Call for projects: Burden of Memory Project Fund 2020

The platform is for cultural practitioners from Africa who are working on the confrontation with Germany's colonial past in their countries through various artistic forms. Projects will be selected based on innovative approaches, artistic quality, cross-border aspects and proof of feasibility under restricted travel conditions.

Applications should be made via email to soraya.sone@goethe.de and prog-yaounde@goethe.de along with an application form.

The call will close on 11 July.

The selection will be done by a jury consisting of Chantal Djedje (Ivory Coast), Rose Jepkorir Kiptum (Kenya) and Jay Pather (South Africa).

Criteria

• Applicants must be based in one of the following countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Togo.
• Proposed projects must be co-productions or at least have strong elements of collaboration between at least two of the eligible countries.
• Proposed projects must reflect on colonialism and its impact on contemporary society.
• Projects which started before November 2019 cannot be funded.
• Projects can be supported by the fund within a range of €5 000 to €20 000. A professional and realistic budget plan is mandatory.
• Project applications must convincingly show the feasibility of collaborative production, preparation and presentation within the year 2020 and within the frame of the budget plan.
• Proposed projects must show convincing concepts, how to ensure international cooperation in times of travel restrictions, regulations on physical distancing, and avoidance of health risks for all participants.

Applying in epidemic times

“We are aware of the difficulty this situation poses to this programme, which encourages international exchange and co-production,” Goethe-Institut said. “Applicants are asked to take this situation into account and to propose convincing concepts on how to deal with it. In view of these unusual circumstances we advise applicants to reduce physical travel in the process of project development to an absolute minimum and to a feasible level. Expenses originally planned for travel could be entered in the budget plan in enhanced digital communication facilities.”

Aims

With the the Burden of Memory Project Fund, Goethe-Institut supports inner-African exchange of artists and their innovative ideas. The facilitation of such an exchange and networking between the artists is as important as the productions resulting from the fund. The joint application must show clearly that good working contacts are being established between partners and that all parties are interested in putting together a production based on open dialogue.

The fund promotes projects that show new and innovative approaches towards the entanglements and tragedies caused by German colonialism in Africa and propose new ways of cooperation aimed at alternate futures. Therefore, the funded projects have to be presented publicly within 2020 in a location of the applicant’s choice. Costs for the presentation have to be included realistically in the budget plan.

For questions about the application process, contact soraya.sone@goethe.de.

View the original call here.