Performa Biennial Baltic Fellows Open Call

Performa, the internationally acclaimed organisation dedicated to live interdisciplinary performance by visual artists and Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center (ECADC) are pleased to announce three Performa Baltic Fellowships in collaboration with Rupert and Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art.

The fellowships are designed to provide professional development and hands-on experience for early-career curators and producers interested in performance and its related discourses. This intensive three-month opportunity in New York City offers full immersion in local scene along with a life-changing opportunity to learn art history in flesh, with Performa as the training base. Three selected participants will receive direct insight into the workings of Performa’s artist-centric commissioning programme and work directly with the Performa team in New York, learning Performa’s methods for presenting, and preserving performance by visual artists in the lead up to the Performa Biennial that will take place from November 1-19, 2023. 

Qualifications: Candidates must seek experience in curating and producing performance, beyond what curatorial degrees can offer.  They must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in art history, curatorial, museum or performance studies, arts administration or relevant work experience. Special interest in performance, architecture, and new media is strongly recommended. Fluency in English and writing skills are a must, as are the ability to work in a collaborative and pressured atmosphere during the three-week run of the biennial.

Application deadline: April 28, 2023

→ Fellowships will take place from September 5 – November 30, 2023 in New York City.

→ Grants will cover all costs including travel to and from New York City, local transport, accommodations and per diems. 

→ Three candidates will be selected, one from each Baltic country. Candidates will be evaluated by jury members from Performa, Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, Rupert and Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art.

This year’s Performa Biennial will showcase new commissions by some of the most exciting emerging and established visual artists working today in a variety of spaces across New York City and its boroughs over a period of three weeks. It will also feature events and talks at the Performa Hub as part of the Performa Institute, as well as the return of Performa’s Pavilions Without Walls programme with a focus on Finland. Areas of work for the Baltic Fellows will include programming around the Performa Archive, the global history of Conceptual Art, architecture and protest and dissent as performance. 

Please find the application form here. All applications must be received no later than April 28, 2023 and applicants will be notified of the results by May 31, 2023. 

Performa Baltic Fellowships are supported by the Baltic Culture Fund and Estonian Ministry of Culture.