will not be considered. 

Email turn-residency@zku-berlin.org for more information about this call.

View the original call here.