Opportunities

A page of more or less local competitions, open calls, residencies and other opportunities open to the Gulf’s creative community

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Warehouse421 Artistic Developmental Exhibition

ART

DEADLINE 31 July 2021
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Mentoring through the ideation, development and installation of a solo exhibition

  • Open call for a commission leading to exhibition of new work in Warehouse421’s Gallery 1 (around 150m2) in 2022
  • Three successful applicants each get a “participation fee” of AED 10,000
  • Exhibitions are solo shows in June and in September 2022
  • Aimed at artists with rigorous and sustained practices who would benefit from space to continue to experiment
  • Programme emphasises professional and creative development of participants, who will be supported by educators, interlocutors, and/or curators in producing work (each practitioner will select an interlocutor for an ongoing dialogue, plus scheduled group-crits and discussions)
  • Artists will develop their exhibition from idea to installation plus production of accompanying texts and public engagement activities
  • Partnership between Warehouse421 and The Institute for Emerging Art (?)
  • Individuals only
  • Programme will start August 2021
  • Apply via online form with …
    1. Personal details (bio, CV, mugshot, passport copy etc)
    2. Samples of previous writing (mandatory, up to 1500 words each)
    3. Artist statement (max 1500 words)
    4. Experience in public engagement (talks, workshops, teaching, performances)
    5. Work samples – max 10 images, or 5 mins total minutes of video/audio, or 5 images and 2.5 mins video/audio, and/or 5 pages of literary work
    6. Statement of intent – core objectives, expectations, etc (max 800 words)
    7. Six-month timeline
  • No entry fee
  • Over 21
  • Based in UAE
  • Early- or mid-career creative practitioners
  • AED 10,000
  • Solo exhibition at Warehouse421
  • Professional development

Warehouse421 Homebound Residency: Digital Communities

ART

DEADLINE 7 August 2021
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Six-month programme of curatorial support and a production budget of up to AED 20,000

  • Six-month off-site residency programme (October 2021 – April 2022) with curatorial support, material and logistical support, and production budget of “up to” AED 20,000 (can be used for any equipment and materials required)
  • Aim: support creative practitioners working remotely in producing new works and exploring “digital forms of community engagement within their practices” (because “this past year has served to highlight the untapped potentials of the ever-expanding forms of community engagement”) – applicants are challenged to think “deeply” about connection, communication, and multi-dimensional interaction
  • Programme led by curator Reem Shadid; aid and guidance from interlocutors identified by the successful participants; regular discussion circles
  • Culminates in an online presentation of processes and work
  • Open to any disciplines inc visual arts & curation, design & technology, theatre & performance, literary arts, culinary arts, music
  • Individuals only
  • Programme will start October 2021
  • Apply via online form with …
    1. Personal details (bio, CV, mugshot, passport copy etc)
    2. Samples of previous writing (mandatory, up to 1500 words each)
    3. Artist statement (max 500 words)
    4. Work samples – max 10 images, or 5 mins total minutes of video/audio, or 5 images and 2.5 mins video/audio, and/or 5 pages of literary work
    5. Statement of intent – core objectives, expectations, etc (max 800 words)
    6. Budget
  • No entry fee
  • Over 21
  • Connected somehow to the MENASA region
  • AED 20,000
  • Online presentation of work and process
  • Professional development

First Solo Residencies

ART, DESIGN

DEADLINE 10 August 2021
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New Tashkeel Residency Programme‭: a short term‭, ‬self-directed residency at Tashkeel House, Al Fahidi that will enable artists and designers who are members of Tashkeel to present an exhibition‭, ‬public outcome or work-in-progress‭

