Soil Futures is a network of creative organisations that explores the ground between us. The network is a collaboration between five organisations: Arts Catalyst (Sheffield, UK); RIWAQ (al Bireh, Palestine); Sakiya - Art/Science/Agriculture (Ein Qiniya, Palestine); Struggles for Sovereignty (Yogyakarta, Indonesia); and Vessel Art Project (Puglia, Italy).
Soil Futures traverses the practices of five organisations whose work happens in collaboration with communities within their local contexts: from combining agrarian traditions with contemporary ecological practices, to organising across art, food, land rights, indigenous and ecological activism; from monitoring pollution to connecting with wetlands through sound and different ways of sensing.
Over the course of one year, this collective endeavour takes the shape of a programme featuring an artist residency exchange, an online school, a podcast series, and a season of distributed local gatherings.
The Soil Futures Residency Exchange is an initiative between Arts Catalyst, RIWAQ, Sakiya and Vessel Art Project, for artists to undertake a six-week residency that will take place within the period from October – December 2022.
This is an exciting opportunity for artists who are active in the field of agro-ecology and environmental practices to delve into rural contexts in Palestine and Southern Italy and to work closely with organisations that operate at the intersection of disciplines while being responsive to their regional ecologies. This inter-institutional exchange is structured as follows:
- UK based artists can apply for a residency at Sakiya - Art/Science/Agriculture.
- Palestine based artists can apply for a residency at Vessel Art Project.
- Italy based artists can apply for a residency at RIWAQ.
The selected artists will take part in a rich exchange with local communities of practices – including farmers, ecologists, activists, artists and soil caretakers – to develop their artistic research and to nurture new and existing networks with the support of the host organisations.
The organisers are particularly interested in practices that speak to some aspect of ecology, climate, economy, science or technology inherent to the locality where the residency takes place.
Support and fees include:
- Return flights between UK-Palestine (Tel Aviv airport); Palestine-Italy (Bari or Brindisi Airport); Italy-Palestine (Tel Aviv Airport) and practical support for travel (particularly re: VISA application process).
- Artist fee: £1500.
- Production budget: £1000.
- Per diem: £1100 total (food and daily expenses)
- Free accommodation for 6 weeks.
- Translation support for meetings – from Arabic / Italian to English (provided by the host organisation).
- 1:1 mentoring and support during the residency by the host organisations.
- Access to the host organisation’s network of artists, curators, institutions, experts from multiple fields
- Opportunity to be involved in the broader Soil Futures programme, for instance as an active participant in the online School of Soil Futures, podcast series and local assemblies.
Expenses listed above are for 1 person only. If you choose to apply as a duo or collective you must show how you will be able to fund both people in your application.
