West Balkan AiR 2004-2005

Artist-in-residence exchange program between the Nordic region and the West Balkans

NIFCA presents West Balkan AiR – a residency program for visual artists working with contemporary art. The program aims to support exchange between the Nordic region and the West Balkans, and to initiate new collaboration projects. In autumn 2005 c. 13 residencies are available .

Visual artists in the Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Aaland islands, the Faroe Islands, Greenland) are eligible to apply for the residencies in the West Balkans.

Visual artists in the West Balkans (including Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro) are eligible to apply for the residencies in the Nordic region.

The program is an initiative by the Nordic Council of Ministers created to develop and consolidate the cultural networks that exist between the Nordic region and the West Balkans.

Application time 1 January-28 February 2005


All the residencies include:
- Free accommodation
- A monthly grant of 840 EURO
- A travel grant
· Various opportunities to create contacts and participate in local activities and/or concentrate on individual projects

The duration of a residency is 2-4 months


How to apply:

Professional artists in the Nordic region are eligible to apply to the residencies in the West Balkans.

Professional artists in the West Balkans are eligible to apply to the residencies in the Nordic region.

A full application consists of:
- A completed and signed application form sent by postal mail
- A CV with sufficient information about education and artistic activity
- A brief characteristic of your artistic practice (no more than 1 page)
- A motivation statement for the residency (no more that 1 page)
- Documentation of work: visual material in print, VHS, Mini-DV, DVD,
CD-ROM (PC compatible only, not MAC), and/or web site

Please keep in mind that a good application is clear and concise. Attachments to applications are received by postal mail, as well as, by e-mail. The application has to be submitted in English to NIFCA in Helsinki.

The postmark deadline for applications was 28 February 2005.



Residency Hosts in 2005


Nordic region:

Denmark
Fabriken for Kunst og Design, Copenhagen
2 months during August-December 2005

Finland
NIFCA, Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art, Helsinki
2-4 months during August-December 2005

Iceland
Living Art Museum, Reykjavik
2 months during August-December 2005

Norway
OCA – Office for Contemporary Art Norway + Atelier Nord, Oslo
2-3 months during October-December 2005

Sweden
Rooseum, Malmö
November-December 2005



West Balkans:

Albania
Cultural Center Lindart, Tirana
2 months during August-October 2005

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo
2 months during autumn 2005

Croatia
Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik
2 months during autumn 2005

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka
2 months during October-December 2005

Macedonia
Press to Exit Gallery, Skopje
September-October 2005

Serbia and Montenegro
Centre for Contemporary Arts - Belgrade
2-4 months during September-December 2005



Residency Hosts in 2004


Nordic region:

Denmark
Fabriken for Kunst og Design, Copenhagen

Finland
NIFCA's Palmstierna Studio House, Helsinki

Iceland
Living Art Museum, Reykjavik

Norway
OCA - Office for Contemporary Art Norway + Atelier Nord, Oslo

Sweden
Rooseum, Malmö



West Balkans:

Albania
Lindart, Tirana


Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo

Croatia
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka

What, How and for Whom, Zagreb

Macedonia
Museum of the City - Open Graphic Art Studio

Serbia and Montenegro
Belgrade Contemporary Art Museum



Awarded Residencies


Awarded residencies for West Balkan AiR 2005
Awarded residencies for West Balkan AiR 2004


For further information, please, contact Mitro Kaurinkoski at NIFCA.