Research Residency in Paphos (Cyprus) and Biella (Italy) - November 2023 | open call and selected resident

UNIDEE Residency Programs, Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto and Kimonos Art Center are pleased to announce a joint open call for a four-week Research Residency between Cyprus and Italy for an international artist or researcher, who will spend two weeks in Paphos and two weeks in Biella in November 2023, supported by the Cultural Services of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Research Residency is created to support emerging artists, researchers and cultural practitioners with a situated and embedded practice. It is an opportunity to develop or continue their artistic research linked to a socially responsible transformation, and specifically to environmental and ecological issues.

We invite applicants to propose a research project in line with the philosophy of Michelangelo Pistoletto's Third Paradise and his Manifesto Progetto Arte (1994): “Art is the most sensitive and complete expression of human thought, and the time has come for artists to take on the responsibility of establishing ties among all other human activities, from economics to politics, science to religion, education to behavior; in a word, among the threads that make up the fabric of society”.

The Research Residency in Paphos and Biella is meant to provide time and space to explore geographically and culturally different territories, to question common precarious climatic conditions, learning from local experience, and develop artistic practice or research related to ecology and climate change. At the same time, the program aims to create connections and exchange with other artists and creatives between Italy and Cyprus.

In 1999 Michelangelo Pistoletto founded Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto’s programme of artists’ residencies for art and social transformation. The programme is open to artists and professionals from all over the world and it aims at providing instruments for “artivators”, i.e. subjects working at the boundaries between artistic practices, processes of social change and collaborations with communities external to the art world, weaving together moments of interdisciplinary research, exchange of knowledge and practical activities. The objective of the programme is to provide the participants with the inspiration, motivation and instruments to activate, develop or strengthen artistic initiatives based on the involvement of local ecologies.
More info: www.cittadellarte.it/unidee/

Located in Paphos, Cyprus, Kimonos Art Center is an independent art center that aims to gather in its space a variety of techniques and make them available to the public through workshops and art classes. After the first two successful editions of this project, Kimonos Art Center is presenting the third edition of “Episkeptes", a residency program that welcomes artists from around the world to meet and interact, research and create new works in the unique spaces of the Center. This year, Kimonos Art Center is materializing the project in collaboration with Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto.

Building on several decades of experience in hosting, promoting emerging artists and collaborating with partner institutions, we offer a Research Residency to one international practitioner to spend two weeks in Paphos (Cyprus) and two weeks at Cittadellarte in Biella (Italy) in November 2023.

During their stay in Paphos and at Cittadellarte in Biella, the artists are led along a process based on the investigation of specific aspects linked to a socially responsible transformation, inviting them to explore and connect with local ecologies and environment.

In terms of production, the residency is not output-based and the aim is to support the research of the selected candidate. The residency will possibly end with a public open studio and presentation of the research project at Cittadellarte.

Furthermore, during their stay at Kimonos Art Center and Cittadellarte the selected artists or researchers will have the opportunity to engage and share their research time with other artists, curators, activists, designers, entrepreneurs, farmers, scientists, public and private managers and scholars working and collaborating with the institutions.

Residency dates: 
Kimonos Art Center: 6 - 20 November 2023
UNIDEE/Cittadellarte: 21 November - 5 December 2023

The four-week long residency offered through this joint grant includes:
• Travel expenses up to 400€;
• Per diem of 800€ gross;
• accommodation in Paphos; single room with private bathroom/toilet and common kitchen. Use of shared studio space available 24/7.
• accommodation in Biella: single room in our premises shared with other international residents – inclusive of cleaning services, use of shared studio space and workshop facilities;
• guidance and support during the residency from both teams of Kimonos and UNIDEE.

• The residency is open to international emerging practitioners (artists, curators, writers, activists, cultural practitioners, etc) from different backgrounds and with different practices in the fields of socially engaged art and social practice, curatorial practice and community organization;
• You have a fluent knowledge of the English language.

The submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by a jury consisting of representatives of UNIDEE, Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto and Kimonos Art Center. If necessary, the finalists will be interviewed by the jury for the final evaluation.

Final results will be released by the 22nd September 2023.

To apply please fill in the form at this link: https://form.jotform.com/232044465139353

Deadline for submissions: Sunday, 3rd September 2023.

Only digital submissions are accepted.