The Bagri Foundation is delighted to announce the launch of an open call for At Home in the World, a new series of £1,000 online commissions, established in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Comprised of five categories – Visual Art, Film, Sound, Lectures & Courses and the Written Word — it invites Asian artists, writers, musicians, curators, filmmakers, researchers and academics to create online works that will be presented across the Foundation’s digital platforms.
Says Alka Bagri, Trustee, Bagri Foundation: ‘I feel more than ever that art and culture are a key component of how we will get through this very difficult period. At Home in the World is one way in which we hope to offer assistance and to release a wellspring of creativity that can be experienced digitally.’
The Foundation would particularly like to see applications from those who have been adversely affected by Covid-19 and who have suffered cancellations of work as a result. There is no strict brief for the commissions, and the Foundation encourages a diversity of proposals that explore ways of thinking about survival, care and solidarity, offered from a place of hope.
Says Chelsea Pettitt, Head of Arts, Bagri Foundation: ‘We are constantly exploring new ways of assisting artistic projects and we hope that these new commissions will be the first of many similar initiatives. As we enter a new world, which may look very different from the one we’ve always known, we invite those who can challenge our thinking and encourage others through unique and unexpected ideas.’
At Home in the World is inspired by the Vietnamese philosopher and Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s collection of autobiographical stories of the same name, which impart mindfulness teachings, insights and life lessons. Embracing Hanh’s mindful approach, the online series has been designed for creatives from across Asia and the diaspora to share their own journeys of discovery, knowledge and ideas.
The deadline for submissions is April 17, 2020. These will be assessed by a panel of judges, with the winners announced in May 2020. Please see Notes to Editors below for further information about the application process.
Note: Phoenix Will Rise was commissioned by the Bagri Foundation and was shown at the Whitechapel Gallery, London, as part of the exhibition, Is This Tomorrow?, in 2019 . The image used here was taken when the installation was shown at the Alserkal Arts Foundation, Dubai, later that year.
Image: Phoenix Will Rise, Rana Begum and Marina Tabassum, Is This Tomorrow? Alserkal Avenue + Whitechapel Gallery, Dubai, 2019. Courtesy of the artist.
For press information please contact Albany Arts Communications:
Carla von der Becke
carla@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: + 44 (0) 79 74 25 29 94
Mark Inglefield
mark@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: +44 (0) 75 84 19 95 00
Notes to Editors:
About At Home in the World commissions:
Who is eligible to apply?
The Bagri Foundation welcomes proposals from artists, writers, musicians, curators, filmmakers and academics in which the opportunity to experiment and receive resources from an arts foundation would be impactful. It would particularly like to see applications from those who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic pandemic and who have suffered cancellations of work as a result. The Foundation encourages anyone who considers themselves an emerging artist to apply and there is no age or geographical limit.
Proposals can be submitted by single artists or artist collectives that meet the below criteria:
Artists must be from an Asian country or Asian diaspora as per the Foundation’s remit.
Applicants must have experience conceiving and executing works or projects.
The work submitted must not have already been exhibited publicly.
The work must be able to be shared digitally.
The work must fit into one or more of these five identified categories:
Visual Arts – painting, sculpture, artists video, photography
Film – short films in any genre, filmed performance such as dance or performance art
Sound – music, sound art, podcasts
Written Word – poetry, essay, fictional narrative
Lectures/Courses – workshops, talks and courses delivered virtually and ideally participatory
The Foundation has a strong interest in traditional arts and culture of Asia and its influence on contemporary practices, and therefore would love to see proposals that embrace this.
What does the Foundation mean when it says Asia?
The Foundation supports work by artists from all of Asia and its diaspora in its broadest sense. This includes Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
How do I apply?
Interested artists are asked to submit a proposal via the application portal. Artists will be asked to submit a CV if useful, a bio and answer a series of questions detailing their proposal and interest in bringing the online commission to fruition. The Foundation does not expect fully fledged, finished works at this time. Deadline for proposals is 17 April 2020 at 17:00 GMT.
You can submit your proposal through Google Forms Here. The proposal must be submitted in English. The answers can also be given via audio or video, for those who need it.
Due to the nature of the At Home in the World open call, proposals will only be accepted electronically.
Materials sent by mail, in person, or by phone will not be considered. If after reading the FAQs, you still have unanswered questions, or if you require additional access materials please contact: enquiries@bagrifoundation.org.
What if my work does not fit into one of the categories?
The work must fit into at least one of the categories above. The Foundation favours interdisciplinary work. If you find that you cross into multiple categories, then please select multiple checkboxes on the application form.
Is there an artist fee granted for the selected proposal?
Yes, each of the five selected artists will receive an honorarium of £1,000 GBP (inclusive of taxes and expenses) for the preparation and delivery of the digital contribution. In the case of a collective, the Foundation is afraid that this honorarium is per project selected, not per artist.
What is the budget?
Artists should propose a project that they feel can be realised in return for the £1,000 honorarium. In addition, the selected artists will be supported by the Bagri Foundation team in every aspect of marketing, audience building and engagement and mentorship.
How will the artists be selected?
All complete proposals received by 17 April 2020 at 17:00 GMT will be reviewed internally for eligibility by the Bagri Foundation team and trustees. A panel of guest judges for each category will help select the final artists. These will be announced shortly. In May, selected artists will be notified, and an online marketing and PR campaign shall commence. Selected artists will receive templates and general guidance for these items.
When will the selected artists be announced?
The selected artists will be announced in May 2020.
How do we apply as a Collective?
The Foundation welcomes proposals from existing collectives with a history of making work together. Collectives must apply under a single account and ask that they provide biographical information for each member.
How many proposals can I submit?
The Foundation will accept a maximum of two proposals per artist, regardless of the category. If someone submits more than two proposals – whether as an individual or as a part of a collective it will only review the first two received. It is likely that only one per artist would be selected, however.
When and where will the selected project be open to the public?
The selected works will be presented on online platforms, hosted via the Bagri Foundation on all connected social media platforms throughout the months of May, June, July and August, approximately every two weeks. When these go live depends on the nature of the work and the period of time which the artist needs to complete it. The work, if appropriate, will then stay on the Foundation website in perpetuity, or removed at a mutually agreed time.
There may be further opportunities to share work via media partners.
Important dates to know:
• 3 April 2020: Application portal opens
• 17 April 2020: Application portal closes at 5pm
• 1 May 2020: Shortlisted artists notified
• May/June 2020: Artists selection announced
• June-August 2020: Public commissions released every two weeks and presented across all
appropriate digital platforms
If you require this information in another format for accessibility, please get in touch with:
enquiries@bagrifoundation.org.
About the Bagri Foundation
The Bagri Foundation is a UK registered charity, inspired by unique and unexpected ideas that weave the traditional and the contemporary of Asian culture. The Foundation is driven by curiosity, a desire to learn and supports a myriad of exciting artistic programmes that challenge, engage and inspire. Through a diverse programme of film, visual arts, music, dance, literature, courses and lectures, the Bagri Foundation gives artists and experts from across Asia, or those inspired by the continent, wider visibility on the global stage.
www.bagrifoundation.org
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