NEWS

Island Connect Artists at IACC

A look back at SpringLab 2025

Reflections on an Artistic Journey of Connection, Research and Place

The artistic research has been ongoing, immersive, and at times wonderfully intense. Despite the warm weather and occasional strong winds, each day has brought new discoveries, conversations, and connections that have enriched this experience in ways that could not have been anticipated.

Throughout this journey, the group have had the privilege of meeting dozens of curious, open-hearted people. Among them were some truly special characters – the hardworking, domesticated four-legged residents who have become an unforgettable part of the landscape and daily life here.

Over the course of this residency, the group have shared spaces, views, ideas, and research discussions with local communities, fellow artists, and fellow Island Connect researchers. Together, we have explored questions of place, belonging, culture, and connection, creating meaningful exchanges that will continue to resonate long after this chapter comes to a close.

As my time here draws to an end and I prepare to move on to the next stage of the journey, I find myself reflecting on the generosity and hospitality that have surrounded this work. The warmth of the local community, combined with the powerful presence of the natural environment, has shaped both the research and the experience in profound ways.

This Drama Cake Studio site-specific artistic research project has been organised and supported by BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists, Island Connect, the Domino Project, Statens Kunstfond, Creative Europe, and the wider IslandConnect.eu network.

Most importantly, our gratitude extends to everyone who has contributed to this experience: the volunteers, farmers, artists, poets, workers, dreamers, and nature lovers who welcomed conversations, shared stories, and helped build meaningful connections. To the animals, butterflies, communal spaces, and living landscapes that formed part of this journey, thank you for your presence and inspiration.

Thank you all for showing up, sharing your generosity, and helping to create connections that remind us of the value of community, culture, nature, and our shared humanity.

The research may be concluding here, but the connections made along the way will continue to travel forward.

Investigating the forest

The Artistic Residency at BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists has started and they are investigating the forest.
Tanya from Denmark, Laititia and Syd from France/Corsica. Camilla Siddu is our guest and the team are preparing fo the Co-Creation residency in Mallorca next week

Annual Report of Year One

We are delighted with how the Island Connect II project is progressing, and are excited to see how year two takes shape now that the artists have all completed Springlab in Tenerife. 

Now our annual report from year one of the project is complete. Take a look at it here:

Annual Report 2024

Welcome to the Sea Hotel

The Sea Hotel is a new Island Connect production, created through our Co-Creation residency in 2024. Six artists from across Europe came together to explore co-creation methodologies and see what would happen. This show is the result! 

Work began on Vis, Croatia at the Springlab, then moved to BIRCA, Bornholm for their residency, and has now returned to Vis, Croatia for a final week of production and a premiere on the island.

You can read more about the project here: https://theseahotel.eu

Island Connect Open Call 2 Announcements

Meet the artists involved:
•⁠ ⁠Sara Granda @pequirroja
•⁠ ⁠⁠Camilla Siddu @camillasiddu
•⁠ ⁠⁠Aldo Scarpitta @aldo.esse
•⁠ ⁠⁠Marta Arteaga @martaarteaga_
•⁠ Pauline Guillier FC : Paulina Franciovska Gouliera
•⁠ ⁠⁠Antonia Cvitan
•⁠ Pau Pascual @pau.pascuaal
This program is funded by Creative Europe and supported by local co-funders in each partner country @ced_ireland_culture
Partners: @bircabornholm BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists
@irishaerialcc Irish Aerial Creation Centre
@cinesineu Centre d’Investigació Escènica
@this_is_a_domino_project This is a Domino Project
@lav.artesvisuales Laboratorio de Artes Vivas y Ciudadanía
@sardegnateatro
@cietheatrealibibastia
@dace_danceartcriticalecology – Dance Art Critical Ecology
@teatrobaltazardias – Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias
@nordiskkulturkontakt – Nordic Culture Point
@eilertsen_og_granados_teater – Eilertsen og Granados Teater

Island Connect 2025 – Open call 3 announcement

sland Connect Open Call 3 Announcements.✳️
Meet the artists involved:
•⁠ ⁠Carla Tappado @osm.ia
•⁠ ⁠⁠Edoardo Malvenuti @edoardo_malvenuti
•⁠ ⁠⁠Kruno Jošt
•⁠ ⁠⁠Larisa Pérez Flores
•⁠ ⁠⁠Rita Marcalo @instant_dissidence
•⁠ ⁠⁠Beatriz Baptista @beatrizbbaptista
– Rickard Borgström y Rebecca Chentinell
– ⁠Guro Rokstad Clausen @guroclausen
– ⁠Tianjun Li @timjunelee
– ⁠Mar Grimalt @margrimalt_
– ⁠Christina Jonsson @jonsson.chris
This program is funded by Creative Europe and supported by local co-funders in each partner country @ced_ireland_culture
Partners: @bircabornholm BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists
@irishaerialcc Irish Aerial Creation Centre
@cinesineu Centre d’Investigació Escènica
@this_is_a_domino_project This is a Domino Project
@lav.artesvisuales Laboratorio de Artes Vivas y Ciudadanía
@sardegnateatro
@cietheatrealibibastia
@dace_danceartcriticalecology – Dance Art Critical Ecology
@teatrobaltazardias – Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias
@nordiskkulturkontakt – Nordic Culture Point
@eilertsen_og_granados_teater – Eilertsen og Granados Teater

Island Connect 2025 – Open call 1 announcements

sland Connect Open Call 1 Announcements.✳️
Meet the artists involved:
– Silvia Bandini @silvia_baldini_artist / Marco Caredda @marco.caredda / Ilaria Melis @ilaria__melis
– ⁠Laetitia Brighi @la_danzateria / Syd Reynal @sydxrey
– ⁠Paula Quintana @paulaquintana / Héctor Gardez @hectorgardezart
– ⁠Tanya Montan Rydell Fc: Tanya Rydell
– ⁠Hermanas picohueso @hermanaspicohueso
– ⁠Ciarán Taylor @carpettheatre
– ⁠Irma Unušić
This program is funded by Creative Europe and supported by local co-funders in each partner country @ced_ireland_culture
Partners: @bircabornholm BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists
@irishaerialcc Irish Aerial Creation Centre
@cinesineu Centre d’Investigació Escènica
@this_is_a_domino_project This is a Domino Project
@lav.artesvisuales Laboratorio de Artes Vivas y Ciudadanía
@sardegnateatro
@cietheatrealibibastia
@dace_danceartcriticalecology – Dance Art Critical Ecology
@teatrobaltazardias – Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias
@nordiskkulturkontakt – Nordic Culture Point
@eilertsen_og_granados_teater – Eilertsen og Granados Teater

Year 2 of Island Connect II begins

The second round of Island Connect II residency applications are now open! The deadline is the 14th January 2025. For full details read the main page of the website.