Open call: South Cultural Fonds incubator workshop proposals

Incubator is an initiative calling for workshop proposals to equip artists with the hands-on knowledge required to successfully design, coordinate and facilitate online workshops. The goal of this call is to strengthen artists in their ability to share their creative practice and experience with others, while also fostering collaboration and dialogue on specific topics.

Following the open call, one applicant per workshop category will be selected. They will receive a grant of 4 000 Swiss francs (about $4 520) for their project. The grant will be paid in two instalments to cover the expenses associated with producing the outputs of the workshop, such as honorariums, fees, and non-personnel costs. The selected workshop applicant will be paired with the partner from their category who will provide professional guidance, advice and support in the production of the workshop and its subsequent implementation. The names of the Incubator partners in each category are listed in the original call at the end. The organisers will also provide a film-based training to each applicant to document their work-in-progress. The Incubator culminates in a joint virtual showcase of all the content developed in the workshops.

Proposed workshops must run for four weeks, held online for 10 to 15 participants.

Who can apply?

• Artists of all disciplines with an active creative practice of more than three years are invited to submit a proposal. No prior experience in running a workshop is necessary.
• Applicants must have English proficiency and submit proposals written in English. The workshop language may be determined by the successful applicant in consultation with the category partner. Proposals submitted to the “Indigenous, Afro, and Caribbean Cosmogonies” category may be written in Spanish or English.
• Only one proposal per applicant will be considered in this call. Before submitting a proposal, applicants must consult the workshop categories and their respective criteria. Applicants and their proposals must meet the eligibility requirements outlined for the relevant category and the proposal must engage with the respective workshop topic.

Workshop categories

The call has six categories and only two are designed for Africans. The remaining categories can be viewed in the original call.  

Category title: Food Futures

• Production partner: Global Landscapes Forum
• Eligibility requirements: Female artists from and living in Djibouti, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda.
• Workshop topic: The focus of this workshop will be to use artistic practices and approaches to draw attention to women transforming African food systems.

Category title: Conservation Through Creation

• Production partner: Global Landscapes Forum
• Eligibility requirements: Artists from and living in Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, DRC, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, and Uganda.
• Workshop topic: The focus of this workshop will be for participants to develop artistic interventions and approaches to protect the landscape they are living in. The term “land” indicates a sense of belonging (= I own). Yet the suffix “-scape” means, in many languages, to “shape.”

How it works

The Incubator runs from November 2023 to April 2024. It consists of six workshop categories, each of which is hosted by one of the Incubator partners – all of whom are experienced workshop producers. The Incubator partner provides mentorship, advice, and support to the successful applicant on both a content and technical level.

Applicants for each workshop category are selected based on a review of their proposals. One successful applicant is chosen for each category and is then mentored for a period of four weeks to design and plan the proposed workshop in detail.

After the four weeks of mentoring, four to five weeks are set aside for the coordination of the workshop, such as for recruiting participants. The workshop then runs for a period of four weeks.

The Incubator culminates in a joint showcase in a virtual space, which features all the content created in the six workshops. Mentorship details and support are customized depending on the type of successful application and are determined between the partner and the artist.

Key dates and schedule

• Call open: 1 September 2023.
• Submission deadline: 1 October 2023.
• Grantee announcement: 10 November 2023.
• Mentorships start: 4 December 2023.
• Workshops dates: 19 February – 15 March 2024.
• Final presentation, Virtual showcase: April 2024.

Proposal instructions

• The proposed workshop format should meet the following criteria:
• Provide a learning experience in an online environment to 10-15 participants.
• Workshop duration of four weeks (Schedule details i.e., frequency of learning sessions will be developed during the mentorship).
• Include one to two activities in workshops that are open to an audience wider than just the participants (e.g., a talk or presentation that engages a broader community).
• Include at least one further training facilitator or expert beside yourself.
• Include hands-on experience and practical tools.
• Engage with the topic in the workshop category.
• Encourage a socially engaged practice and if applicable, promote learning and working across disciplines.
• The output/works resulting from the workshop will be displayed in a virtual exhibition.

Proposals should be written in English and include the following information*:

• A title and brief description of the workshop content and how it engages with the topic of the workshop category.
• A statement of need establishing the problem and current conditions that you plan to address in the workshop.
• A description of the target audience and a tentative plan to interest and select workshop participants.
• A description of the methodology and activities involved in the workshop i.e., what will participants create? How will you guide participants?
• Provisional list of further instructors involved, if applicable.

* Proposals submitted to the workshop topic “Indigenous, Afro, and Caribbean Cosmogonies” are accepted in Spanish and English.

How to apply

Interested artists should login or register here before 1 October.

Applicants should submit the following supporting documents:

• Workshop proposal of maximum 1 500 words. Note: Consult the workshop proposal guidelines and use visualisations (graphs, tables, drawings, images) to help explain and support the ideas in your proposal.
• Workshop budget: Simple breakdown of estimated expenses related to the proposed workshop. This should include both personnel costs (such as honorariums, fees, etc.) and non-personnel costs (including purchases, production, publicity, etc.). Applicants should ensure that the budget does not exceed CHF4 000.
• Biography of applicant (max. 250 words).
• Two to four examples of applicants’ previous work, which are representative of works to be created and/or techniques to be learned during the proposed workshop.
• One letter of reference that is dated and signed from arts organisations, artists and/or community leaders validating your work or involvement in the arts.

Application process

• Step 1: Create an account by clicking on the register-button on this page and start a new submission for the Incubator call.
• Step 2: Fill in all required fields and upload the required attachments. Applicants can save the application and complete it later until the deadline.
• Step 3: Once applicants have successfully submitted their application, they will receive an automatic email confirmation.

All questions regarding this call should be sent via email at flurina.rothenberger@artlink.ch.

“We are looking for socially engaged proposals that focus on local realities, engage audiences beyond the art community, and include hands-on experiences and practical tools,” a statement reads. “Priority will be given to workshops that promote learning and working across disciplines.”

View the original call here.