Curators‘ Agenda: VIENNA 2024
Intensive Residency Program for Emerging International Curators
organized by DAS WEISSE HAUS in partnership with the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Application Deadline: July 20, 2024
Program Duration: September 10 – November 10, 2024
Program Location: Vienna, Austria (DAS WEISSE HAUS, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, different locations around the city of Vienna)
Curators' Agenda (C'A) is an annual intensive curators-in-residence program taking place in Vienna, organized and launched in 2015 by the Vienna-based organization BLOCKFREI (deriving from a pilot project Curators' Connection: Vienna – Budapest from 2013). Following several years of interruption due to the pandemic, this successful program is back with its 6th edition.
The program is designed for five to ten curators, selected via an international open call, who are interested in enhancing their curatorial competencies and establishing sustainable professional connections with the Viennese contemporary art scene and their peers. It lasts for eight weeks (from September 10 to November 10, 2024) and includes tours of art institutions, art fairs, galleries, lectures by prominent artists, curators, and theoreticians, visits to the studios of selected Vienna-based artists, and meetings with curators and cultural educators from leading institutions and self-organized art spaces. Participants will also engage with freelance operators and entrepreneurs in contemporary art, who will reflect on their work and their roles as mediators between artists and audiences in various contexts.
Presentation sessions are happening from the second week of the program, where emerging artists (students and alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna) are presenting their artistic practices to the participating curators. The final task of the participants is to select the artworks of the artists/students from the Academy of Fine Arts and curate a group exhibition. The exhibition will be presented at the downstairs exhibition space of DAS WEISSE HAUS.
About C'A:
– Ready to gain practical curatorial experience in one of the most vibrant art hubs in Europe?
– Looking to improve your curating skills in a highly international setting?
– Motivated to connect with notable agents of the Viennese contemporary art scene?
– Eager to create lasting connections with peers from around the world?
Curators' Agenda: VIENNA 2024 aims to answer your particular professional aspirations and provide you with a unique first-hand curatorial experience during an eight-week intensive residency program in Vienna.
C'A Offers:
– In-depth exploration of the Viennese contemporary art scene
– A platform for cultural exchange and collaboration with representatives of the Viennese contemporary art community
– Possibility for individual professional growth and international networking
– A unique opportunity for implementing the ‘lessons learned’ through organization and realization of a mutual group exhibition
For Whom is the C'A Designed?
C'A is designed for emerging curators from all around the world seeking to discover Vienna's contemporary art scene and are eager to immerse themselves in its diverse narratives and inclinations. Based on their applications, up to ten curators will be selected to participate. The call for curators is open from June 20 to July 20, 2024.
During the program, the participating curators will immerse themselves in the artists' work and organize the exhibition. The Academy will host several introductory sessions where artists/students will present their practices and pieces to the curators in correspondence with the exhibition theme. This collaboration aims to enrich both the curators and artists/students with new experiences by providing opportunities to learn from each other and fostering a closer artist-curator relationship, benefiting their professional development. C'A fosters communication between curators and notable agents of the Viennese art scene by creating a platform for intercultural exchange, thus promoting the visibility of contemporary art from Austria and encouraging the mobility of all involved parties.
C'A Program:
– Lectures & talks with established curators and cultural educators from leading institutions and independent spaces, as well as with freelance curators and art professionals
– Weekly theoretical workshops with curatorial mentor Anamarija Batista
– Studio visits
– Guided tours and visits to current art fairs
– Project management workshop
– As part of the final segment of the program, the C'A participants will organize a mutual group exhibition at DAS WEISSE HAUS, showcasing selected artists/students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. In addition, they will receive training through know-how modules and workshops focused on exhibition management and production.
C'A Exhibition & Thematic Framework:
The conceptual focus of the planned exhibition will follow the overarching theme of DAS WEISSE HAUS in 2024: DISPARITY. Anamarija Batista – a curator, lecturer, and researcher working at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and the Mozarteum University Salzburg i.a., will conduct workshops and mentor the curators in their collaborative curation and realization of the exhibition. Through preparatory reading materials and regular mentoring sessions, the curators will be able to develop their ideas on disparity and its cultural relevance. Addressing economic inequality—a pervasive and critical issue of our time—this theme intersects with topics such as environmental degradation, labor exploitation, mental health issues, and racial and gender discrimination.
Within the framework of disparity, time (as concept and dimension) emerges as one of the key motifs, highlighted as both a commodity and a socio-economic concern. The still persisting gendered divisions of work not only perpetuate economic inequalities but also underscore the broader theme of time scarcity, where many individuals, especially women, grapple with the juggling act of work and caregiving responsibilities. Nowadays, perhaps more than ever, time (alongside health) is revealed as the rarest luxury. The exhibition will be conceptualized through thinking about labor and leisure, disparity, time, and the meaning of success – and it has been selected to be part of the Special Projects & Independent Spaces program of VIENNA ART WEEK 2024.
C'A Program Costs:
The registration fee is €70,-- (this processing fee is non-refundable).
The registration fee payment must be made until the deadline July 20, 2024, and a proof of payment must be sent to studio@dasweissehaus.at.
The program participation fee is €1.200,--
Selected participants must make the program participation fee payment by July 26, 2024. The transaction confirmation needs to be emailed to studio@dasweissehaus.at on that date. Cancellations made after July 31, 2024, will result in non-refundable fees. Refunds for cancellations made before this date will be subject to bank transfer fees.
The Program Fee covers:
– Entries to museums, art fairs, and other special events
– Workshops, lectures, studio visits
– Production costs of the group exhibition
C'A Application:
Please send us your CV/biography (one A4 page), a letter of motivation (one A4 page) explaining why would you like to take part in this program, and the completed registration form (available here: C'A 2024 Registration form) by July 20, 2024, to studio@dasweissehaus.at with subject line: Application Curators' Agenda: VIENNA 2024.
All candidates will be notified about the outcome of their application several days after the deadline.
Time Commitment for Participating Curators:
The Curators' Agenda is an intensive residency program with activities scheduled four to five days a week. We encourage participating curators to be fully dedicated and engaged throughout the program. Please note that more than five working days of absence will not be permitted.
Eligibility Requirements:
Curators' Agenda does not require an academic degree. However, we expect participants to have knowledge in the arts and culture field equivalent to a graduate level, which can also be demonstrated through relevant work experience.
Accommodation Costs in Vienna:
Short-term rentals for single-use apartments in Vienna range from 450-800 EUR per month. While we are unable to provide accommodation, upon your request we can assist you in your search by sharing various platforms for short-term rentals and offering advice on locations.
Important information
– The working language of the program is English.
– There is no age limit for the applicants.
– The participants will receive the certificate of the Curators' Agenda program completion after finishing the residency.
– If you require a traveling visa for Austria, make sure to learn what you need for that purpose in a timely manner.
– The accommodation, travel insurance, medical insurance, as well as the monthly public transport ticket are not included in the fee but are part of the responsibility of the selected candidates.
– Bank fees and wire costs should be covered by the participants. Please take this into account when making a payment.
All inquiries regarding the program can be directed to studio@dasweissehaus.at