Since 2017 NGO Kaunas Biennial, together with cultural organizations of the 21 European Union and candidate countries, runs a platform financed by the EU “Creative Europe” titled “Magic Carpets”. This year, we are happy to cooperate with local organizations as well – the Kaunas Artists’ House, the Charity Fund “Frida” and the NGO Family Center “Let’s be together”.
About the platform
The Magic Carpets is a platform that creates opportunities for emerging artists to participate in the artistic residencies all across Europe and to create, together with local artists and local communities, new works that highlight local specificities and compensate for the shortage of story-telling existing in the modern society by enhancing cultural accessibility, cultural activism and participation.
Topic
Let’s play Fluxus!
Main topic is inspired by the final event where the results of the residencies will be presented – “Fluxus Festival” organized by Kaunas Artists House. Fluxus is a desire for constant movement, elevation and change: from the center to non-center, from the everyday to unexpectedness. DYI, stepping out of comfort zone, playing games in everyday life are just a few Fluxus values that are relevant to Magic Carpets platform in order to strengthen the communities. As this year we will include socially sensitive communities into the project, Fluxus kind of art can help fight with lack of trust, social exclusion and discrimination. Artists participating in the residency will be encouraged to include a community of women from Ukraine who have been temporarily living in Kaunas since the full-scale invasion started in their country and Dainava district community. The Community involvement part will be coordinated by collaborating with Charity Fund “Frida” and NGO Family Center “Let’s be together”. This year, 4 artist residencies will be implemented (2 foreign and 2 local artists or artist collectives). The results of the residencies will be presented as part of the “Fluxus Festival” program.
Deadlines
- Approximately 1-month lasting residency will be held during May or June, 2024;
- The date of presentation of the final results is September 18-21, 2024 (“Fluxus” festival);
- Please send your CV and Portfolio by March 29th, 2024 (to the curator of the Magic Carpets projects in Kaunas Brigita Bareikytė at [email protected])
We are looking for local artists
– that would be open and interested in working with communities, open to people, aware of working with sensitive groups of people (grown ups);
– might be interest in feminist, social equality, social inclusion topics;
– might be interested in Fluxus Movement inspirations.
Kaunas Biennial team takes care of:
- Project administration and curatorial lead;
- Dissemination and publicity of the project;
- Budget required for project implementation;
- Artist fee equal to 1200 EUR.
Kaunas Biennial reserves the right not to comment on the project selection results. Selected artists will be notified personally.
The project is supported by EU and Lithuanian Council for Culture.
Local partners:
