ISLAND CONNECT

A residency program for performing arts

This is an archive of our Island Connect 2020-2022 project.

ISLAND CONNECT is a collaborative program between five performing arts organisations, working with residencies located on (or associated with) European islands of different countries. United in the project by a common interest in contributing to the creation and consolidation of performing arts, the network partners of the international exchange residency program, wish to address an important ambition to support the artists and arts companies in their personal and professional development within the project’s framework, therefore are launching this call for projects. 

The objective is to provide the artists with a much needed space for research and free experimentation, time for reflecting and posing questions. At the same time, partners’ artistic directors provide them with specialised feedback and dramaturgical advice. This is facilitated through 2 two-week fully-funded residencies for each of the 8 artistic companies in a calm surroundings of one local and one international island.

Also, specific activities are intended to encourage artists’ interaction with the island area and community. Specific community members are contacted to spend a day with the artist on an island field-trip exchanging experiences, practices and reflections. Other public activities are artists’ work-in-progress presentations organised at the end of each residency and presentations of finished works of selected artistic companies in partners festivals. All presentations are followed by an artist-audience feedback session.

  • The residencies will take place in the five islands (Denmark, Croatia, Ireland, Greece or Spain – the Balearic Islands) at different times throughout 2022.
  • The length of the residencies will be two weeks with a work-in-progress presentation of the work by the end of the term.
  • The residencies provide and ensure both working and living conditions which include: working venue / space and basic technical conditions at a selected island community, paid pre-arranged accommodation (twin rooms), local and international travel expenses to residency and capacity building locations, travel expenses to the residency, per diems, fee up to 2,400.00 EUR per company (1,200.00 per 2 week residency).
  • Presentations of finished works of selected artistic companies may be organized by local partners of the Island Connect network.
  • Participants must complete one local two-week residency and one international two-week residency, plus the SpringLab. 
  • The project deals with themes of insularity and isolation, and the rural location of the residencies may contribute to this feeling for artists. 

SpringLab – Capacity Building Workshops

The residency program is complemented by Island Connect SpringLab – April 4 – 8, 2022, in Athens, Greece.

The Island Connect program will be complemented in 2022 by a 5-day SpringLab in Athens/Greece, from April 4th – 8th. A person responsible for artistic direction from each selected company will be invited to join the workshop with the aim to provide the companies tools for development, creativity and sustainability of their artistic projects. The workshop has two parts; one on project development and dramaturgy, one on personal leadership. There will also be a seminar on aspects of insularity.

NB: Attendance at the SpringLab is a mandatory part of the residency program.

    Open Call for Residency Applications 2022

    Interested artists / companies must submit a project via online application in English, by the official deadline 27th December, 2021 (23:59, in any timezone). The application includes the following: 

    MANDATORY:

    • Fill out the online form

    –    a description of the artistic research that will be developed: general description, stages of construction of the project, sketches etc (1 pages max.),

    –    a detailed CV or biography per person (1 page max.)

    –    a motivation letter in written (500 words max.) or video form (3 minutes max. – private youtube link or similar) that describes the proposed project and the relevance of its proposal to the objectives of the residency programme Island Connect

    –    a written (250 words max.) or video (2 mins max) explanation of why you want to go to this particular residency centre/country

    OPTIONAL:

    –    a portfolio of selected past projects that are relevant to the proposed project (up to 5 max. links or 5 files shared via Google Drive/ Dropbox/ provided within the Application form)

    SELECTION PROCESS: 

    – A shortlist will be made by each hosting country. You may be contacted to verify eligibility.

    – A selection of the top candidates will be interviewed over Zoom. 

    Application deadline: 27th December, 2021 (23:59, in any timezone)

    Results will be announced: 1st February, 2022.

    Residency Schedules 

    Click below to read more.

    For 2022 certain cross-country residencies have been scheduled. Please select the country you are based in to see what your available options are.

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4 – 8, 2022).

    For artists based in Balearic Islands

    OPTION 1:  August 1 – 13, 2022 (IACC, Ireland) and August 25 – September 10, 2022 (C.IN.E., Mallorca) 

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4-8, 2022).

    For artists based in Croatia

    OPTION 1: April 10 – 23, 2022 (Cres, Croatia) and May 23 – June 5, 2022 (Entropia, Greece)

    or

    OPTION 2:  June 1 – 14, 2022 (Cres, Croatia) and September 12 – 25, 2022 (BIRCA, Denmark)

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4 – 8, 2022).

    For artists based in Denmark

    OPTION 1: May 2 – 15, 2022 (BIRCA, Denmark) and May 16 – 29, 2022 (C.IN.E., Mallorca)

    or 

    OPTION 2: September 12 – 25, 2022 (BIRCA, Denmark) and October 1 – 14, 2022 (Cres, Croatia)

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4 – 8, 2022).

    For artists based in Ireland

    OPTION 1:  May 23 – June 5, 2022 (Entropia, Greece) and August 17 – 27, 2022 (IACC, Ireland)

     

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4 – 8, 2022).

    For artists based in Greece

    OPTION 1:  August 17 – 27, 2022 (IACC, Ireland) and September 19 – October 2, 2022 (Naxos, Greece)

     

    One member of each selected company is obliged to attend the Springlab in Athens, Greece (April 4 – 8, 2022).

    Company Profiles and Residency Specifications 

    Click below to read more.

    To read more about the companies involved, and the specifications of the residency locations, please select a company below.

    BIRCA - Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists (Bornholm, Denmark)

    BIRCA is located on the Danish island of Bornholm. BIRCA has different farmhouse buildings that have been renovated and modernized in order to provide optimal working and lodging facilities for national and international residencies. There are two big rehearsal studios and an atelier apartment with a first floor dormitory/studio in the stable building.

    BIRCA are situated in the middle of 3 hectares of land, beautiful fields with a small stretch of forest nearby, 3 km from the nearest little village. You will need to bicycle or take a bus to get around Bornholm.

    BIRCA is looking for residencies interested in working in the rural surroundings and investigating nature and the local setting, it can be within any genre of performance art. We will have two groups in residency at the same time.

    We expect that residency groups are interested in sharing processes and being in dialogue with each other. We live close together in a joint community and will work together on cooking and cleaning and we will dine together in the evenings.

    The residency at BIRCA includes the following items:

    • Free use of the white room (160 m2) or black (130 m2) for two weeks both equipment with new sound systems – we also have some basic lights and a projector that can be used.
    • Accommodation with 3 rooms for each group.
    • Access to kitchen, common areas, washing machine, internet
    • Transport to/from the airport or port and assistance in purchases of food.
    • Opportunity to present a work in progress and show local audiences the work, followed by a feedback session.

    You reach Bornholm via Copenhagen Airport, where you can either fly to the local airport of Bornholm or take bus/ferry over Sweden. For further info about the space, travel and practical info please visit the website: https://www.birca.org/en/

                           

     

    C.IN.E., Centre d'Investigació Escènica de Sineu (Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain)

    C.IN.E., Centre d’Investigació Escènica de Sineu (Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain)

    The Performing Arts Research Centre C.IN.E., located in the small village of Sineu (Majorca, Spain), is a recovered old cinema. Nowadays it hosts a creation space. The core program of the centre, the Residencies Program, is aimed at companies, creators, collectives or performing arts researchers for the development of creative residences, especially those working on new languages and circus.

    The C.IN.E. provides the physical space and support to the residents.

    The residency at C.IN.E. includes the following items:

    – Free use of the main space (Sala Gran) of the C.IN.E. in agreed schedule shared with the local company: morning (9.00-15.00) or afternoon/evenings (15.00-21.00).

    – Accommodation at the venue, up to 3 people: 32 m2 loft, open space with kitchen and access to rooftop terrace.

    – Free Wi-Fi.

    – Transport to/from the airport.

    – Opportunity to open the work in progress with a public or small group.

    – Logistics and diffusion offered by the program.

    For further info about the space visit the website: https://www.cinesineu.com/english/home

    The C.IN.E.’s associated local partners are: Teatre Principal de Palma, Consell de Mallorca and Institut d’Estudis Baleàrics.

                               

    DOMINO (Zagreb, Croatia — residency at Place Moise on the island of Cres)

    Domino is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation based in Zagreb, Croatia, who’s programs focus on minority human rights (LGBTQI+), ecological and general socio-political issues concerning the independent cultural scene. Domino perceives independent scene as a space for developing critical social consciousness in the public and media space, consequently the organization produces and presents a range of artists working in performance art, theater and dance, enticing and promoting independent, experimental and research artistic authorship in the local artistic landscape and internationally. Sounded Bodies, Perforations and Queer Zagreb are the festivals Domino organizes for over 15 years, whilst Domino’s participation in Island Connect project is based on island and the city of Cres.

    Residency space

    Address: Palace MOISE, Zagrad 6, 51557 Cres, Island of Cres – Croatia

    The Moise Palace,patrician townhouse, is a 500-year-old Renaissance palace located in the old town center of the City of Cres, on Island of Cres. Registered as a cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia, Palace has recently been renovated by City of Cres and the University of Rijeka (user and holder of educational and scientific content) which agreed to work together on long-term maintenance and management of cultural values transforming the space into an educational center of the island.

    Both the accomodation and the venue space are located in the Palace Moise; and though the venue is not a performance (stage) space, it provides basic infrastructure for early-stage development and research for artistic, performing and interdisciplinary projects an provides the opportunity to present the-work-in-progress to the local public or small group.

    Transportation:

    – Transport to/from the airport to the residency space will be coordinated and organized by sending and hosting partner organizations

    Accommodation:

    – Newly renovated rooms twin bedrooms (two single beds per room) with bathroom

    – Kitchenette can be used for meal preparation (ie. breakfast), but no cooking/baking is allowed on the premises

    Note: No-cooking / no-baking conditions at the Palace Moise – Artists should plan to dine in local restaurants and buffets (cost per meal ranges 40,00 Croatian kuna or 6 euros upwards). Help with meal organization / communication will be provided by the organizer.

    – Free Wi-Fi

    – Air conditioning 

    Venue space:

    – The main hall on the first floor is 14.5 x 6.60 m (about 96 m2) with a parquet floor.

    – On the second floor there are three spaces mainly used for lecture space/ class-roooms: two of which are approx. 43 m2 each, and the third is about 32 m2.

    Technical conditions:

    – Each space has a projector with an integrated basic sound system and a projection screen, plus a possibility to use basic portable sound system

    – Free Wi-Fi

    – Air condition

     Local partner is the University of Rijeka, RECAS.

    Project is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs, The City of Zagreb, Foundation Kultura nova.

    For more information on Domino visit https://thisisadominoproject.org/

     

    Irish Aerial Creation Centre: The National Home for Aerial Arts (Limerick, Ireland)

    The Irish Aerial Creation Centre (IACC) is located in Limerick, Ireland. A national home and international hub where aerial artistic excellence can flourish, creative collaborations can grow, and where people from all walks of life can learn to fly and allow their creativity to soar.

    The IACC is home to Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Company, the founders. The centre has over 650 square meters of space dedicated to nurturing artists and the community.

    IACC are situated 25 minutes drive/bus to Limerick City, 20 minutes walk to University of Limerick. We are situated in rural surroundings. We can accommodate all artists in apartments managed by University of Limerick on campus.  For accommodation on campus you can walk or hire a bike to move from IACC to accommodation and shops. You will need to hire a car, or take buses or use taxis to go further.

    The centre can accommodate all forms of aerial, acrobatics and dance. Priority may be given to aerial artists. We hope to have two groups in residency at the same time. We expect that residency groups are interested in sharing processes and being in dialogue with each other.