  • New addition to Tashkeel’s Residency Programme. Aim: to provide artists and designers who are members of Tashkeel with the opportunity to present an exhibition, public outcome or work-in-progress
  • Intended to support and nurture practice, whilst providing freedom to experiment and build experience
  • Applications can be from individuals or two people
  • Choice of two residency periods:
    – 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2021
    – 11 Jan to 6 Mar 2022
  • Residency should result in an exhibition “or public outcome” at Tashkeel Al Fahidi of min 14 days’ duration
  • Residents will be responsible for delivering engagement activities with the support of Tashkeel staff – could include talks, workshops, artist-led tours
  • Tashkeel will provide …
    – plinths
    – signage
    – private view e-shot invitation (if permitted)
    – private view refreshments (if permitted)
    – installation team
    – dedicated web page
    – proofreading and editing, plus help with translation between english and arabic
    – social media, marketing, press and pr communications
    – guidance during research and experimentation
    – project management support
    – advice on curatorial, installation and interpretive considerations
    – coordination of visits by community/youth/educational groups
  • Residency takes place in two connecting rooms in Tashkeel Al Fahidi (44m2) – a courtyard may also be available
  • No alcohol, no overnighting, no subletting, no commercial operations
  • Any sales of artwork will be managed exclusively by Tashkeel on behalf of the resident(s)
  • Apply online with max 10MB attachments inc …
    1. downloadable form inc bio, artist statement, project timeline, proposed engagement activities
    2. CV
    3. Examples of up to five images of relevant works (300dpi)
    4. Portfolio (PDF)
  • Successful candidates notified on 26 Sept
  • No entry fee
  • Open to all Tashkeel members, whether active or inactive (must have Tashkeel membership during the residency)
  • Successful applicant(s) get …
    – a fee of AED 10,000
    – plus production costs of AED 10,000 (which may include research, experimentation, artwork production, artwork hanging, advanced exhibition interpretation)
    – plus additional support worth up to AED 10,000 for installation/deinstallation, PR and social media, website promotion, opening reception (if permitted), digital bilingual brochure and basic exhibition interpretation
  • Opportunity to exhibit (min 14 days) and conduct community/educational engagement activities

UAE Designer Exhibition 2.0

DESIGN

DEADLINE 15 August 2021
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Open call for work from young designers to feature in a curated exhibition at Dubai Design Week

  • Open call for “homegrown, innovative designs” featuring “sustainability, material exploration and craft innovation” that “disrupt traditional solutions”
  • To participate in a curated exhibition at d3 during Dubai Design Week (8-13 November)
  • Aimed at young designers in their early career with independent, emerging practices that have not been exhibited extensively before
  • Proposals should …
    – contribute to the local supply chain (mandatory)
    – be at least at prototype stage(mandatory)
    – have a local or regional affiliation or relevance
    – not have been exhibited “extensively” before
    – consider environmental and social impact
    – contain cultural references of historical or contemporary narratives
  • Apply online with
    – concept description (max 300 words)
    – min one max five digital files showing the proposed concept
    – layout showing how the project will be exhibited
    – biography (max 300 words)
  • Queries to submissions@dubaidesignweek.ae
  • Must reside, operate and produce in the UAE
  • Must be younger, non-established designer with a smaller or emerging practice or who hasn’t been adopted by a gallery
  • Participation in an exhibition at the region’s premier design fair
  • Sales and networking opportunities

Mudun Short Story Prize

FICTION

DEADLINE 1 September 2021
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Barjeel Art Foundation competition: write a story of up to 5,000 words profiling a city in the Arab world that you know intimately. Winner gets $350, second place $250

  • The competition aims to produce stories and narratives that reflect the urban spirit of cities, neighbourhoods and structures in the region – “we want to experience the city as you do”
  • Fantasy / science fiction interpretations are acceptable “but we would still need to see existing or past landmarks, streets, or buildings of the city”
  • Story should reflect the architectural and urban forms of the city but also “social dynamics … cultural and political undertones”
  • Jury includes
    – Razmig Bedirian
    – Faris Bseiso
    – Reem Khorshid
    – Sultan Al Qassemi
  • Apply by email with
    – brief bio (max 80 words, written in the third person)
    – story in English or Arabic: max 5,000 words, .doc format, easy to read 12-pt font, double-spaced
    – include a Google Maps link as a footnote to the title
    – submissions can also include “old photographs or illustrations” of the locations in your story
  • No multiple entries by a single author
  • No entry fee
  • Queries to mudun@barjeel.com
  • None stated, apart of course from familiarity with at least one Arab city
  • First prize: $350, Second prize: $250
  • The two winning stories will be published on the website of Rusted Radishes: Beirut Literary and Art Journal
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