Open Call: Residential Workshop-Radicalising The Arts

How can activists and shapeshifters use art as a radical tool to engage their societies towards critical thinking?

Artists are the spiritual backbones of their societies. They are the healers, therapists, seers, critics and advocates for change challenging the status quo. Behind any successful and progressive society, state or nation, there is a passionate artist.

crazinisT artisT studiO in collaboration with perfocraZe International Artist Residency invites LGBTQIA+ or the queer creative individuals, activists, artists, storytellers, writers, critical thinkers, curators, songstress and musicians to apply for a 3 weeks intense 'Residential Workshop.

Six (6) selected applicants will be hosted by the studio in Kumasi from the 2nd of January to the 23rd of January to reimagine new challenges in the arts as a way of radicalising 'artivism' while exploring the limitless boundaries of spirituality, advocacy, compassion, rituals, love and the role of the artist in the 21st century.. Participants who will be interested in collaborating with the international or local artists in residence will be granted another one week stay to develop their projects together and present them during the Love fEAST (28th January 2023).

Anyone within the Queer spectrum can apply but we will prioritise placement for women identifying persons and trans persons.

What will the Participants do during their stay:

The selected applicants will be taken through a series of presentations on arts, activism and discuss selected African contemporary artists whose practices politically explore relevant issues that confront their identity or their communities. As part of the workshop the participants will be encouraged to tell their own stories through visual languages, performances, oral narrations and so on. They will be grouped to develop their own creative processes of engaging the audience in critical conversations through humour, games, plays, poetry, drama and performative participations.

The studio will organise a tour to selected practising artists' studios in Kumasi and the KNUST to experience the working processes and inspirations of other artists and researchers.

NOTE: The earlier you apply, the higher your chances to be selected!

Successful applicants will be notified by the 25th December 2022.

Eligibility (Who can Apply)

• You do not necessarily have to be an artist or a performer to apply. Your interest, willingness and the passion to explore is a primary qualification.
• Applicant must be a Ghanaian who lives in Ghana or (Black of any Nationality who lives in Ghana more 2 years).
• If an applicant is a Ghanaian living abroad, they must prove a stay of at least 40% in Ghana within the last 3 years.
• Strictly for applicants who identify as queer or non-binary 
• Applicant must be 18+ of age

What we shall offer:

• All successful applicant shall receive GHC 1000.00 stipend
• Free accommodation (shared rooms and facilities)
• Three meals per day
• FREE WiFi

TIMELINE

• Open call: 12th December 2022
• Deadline: 25th December 2022
• Confirmation/official notification of successful applicants: 26th December 2022
• Workshop: 2nd January to 23rd January 2023 (Kumasi, Ghana)

perfocraZe International Artist Residency- [pIAR] is hosted by “crazinisT artisT studiO” located in the hub of Kumasi, the second largest city of Ghana and the capital of the Ashanti Kingdom. It is an interdisciplinary artists program, performance ‘hatchery’, incubator, laboratory and interactive platform aimed at promoting exchange between international and local artists, activists, researchers, curators and thinkers. pIAR was launched in 2018 after four years of its underground projects  and has since hosted more than 100 participants and collaborators from over 25 countries. It is the only residency of it kinds in Ghana that has been founded and directed by a trans-woman serving as a queer heaven for both local and international queer artivist, shape shifters and researchers.

Read more about pIAR

https://www.crazinistartist.com/piar-artist-in-residency

(works by artists in residence 2019, check HERE to see the right credits) Photo credit: Edward Onsoh, Nina Claire, Percy Nii Nortey

(works by artists in residence 2020, check HERE to see the right credits) Photo credit: Edward Onsoh, Martin Toloku, Amudzi Mawuenya

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for regular updates

1. Deadline for application 25th December 2022
2. NO application FEE! NO Residency FEE!
3. Please read carefully before filling the form below with all the details required. We do not accept application submissions outside of the FORM.
4. Prepare all documents before filling the form; the application processes CAN NOT be saved for later completion.
5. Copy and paste the following documents into the appropriate text boxes provided in the form
   • BIO (Not more than 300 words)
   • CV (Not more than 300 words)
   • Your BIO will be used for publications, advertisement and in promotional materials. PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO IMPRESS US WITH SENSITIVE INFORMATION YOU DO NOT WISH TO SHARE IN PUBLIC. If for any reason you wish to stay anonymous in our promotional materials kindly indicate that in you bio.
   • Motivation Letter (Why do you want to participate in this workshop, not more than 300 words)
6. Make sure you provide a downloadable link to your portfolios (please strictly use the format specified below)
   • Images -JPG/JPEG (for visual artist/ Writing sample for writers, researchers and activists)
   • Videos- MP4/ MOV (if applicable for visual artists, poets, musicians, filmmakers etc)
   • sounds-MP3 (if applicable for visual artists, poets, musicians, filmmakers etc)
7. CONFIRMATION- You should see this pop up as soon as your application has been successfully submitted: "Success! Your form was sent. pIAR Team will contact you in the next few days. If in 1 WEEK, you do not receive any email from us, please do follow up via email: piarvirtualstudio@gmail.com"
8. Applicants shall be interviewed virtually (ZOOM VIDEO CALL)

1. pIAR is suitable for artists working in performance, videos, photography, film, interactive/performative installations, interventions, graffiti, curating, writing, storytelling, poetry, sounds and music/dance. 
2. pIAR IS A HOME FOR ALL: Participants must be willing and ready to coexist and respect people from diverse cultural identities, race, gender, age, sexuality, abilities, etc 
3. Participants should be open minded and willing to engage in critical conversations (pIAR is liberal and safe space, and does not welcome racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, sexism or religious extremism).
4. pIAR IS A HOPE FOR ARTISTIC & CULTURAL ADVENTURE: Participants must be willing and ready to take the challenges, responsibilities and explore the socio-cultural complexities within Kumasi and its environs.
5. pIAR emerged as a matter of urgency and the need for a safe space for a communal learning and unlearning processes. We therefore do not have "sophisticated" studios and equipments. If you have any special need kindly speak with the team before you apply piarvirtualstudio@gmail.com
6. pIAR is built on the notions and intersections of solidarity, activism, radical empathy, performativity, documentation and archiving. NOTE: All participants and activities at pIAR are randomly documented for archival purpose, websites and social media promotions. If you have any specific concern, kindly discuss that with media team in advance.
7. Artists have the opportunity to live and collaborate with other artists from a wide range of disciplines, professional experience, ethnicities, and ages.
8. Participants must be able to STAY for the entire duration of the workshop (21 days)
9. Participants should be able to communicate in English.
10. Participants must be able to COVER travel expenses.

Some of the previous artists in residence have been supported/funded by:

• crazinisT artisT StudiO, Kumasi, Ghana
• Adam Mickiewicz Institute
• Stroom Den Haag
• Goethe-Institut Germany
• Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen: ifa
• Goethe-Institut Cameroon
• Alliance Francaise Accra, Ghana
• Alliance française Kumasi, Ghana
• Alliance Francaise, Arusha, Tanzania
• Secretaria de Cultura do Estado da Bahia, Brazil
• Canarias Crea, Spain
• Kind Donors and individual supporters, Worldwide
• To support pIAR 2019-3019, please click DONATE/PLEDGE

pIAR is currently running a crowd funding to secure a new space with improved studio facilities. Kindly support by donating, sharing and broadcasting. No amount is too small to contribute to save pIAR. To learn more, click the link below: