Versant Sud calls for entries for 'Residency Passages', a cross-residency grant for creative people from Lagos (Nigeria) and the Marseilles region (France) [CLOSED]
A cross-residency grant offer for artists and creative people from Lagos (Nigeria) and the Marseilles region (France), working in the fields of Architecture, Fashion, Design, and Crafts.
Versant Sud, a Marseilles-based organization in collaboration with their local partner, the French Institute of Nigeria are offering a cross-residency grant to artists and creative people from Lagos (Nigeria) and the Marseilles region (France), working in the fields of Architecture, Fashion, Design, and Crafts.
In the announcement statement, they stated that “This program entitled Crossings; aims to accompany the artistic emergence in Africa, and in particular in Nigeria, through residencies in mainland France to develop a project of creation or research, and the strengthening of exchanges with France with the simultaneous hosting of a French artist/creator in Nigeria.”
The artistic residency program lasts 8 weeks. The 2023 edition will take place from October 20 to December 20, 2023 for the Nigerian laureate going to Marseilles.
Conditions of the residency and obligations of the laureate
The laureate will reside and work exclusively in Marseilles (delimited area), for a continuous period of 60 days. The time of the residency must be entirely devoted to the artistic project presented. The laureate must be physically present during the entire period of the residency.
The resident undertakes to:
(1) complete the residency around the initial project and participate in the weekly
follow-up of the residency;
(2) work regularly in a production workshop;
(3) participate in an exchange activity with the local community;
(4) accompany his/her finished project with a detailed note;
(5) organize a restitution intended for the local cultural ecosystem, and ensure the
assembly and disassembly of the installation, if necessary;
(6) participate in a restitution in Lagos upon return from the residency;
(7) fill out the residency exit questionnaire.
The laureate must be autonomous in the management of his/her residency and travel.
The works created during the residency are the property of the author.
What the residency offers
The French Institute of Nigeria and Versant Sud, with the support of their
partners, provide:
a stipend of €1,200 per month (fees, catering, and local travel expenses);
economy class transportation from Lagos to Marseilles (including an additional
baggage for the return of the production created);the French visa (with the support of the French Embassy in Nigeria);
a production grant of €1,000 for the conduct of the project (production material,
fees for the services of an artisan if the project requires, restitution in Lagos);€250 worth of equipment at the Giant of Fine Arts;
accommodation, the apartment is located in the Belsunce district, a 20-minute walk from the workshop location;
a workspace provided by La Citadelle de Marseilles and located on the Vieux-
port of Marseilles. The Citadel of Marseilles (also known as Fort Saint
Nicolas/Entrecasteaux) is a classified Heritage site since 1969, under
restoration and soon open to the public.
What laureates are responsible for
The laureate is responsible for:
mandatory vaccinations;
PCR tests required, in the event that the laureate does not present official proof
of full vaccination against Covid19;mandatory liability and repatriation insurance for the duration of the stay (a
certificate must be attached to the residency agreement);tools, computer equipment, and materials necessary for his/her work.
Application Guidelines and Eligibility
Multiple applications will be disqualified.
The French Embassy in Nigeria and Versant Sud will pre-select eligible applications by residence and oversee their deliberations as non-voting members.
To select the winners, the organizers work with independent jurors in Lagos (Institut Français du Nigeria, Alliance Française de Lagos, A White Space Creative Agency, 16x16, Agence Française de Développement au Nigeria) and Marseilles (Région Sud, independent curator, private player in the cultural sector, the City of Marseilles).
NB: the composition of the jury may be subject to change.
English is the main language of the application and selection process.
Applications must include the following:
Mandatory:
A statement that describes the purpose of the residency: the title of the project, a brief presentation of the project specific to the residency, the objectives and expected results, and how this residency fits into your artistic career (2 pages maximum)
An updated curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
A portfolio (20 pages maximum)
A text describing the artist's artistic approach (2 pages maximum)
Optional:
Letters of recommendation (2 letters maximum)
Selection Criteria and Agreement
During the review process, eligible applications are reviewed and evaluated
based on four criteria:
quality of the proposal;
quality and significance of the applicant's professional accomplishments;
appropriateness of the proposal to the territory of Marseilles and/or France;
suitability of a residency at the applicant's career stage.
Shortlisted candidates will be informed by return e-mail. The name of the winner will be made public on the websites of the organizing partners. Prior to the residency, the artist will be invited to discuss with the host team the technical feasibility and timetable of the residency project, as well as the specificities of coming to France, before formalizing the residency contract. A residency agreement specifying the commitments of the organizers and the resident will be signed before the beginning of the stay.
Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by the jury via video conference.
About Versant Sud
Founded in 2017, Versant Sud coordinates artist residencies, facilitates the artist's connection to the art market, and imagines art history conferences in southern latitudes.
How to apply
Visit the application page to learn more about the residency and apply.
