Open call 2024 – closed

Moving Identities – a border-crossing residency programme for performing artists is closed for applications in 2024. Next call for artists opens in February 2025.

Move people, move standpoints, move perceptions. Challenge perspectives, connect with people and places. This is Moving Identities.

 

Photo by Kasper Hjorth. Credit: Driver.

Open call

March 26 - April 26 2024

Are you a performing arts group or company based in Denmark, Norway, Germany, Belgium, or Spain? And do you want to further explore European identity, diversity, and inclusion?

Join us for an extended artistic exchange with residencies, seminars, mentoring, and cross-border collaboration.

We’re offering the opportunity for you to develop a project idea and artistic vision through three paid residencies – one in your country of residence, and two abroad with our partner venues.

The programme is committed to a sustainable practice and will prioritise slow travel where possible.

You can find descriptions of the venues and accessibility here.

Below you will find more information on the programme and application.

Please note: The countries, dates, and venues are fixed in advance.

About Moving Identities

Moving Identities is a residency exchange programme led by performing arts venues and organisations across Europe, with the goal of encouraging cross-cultural collaboration and exploring themes of diversity, inclusion, and the modern European identity.

The programme has been created with support from Creative Europe by venues in Hammerfest, Copenhagen, Dresden, Hasselt, and Barcelona, who are working together to open a new international network for participating artists, connecting people across borders in an eco-friendly way.

The aim of the programme is to help you develop your career internationally, and to increase diversity and inclusion in artist development organisations across Europe.

We want to learn from you and be inspired by your practice.

What do you get?

The programme involves one group of artists from each Moving Identities country who will embark on a one-year-long journey including:

  • A total fee of €4000 per artist in your group, as well as per diems for all international residencies.
  • Three residencies of 10 days each, one in your country of residence, and two at Moving Identities international partner venues.
  • A work-sharing event at each of your residencies where you can share your work in a suitable way to an audience of local performing arts professionals.
  • An exchange with a host artist at each of your international residencies to help you network with local artists and organisations.
  • Mentoring from your choice of the Moving Identities partners.
  • Online seminars and artist meetings throughout the year, including networking and skills-exchange.
  • A strategy facilitator at the end of your residency year who will support you in planning the future of your work/project.
  • Dialogue and exchange with your residency venues about your work and ambition.
  • Promotional material for your use, including professional photos, an interview video, and a promo video.

Who can apply?

  • Companies/groups of 2-5 professional artists with a strong artistic vision and/or practice related to the themes of modern European identity, inclusion, and diversity.
  • This call is for performing artists working in the fields of performance, dance and theatre.
  • All artistic approaches are accepted (research based, artistic activism, production, social engagement etc.).
  • Not all venues are equipped for productions, so projects in the research phase are prioritised.
  • All company/group members must be residents in one of the Moving Identities countries with a valid work permit – but you do not need to be citizens of your country of residence.
  • You must be minimum 18 years old upon applying. There is no upper age limit.
  • Artists who are underrepresented in the performing arts across Europe are prioritised.
  • We encourage artists of all abilities to apply. If you have accessibility needs for your participation in the programme, or for completing this application, please let us know.
  • We recommend that each group includes a producer, as there will be administrative tasks connected to the residencies.

Practical details and conditions

  • The residency year runs from September 2024 to June 2025.
  • Residencies are scheduled for October, November and March.
  • Meetings and seminars are scheduled for September, February and May.
  • Mentoring sessions run throughout the year.
  • We cover international travel, accommodation and insurance expenses and coordinate these together with you.
  • All group members must participate in the full residency year.
  • We are committed to slow travel where possible – and we expect the same of you. Part of the programme is to research and map the journeys of the artists and partners.
  • You commit to a total of three residencies of 10 days at the venues and dates below. All international residencies include an additional 2 travel days on top of the residency workdays.
  • You commit to meetings with your local venue, online meetings, feedback sessions, and ongoing dialogue with the programme coordinators.
  • We are hoping to learn and work together with you to develop our practices to become more inclusive and sustainable, and we ask for your feedback throughout the programme.

