DIALOG CITY

A holistic approach towards a digital cultural infrastructure in European cities

Our DIALOG CITY ART FOR PUBLIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMME invites professional artists to develop ideas for urban interventions dealing with local or global topics that are of great significance for the respective urban society based on participatory approach. By developing new practices on how to connect digital innovation directly to citizens’ physical participation, the European cooperation project DIALOG CITY aims at contributing to increase access to culture through a dialogical approach. Co-creation is at the core, encompassing a CITIZEN ARCHIVE PLATFORM for the cultural heritage sector and an innovative design thinking toolkit on FUTURE LITERACY.

Annual HYBRID FESTIVALS serve as physical and digital cultural platforms to reach diverse audiences. Participating European cities are Mondoví (IT) in 2023, Graz (AT) in 2024, Aschaffenburg (DE) and Montpellier (FR) in 2025. The resulting art works of the respective residencies will be shown locally during the annual Hybrid FESTIVAL as well as online.

The Call for 2024 is now open for the residency in Graz (Austria).

For the Graz residency we aim to prevent data loss and enhance our cultural heritage profile. In the digital era, it is crucial that sources remain preserved for future generations. To address this, we are in the process of developing a collaborative digital tool designed for the long-term preservation of personal digital objects. The CITIZEN ARCHIVE PLATFORM is a user-friendly platform where individuals can submit various types of data-based objects, including images, videos, audio files, texts, and more. These submissions can be stored by memory institutions such as archives or museums and subsequently integrated into a professional, non-profit archival system.

This innovative tool will empower citizens to actively participate in collection initiatives by memory institutions. It also provides a straightforward method for individuals to upload their personal digital content and directly offer it to a specific participating archive. Through the Citizen Archive Platform, we are creating an accessible bridge between the public and archival institutions, ensuring that our digital heritage is safeguarded.

DIALOG CITY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

For approaching the future, it is crucial enabling people to process memory, collect cultural heritage and to create future literacy skills. We want to empower citizens to imagine, design and deal with their own analogue and digital future before others do it for them.

To approach all these aspects, the project contains of four angles:

DATA CITY: We want to discuss and to learn in an agile manner what constitutes current and future models of success in digitization without focusing solely on economic aspects.

SOCIETY CITY: During the hybrid events, not only individuals but also cultural organisations as well as all kind of associations will be included. We also invite non-formal groups and activists to take part in the events and give them a platform for discourse.

TOMORROW CITY: We plan and discuss which location-based technologies and services must be used, how and with which content in order to make art and culture a participatory part of a city.

GREEN CITY DIGITAL: Making data visible can represent the actual state of play and can then define goals and measures for ecological change that can be designed and implemented by the citizens themselves.

BASIC TIMELINE FOR APPLICANTS

• Application due – February 29, 2024
• Announcement of final selection – March 15, 2024
• Residency start – May 2, 2024
• Final Presentation at the Hybrid Festival Graz – June 6-8, 2024
• Residency end – June 15, 2024

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are only accepted via online form, please follow link below.

https://lst7zgknzdk.typeform.com/to/so37i0hz

For your application process you will need

• a project proposal (3000 characters max.),

• a short text on what digital transformation means to you and how your project fits to the guiding principles of DIALOG CITY (1500 characters max.),

• a short text on how your artistic work activates citizens and policymakers to imagine the future of their cities (1500 characters max.),

• a short biography (250 words, written in third person),

• Two-page resume, highlighting education, work experience, awards, and exhibition/ performance history.

• Up to 10 digital work samples, which may be any combination of still images, video, audio, and writing (for video or audio we prefer a pdf or document providing us with the links).

WHO CAN APPLY

DIALOG CITY ART FOR PUBLIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMME is open to all artistic disciplines (e.g., visual arts, writing, performance, new media, etc.) and other creative practices including, but not limited to, design, architecture, and education. We strongly encourage applicants with interdisciplinary and participatory / socially engaged art practices. Education and Training: We do not require any particular level of education or training to apply. Our residency programme is open to emerging, mid-career, and established artists and creative practitioners who have a dedicated studio practice and professional demeanour.

