Open Call. Rupert Residency Program 2018 (July-December)

The Rupert Residency Program is dedicated to local and international practitioners and thinkers: artists, writers, curators, sound artists, cultural managers and academics, providing them with the opportunity to live and work in Vilnius while developing individual projects and immersing themselves in the region’s contemporary art context.

The residents are also invited to get involved in the Rupert Alternative Education Program, as well as the Exhibitions and Public programs, where the residents can attend talks, lectures and workshops by prominent curators, artists and thinkers from all over the world. Driving these programs is Rupert’s central ethos of establishing collaborations and conversations between local artists, local and international art organizations and the residents themselves, facilitating a dynamic exchange of artistic ideas.

As a centre for Art and Education, Rupert is a knowledge-based platform for creative production and collaboration that aims to establish conversations between local artists, local and international art organizations and artists-in-residence. Rupert facilitates and solidifies the bonds between a range of operators in a wide range of creative fields and spheres typically deemed as non-creative in Vilnius and beyond. Throughout our programs, we seek to interweave two typically separate aspects of working in contemporary art. That is, to provide a setting for knowledge sharing and, simultaneously, to enable these newly established collaborations, meanings and encounters into tangible art, social or community-based projects, production, exhibitions and other visible outcomes.

Located in the picturesque area of Valakampiai in Vilnius and only a short distance from the city’s flourishing cultural centre, Rupert is set by the river Neris complete with small river beach, and surrounded by peaceful fields and a forest. The residencies are located in a newly-constructed Pakrantė building designed by award-winning Lithuanian architect Audrius Ambrasas. Each resident is provided with a studio space and mezzanine (approximately 52 sq. m. altogether) to be used as a production and research space during the residency. The studio is fully furnished and equipped with WiFi. The building also houses a reading room, conference room and a kitchen, all of which are open for residents’ use. Each resident is also provided with a Mac computer, a phone with Lithuanian SIM and a bicycle.

At least half of residencies are FREE thanks to the support of Lithuanian Council for Culture and other grants. The remaining half of the residencies cost 450 Euros a month.
In the application form you can select whether you prefer to be considered for both options or only for one.

All residencies include studio, utilities, administrative support and 2 studio visits per month. Applicants are responsible for covering personal (daily and travel) expenses, although a limited number of travel and production grants are available for selected candidates. Rupert’s team will issue acceptance letters for successful applicants and support their applications for external grants to cover the residency fee, travel, food, production and other costs.

RESIDENCY DURATION
Individual residencies can last from 1 to 3 months or potentially longer in exceptional cases. Residents are asked to propose their preferred duration of stay and if accepted this can be negotiated according to studio availability and schedule. Artist collectives up to 3-4 persons can apply to an individual residency spot. Residencies will take place between 1 July — 31 December, 2018.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS
Please send your Residency application form 2018 along with your CV and portfolio (no more than 5 works, number of images for each work is not limited) and application fee payment receipt to residencies@rupert.lt before midnight, 31 January, 2018.

Please send in the files in the following format:
‘Full Name_Residency application form 2018’; ‘Full Name_Portfolio’, etc.

There is a 10 € application fee towards administrative costs of residency Open Call. It can be paid via PayPal through Rupert’s website before midnight, 31 January, 2018. Bank transfer can also be arranged if the applicant does not have a Paypal account.

Successful applicants will be selected for Skype interviews with residency admissions jury, which will take place shortly after the application deadline.