Residency dates 2024-2025

Please note: You must be able to join all three residencies on these specific dates.

How do I apply?

  • You must apply on behalf of your group through this application form.
  • Application deadline: April 26 2024, 23:59 CET.
  • You may submit your project idea and your CV in your own language or English. The programme language is English.
  • Selection process: We select artists through a 2-stage selection. First stage: The Moving Identities venue in your country selects a shortlist of 3-4 groups with an external curator. Second stage: The 5 venues meet and select one group from each country. This stage happens in June 2024.
  • You will hear back from us no later than 1st of July 2024.

Have the following material ready before applying:

  1. Your CV as a PDF-file
  2. A PDF-file or a link to a video (YouTube, Dropbox, or the like) in which you explain your artistic vision, and the project or research you would like to work on and develop during this programme.

FAQ

What language is used in the programme?

The administrative language is English, but you can submit your CV and project idea in any of the local languages – Norwegian, Danish, German, Flemish, Dutch, Castillan or Catalan. When you travel to the other countries, we will communicate in English, but you can develop your project in any language. If you have translation needs during your time with us, please let us know. 

 

How do you interpret ‘European Identity’ and the themes of diversity and inclusion?

We are interested in promoting artists from diverse backgrounds and artists who explore these themes. The artistic interpretation is up to you.

 

Which nationalities can apply?

All nationalities can apply, but you must have current residency and work permit in one of the included countries: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, or Spain. This includes every artist in your company/group. None of the participants can reside in other countries at the time of your application.

 

Is the programme accessible?

We do our best to ensure our venues and practices are inclusive and accessible to all and we work hard to make sure accessibility is not a barrier to artists who take part.

If you are in doubt that a venue fits your needs, please get in touch with us.

You can read about each venue here.

 

We have company members who require support workers. Should the support workers be included in the list of company members, or can we apply with 5 artists + support workers?

You can apply like all other companies with 2-5 artists. Your application will be judged on the artistic ideas and relevance for the programme, like all other projects. If your project is chosen, we will find solutions. We may have to apply for extra funding maybe in collaboration with you.

 

How do you interpret ‘professional artists’?

We understand that the term professional means different things in different countries and that the route to becoming professional varies. In the Moving Identities programme, the term categorises artists for whom artistic practice in the performing arts is their primary occupation. The aim of the programme is to support the artists selected in their international career – we therefore prioritise artists who have worked professionally in their country of residence for some time.

The programme is not for artists who are in full-time education.

 

Do I have to take part in all residencies and activities?

Yes. We have tailored the activities to make sure you get the most out of your time with us, which is why we ask you to attend them all.

 

Can we change group members throughout the year?

No. Once you are offered a place, we contract all the members of your group and expect you to take part in the whole programme.

 

Who are the partners?

The programme consists of venue partners who host the residencies, and advisory partners who oversee the mentoring and support the programme with their expertise. Find all partners here.

 

Partners: UP (Denmark), DAVVI (Norway), Nau Ivanow (Spain), HELLERAU (Germany), Kunstplaats VONK (Belgium), CKI (Denmark), Sustainable Culture NOW (Denmark), ITI (Germany), Himherandit Productions (Denmark), Sõltumatu Tantsu Lava (Estonia), The Danish Cultural Institute (Denmark/Estonia).

Further questions?

If you have any questions regarding the residencies or your application, you can reach out to your local venue or project manager.

Under Residencies on our website, you can find information on the venues in the different cities, get to know the places and contexts a bit better and find information on accessibility and physical facilities etc.

You can also read about the previous artists here.

 

Online info sessions 2024

Each venue will host a 1-hour session online where artists interested in applying can ask questions and get more information. You can find the information on the online info sessions here.

We acknowledge that the application process may be challenging, given both national and other differences. We encourage anyone eligible to apply to tell us of how we may be able to help you. We look forward to getting to know you.

Print the open call here

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.