Call for proposals: Nomadic Village UK 2012
County Durham, North East England, May 21st - June 3rd 2012

Deadline for Applications: Monday 28th November 2011

download call here

The Nomadic Village is a temporary 10-day settlement set up on a vacant lot in County Durham, UK. The nomadic artists’ mobile homes/ateliers will form the structure of the Village, with On The Road Productions’ (ORP) Steyr-Ikarus bus acting as its townhall. Artists will come together to work in this autonomous environment to stimulate creativity and exchange, and attract local people to observe and participate in the process. At the end of the Village there will be a public exhibition/show that will invite a woder audience to appreciate the works produced during the Village. The project is run by Klaus Maehring (Lead Artist and founder) from ORP/Austria.

The Nomadic Village UK 2012 is produced in collaboration with ISIS Arts (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) and supported by Durham County Arts Team. It will seek to invite nomadic artists from all over the world, whose practice is rooted in themes surrounding nomadism; those who intentionally displace themselves to seek encounters that not only influence their work but form it; artists who work without borders and constantly respond to situations, places and people along their journey. The Nomadic Village will act as a platform for artists working in this manner, ultimately creating a wider, more visible network for nomadic artists.

How to Apply:

This call is open to artists from all over the world, who preferably come with their own mobile space to live and work in. To apply please send us a description of the project you would like to realise at the Nomadic Village, an artist bio/statement and CV. Include supporting material/documentation of previous work, either attached to email or send us web links. Make sure we get an idea about who you are, your artistic practice, who is involved and what kind of mobile structure you will travel/work/live in. Let us know if for some reason you can’t come with your own vehicle; we might be able to provide you with a space. The Nomadic Village provides the site, infrastructure and food but does not pay for artists coming to the Village. However, if your travel costs are especially high, e.g. if you are coming with a big diesel hungry truck or flying from far away, you can apply to the Dizel Grant (see here for more details).
We highly encourage you to contact us to talk about your proposal ideas, mobile space and travel arrangements before submitting an application - just for an informal chat, remember the deadline for submissions is Monday 28th November-so make sure you leave enough time to contact us.

The 2012 Location:

Demesne Mill, Wolsingham, Durham. (See here for more details)

The Traveling Exhibition:

After the public presentation in the Village, a selection of the artists’ work will be curated into a group exhibition. The bus will then hit the road, serving as a mobile gallery across England and Europe. It will travel to remote areas such as small villages and rural locations, as well as to cities and art centres.

Selection criteria includes:

• Artists whose work looks at themes of nomadism, working without borders, displacement, dislocation, journey.
• Work that responds to the place and the situation.
• Artists who practice exploring places, meeting/interacting with strangers, going into the
unexpected.
• Access to live/work mobile space.
• Ability to commit to entire Village.

The Nomadic Village will provide:

• All meals provided with dinners cooked by Umesh Maddanahali, other meals provided on a DIY base.
• letters of invitation and other support to enable you to raise additional funds.
• Facilities - including electricity, toilets, running water, wifi.
• Contact to the local community.
• Equipment for final presentation (Artists must provide their own equipment and materials for realising their projects during the Village).
• Documentation of project.


Timetable:

• Monday 21st - Thursday 24th of May: Arrival and set-up
• Thursday 24th of May: Launch event, press conference
• Friday 25th - Thursday 31st of May: Production time
• Friday 1st of June: Final presentation closing event
• Saturday 2nd of June: Last Supper

Contact:

For questions and initial conversation before submission contact either:
Captain Klaus, klaus@maehring.at, +43(0)699 10316027
Sharon Bailey, ISIS Arts, sharon@isisarts.org.uk +44(0)191 261 4407

For submissions e-mail applications to:
klaus@maehring.at

For more info please visit:

www.nomadic.cd/UK2012