Artists of all nationalities can apply, but they must reside in the European Union or in one of the accession countries.

ACCOMMODATION

The selected artist will be hosted by the Austrian cooperation partner Stadtarchiv Graz at “Cerrini Schlössl” (Writer-in-Residence accommodation of the City of Graz). Free accommodation in a single room with private bathroom. The Villa offers a public kitchen that can be used but does not have any canteen or food service. Meals are not included.

ARTIST FEE

3.500 € including profound preparation of the residency after the final selection and presentation of the result during the HYBRID FESTIVAL in Graz. Per diems are included in the fee.

MATERIAL COSTS

Up to 2.000 €, proposal subject to be reviewed by the internal commission according to the value given in terms of scenography and visibility during the Hybrid Festival. This must be specified in the application.

TRAVEL COSTS

Will be covered up to the amount of 1.300 €, including return ticket from the origin and local transport in Graz. According to the Memorandum of Understanding “Green Deal” we urge project participants to avoid air travel. Train, bus or car are preferred.

CONTACT

residencies@dialogcity.eu

http://www.dialogcity.eu

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Artist Fee and Artistic Material Costs can be paid only through invoice process. The artist must have a VAT number or an institution it relies on, for invoicing correctly.
• Payment details: at the arrival in Graz, the artist will be given an initial instalment of 50% of the artist fee, while the balance will be paid at the end of the residency (within 60 days).
• English speaking and preferably basic knowledge of German language.
• Specific questions may arise during the decision-making process, which the DIALOG CITY consortium will then clarify directly with the applicants.

The jury also allowed itself to be guided by imagining the visibility of the final artwork in public space and its integration into the DIALOG CITY HYBRID FESTIVAL in Mondoví. Aspects of sustainability and the ecological footprint were also taken into account and will play an important role in the further course of the project’s implementation.

The jury finally selected the project idea of Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy, an artist duo based in the Netherlands, working internationally in the field of socially engaged art practice. For the DIALOG CITY ART FOR PUBLIC RESIDENCY in Turin and Mondoví, they will embed themselves in the community of Mondoví for a period of 4 weeks. During this time, they will explore a diversity of community stories through in-depth research, community collaboration and observation. Anne and Luke are specifically interested in both the objective and subjective stories of the community and its members, relating to both a global and local perspective. The outcome of the residency will be an exhibition of the artists’ impressions of such stories, captured in a large-scale photographic composition in public space during the DIALOG CITY HYBRID FESTIVAL.

The project proposal of Anne and Luke matches many of the requirements of the call. Above all, the strong participatory aspect, the visibility of the artwork and its excellent integration with the DIALOG CITY HYBRID FESTIVAL. Their attitude towards a participatory and shared artistic work will also enable good communication and exchange, both regarding the artistic aspects and the festival organisation. Their experience in participatory art projects and excellent communication skills will as well ease the whole process of interaction and creation with the citizens in Mondovì involved in the residency workshops.

https://www.luke-conroy.com
https://www.annefehres.com

DIALOG CITY Jury members:
Raffaele Irace is a choreographer and the program director for dance and performance at the Gallus Theater in Frankfurt, Germany and the founder and artistic director of SOLOCOREOGRAFICO Solo Dance Festival, the IMPRO_RING dance platform and 24 HOURS X 24 MINUTES creative dance challenge. Raffaele is the artistic director of the DIALOG CITY HYBRID FESTIVAL in Mondoví.

Stefan Horn is the artistic director of the Berlin-based urban art association URBAN DIALOGUES dealing with all manners of flux and change of urban and social issues for 20+ years. His background is in theatre design and he is working internationally as a cultural manager and curator. Stefan is the artistic coordinator of the DIALOG CITY project which is including artist residencies in 4 countries.

Alessia Trovato holds a bachelor degree in eonomics and management for art, culture and communication and a master degree in performing arts management. Since May 2022 she has been working for the FONDAZIONE CIRKO VERTIGO (Grugliasco – Turin) in the live performance production department. Alessia is responsible for the DIALOG CITY ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAMME in Mondoví.