    The residency at IACC includes the following items:

    • Free use of space for two weeks. 650 sq metres and 9m high, suitable for aerial, and other circus and dance works.
    • Accommodation and place for 2 or 3 people at the University of Limerick
    • Access to fully equipped kitchen, common areas, internet, etc. We are 5 minutes drive from the nearest shopping center or 10 minutes cycle.
    • Opportunity to present a work-in-progress and show local audiences the work, followed by a feedback talk.

    You reach IACC via Dublin, Shannon or Cork Airport, hire car or use public transport on arrival and departure.

    For further info about the space visit the website: https://irishaerialcreationcentre.com/

    This project is funded by The Arts Council, and Limerick City and County Council.

     

    ENTROPIA (Athens, Greece - residency on the island of Naxos)

    Non-profit company that presents and produces theatre, live art, interdisciplinary and multimedia performances, promoting the creative dialogue amongst different art disciplines and the exchanges between Greece and the contemporary international Performing Arts scene. The company has initiated and been involved in various projects examining current socio-political issues and the urban environment.

    We’re particularly interested in Projects exploring current socio-political issues, site- & human-specificity of the island’s environment, and interdisciplinary approaches.

    The Residencies on Naxos include the following conditions and venues.

    Possible venues for 2022 residency:

    • Municipal Theater [housed in Naxos Town Hall, stage is 6.5 x 8 m with foreground, adequate lighting and sound equipment, wooden floor suitable for physical work, wireless network, microphone installations wireless and wired, projector, portable computer]. Only after booking well-ahead and and mainly for the final presentations.
    • The last floor of the 3-storey high former school of Ursulines in Naxos town with very basic tech capacities and tiled floor.
    • Pοssibilities of outdoors work and presentation with limited tech support.

    Hosting characteristics:

    Simple accommodation in twin rooms or 3-person shared studios in Naxos town or in a house/residence (appr. 87 sq.m.) a few km from Naxos town (Toumbakades), with 2 rooms with 2 single beds each, 1 room with 2 double-decker single beds and 1 single bed in the hall. Plus bathroom, kitchen with the basic facilities, common areas, a working space inside of about 50 sq.m. and a yard outside.

    Please note that Naxos Municipality is the one who offers and decides which accommodation is supplied.

    Conditions:

    • Transport to/from the residence to the working space (on a specific pre-agreed schedule in the case of the residential house).
    • Local and international travel expenses frοm Αthens to Residencies and SpringLab locations.
    • Opportunity to present a work-in-progress to local audiences (the Residence’s outcome with basic technical support).
    • Groups will be officially contracted for the Project and are expected to provide legal documentation of the fees payment (either by a legal Company entity or personal invoice / receipt of payment).

    For further information about ENTROPIA visit: http://theatre-entropia.gr/html/en/

    This project is supported by the Municipality of Naxos.

    Application Requirements

     

    • Be a performing artist based in Denmark, Croatia, Ireland, Greece or the Balearic Islands.
    • Artists and/ or Artistic Companies may have maximum 3 people per company.
    • The country that you are based in will determine which residencies you can apply for, based on the schedule.

    OBLIGATIONS:

    Artist(s) / Company(s):

    • Must be available for the whole duration of both residencies (local and international)
    • Must be willing and able to send one member of their company to the SpringLab / Capacity Building Workshop;
    • Shall hold a presentation of their work developed at the end of each residency;
    • Shall be encouraged to participate in the life of the specific site/ locality, and take photos and videos of their residency to be shared publicly,
    • Shall be available for potential requests for interviews by the press regarding this programme.  

    Island Connect aims to be an inclusive project, open to participants of all ages, abilities, genders, sexualities, and national origins. Not all of our venues are completely accessible, but we will endeavour to meet peoples’ needs wherever we can.

    Applications are now closed. 

    Please see the news page for past residency announcements. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up-to-date. 

    We hope that we can support even more of you in the future!

    The Island Connect team