Open call for project assistants in Estonia, Lithuania and Iceland

The project assistant position is an opportunity for 3 students or recent graduates to gain 1 or 2 months first-hand work experience and contribute to preparing and producing art events. This is a paid opportunity that promotes cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Borderland Poetics, a co-operation programme between CCA Estonia, Rupert (centre for arts, residencies and education in Lithuania) and Icelandic Art Center, is inviting emerging art professionals of the region to apply for the 2022 project assistant position. There are three different positions available, one in each institution: CCA (Tallinn, Estonia), Icelandic Art Center (Reykjavik, Iceland) and Rupert (Vilnius, Lithuania).

The Programme offers a scholarship of €2400 and additionally covers return travel expenses for each participant. Accommodation agreements must be made by the participants themselves but the programme will partly cover these expenses depending on the price. The applicant must be willing to work 1 or 2 months in Tallinn, Reykjavik or Vilnius.

The assistant will work closely with an appointed supervisor, supporting them in various responsibilities related to exhibition and event production, management and communication. The training will take place during Autumn 2022.

Application process

Deadline for applications is 28 June 2022. 

Please send your application opencall@cca.ee and specify your preferred location of assisting (for more information about each institution, see below). A jury, consisting of representatives of the partners, will select three applicants, each of whom will work at one institution.

❗️The applicant must be based in or from Estonia, Iceland or Lithuania.

Documents to be submitted before the deadline (in English):

  • -CV;
  • -Motivation letter stating the preferred institution and outlining the applicant’s interests in the selected institution/event;
  • -Recommendation letter. We encourage an academic reference or a letter from a previous colleague or superior stating the applicant’s skills and experiences within the field of contemporary art (optional)

Please note that we encourage applicants to choose an international project (e.g. Lithuanian-based applicants are advised to choose either the Icelandic Art Centre or Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art).

Requirements:

  • -Higher education (at least BA level) in the field of arts;
  • -Fluent English speaker;
  • -Must be based in or from Estonia, Iceland or Lithuania;
  • -Job experience in the visual arts will be regarded as an advantage.

About the 2022 partner institutions

Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA)

CCA is a non-profit expert institution in international cooperation projects with a role to activate and develop Estonian contemporary art scene. CCA is the commissioner of the Estonian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. CCA is constantly building connections between Estonian and international art scenes and we host around 30-50 curators, writers and artists in one year, introducing them to Estonian art.

The placement is set to take place in autumn 2022 for two months. The project assistant would be working closely with a team of 5 people and the main tasks would be connected to international projects: travel arrangements, creating programmes for the international guests, hosting and arranging studio visits with the artists. While working at CCA, the team helps the assistant to get introduced to the local art scene and to provide insights into the structure of the institution.

Website: www.cca.e
Facebook: @ccaestonia
Instagram: @ccaestonia

Icelandic Art Center  

The Icelandic Art Center promotes and supports Icelandic contemporary art internationally through grants, collaborations and projects. It facilitates professional partnerships, visitor programmes and international collaborations between artists. The Center serves as an information point for curators, press, artists and art institutions. The Icelandic Art Center is the commissioner of the Icelandic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. 

The Icelandic art center which focuses on fostering collaborations and dialogues between international parties and domestic stakeholders in the field of contemporary art, is based on Lækjargata in the capital’s center of Reykjavík, Iceland. The organization is an arms length governmental body. Today it is an important contributor to maintaining a platform were Iceland and Internationally based artists and other art professionals can come together and share their knowledge. 

The assistant is expected to work in Reykjavík from September until the end of October and take part in the daily activities of the Icelandic Art Center office. The assistant will work closely with an appointed supervisor, supporting them in various responsibilities related to project management and event production, management such as website management and updates, and communications. 

Website: icelandicartcenter.is 
Facebook: @IcelandicArtCenter 
Instagram: @icelandicartcenter 

Rupert

Rupert is a privately initiated and publicly-funded centre for art, residencies and education. Its activities began in 2012 and in 2013, it moved into ‘Tech Arts’, a creative hub designed by architect Audrius Ambrasas. 

Rupert’s mission is to establish close cooperation between artists, thinkers, researchers and other cultural actors through transdisciplinary programmes and residencies. Rupert is committed to integrating with the social and cultural life of Vilnius and Lithuania, while also maintaining a strong international focus.

Rupert manifests this mission through three related programmes: the residency programme, the alternative education programme and the public programme. They are all dedicated to creating platforms for conversation, research and learning. Through these programmes, Rupert supports local and international thinkers in realising their projects and establishing their creative practice on an international scale. 

The placement is set to take place in autumn 2022 for two months. The selected project assistant will be supporting the development of the three core programmes at Rupert, more specifically public video art event, several lectures, final exhibition of the alternative education programme and a new issue of Rupert Journal. The project assistant will actively engage with the participants of the residency and alternative education programmes, and have a chance to take part in the activities tailored for them. This varied work placement will provide an insight into institutional structure, the local art scene as well as a chance to gain hands-on curatorial, administrative and communication experience.

Website: www.rupert.lt
Facebook: Rupert
Instagram: rupert_residency

About the programme

The programme is coordinated by partners of the Borderland Poetics Research Programme – the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art, The Icelandic Art Centre, Rupert – centre for arts, residencies and education. The Borderland Poetics is a 3-year long network to promote cooperation between Estonian, Icelandic and Lithuanian art scenes. The title is a reference to an exhibition ‘Border Poetics’, curated by Estonian curator Eha Komissarov in 2018.

The programme is supported by the Nordic Culture Point.

Additional information:

Kaarin Kivirähk
Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art
opencall@cca.ee