Supernatural Women
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Introduction to the theme
How to apply in 2022
The theme Supernatural Women opens up questions of culture, history, legend, politics, femininity and womanhood. Participants may decide to focus only on a tiny segment of the theme for their work. For example, they might focus on just one woman. Or, they might look at a group of supernatural women. They may opt not to focus on specific women, but on a female element of the supernatural that is widely known, or that could be invented by the artist.
The content of discussions during the residency will be determined by the work undertaken by participants. Some participants might plan to produce deeply conceptual work. For others the process will be more practical. Others will work on a mixture of both.
“(of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.””
Some of the questions that may arise for those incorporating supernatural women into their art practice:
Where did the stories of these women originate?
Who created supernatural narratives for women, and what was their purpose in doing so?
How do supernatural women relate to real women, in the past, present and future?
What are supernatural women made from? What shape, material, texture, colour and scale do they have? How do they sound and smell?
View the 2021 Residency Publication here
Timetable 2021 (for reference only)
All contact takes place online
Times show in time local to Barcelona. Use the Timezone Converter to see times in your location.
Launch day Thursday 28th October 14.00 - 15.30
Weekly meeting on Fridays from 29th October to 10th December 14.00 to 16.30 (each meeting includes a short break)
Weekly one-to-one connect with one other artist (arranged to suit artists)
Participation Requirements
/ Give a five-minute progress report to fellow residents every week, and get feedback.
/ Give one fifteen-minute introduction to your art practice (on launch day) and a second fifteen-minute presentation at one of the Friday meetings.
/ Commit to attend all meetings.
/ Take part in a one-to-one with each of the other residents.
/ Contribute either a 750 word written piece, an interview or seven images to be included in a final online publication.
/ Allocate time to spend on creative practice outside the residency meetings. We ask participants to allocate a minimum of 50 hours across the seven weeks.
/ Actively take part in discussion of others work, seek ways to contribute ideas and offer support to fellow residents.
/ Be willing to listen to the ideas and support from fellow residents regarding their own work.
/ Abide by our community guidelines.
/ Be familiar with and able to use the apps Zoom and Telegram. Attention to video calling set up is essential.
A virtual program allows those who cannot travel to take part. However, the residency is also a commitment, and shouldn’t be undertaken unless a commitment to attending meetings and moving creative work forward can be made.
“It definitely met my expectations. I wasn't sure how a residency would work in a virtual space but it really had a sense of community and the exchange was great. I loved hearing about other practices and thoughts. The organisation was on point.”
Admission criteria
Active creative practice
Experience of taking part in online groups and calls
Clear desired outcomes for the residency
Work plan that is relevant to the theme
Able to meaningfully interact with other artists
Able to take part in all meetings and commit 50 hours to making work over seven weeks
Familiar with the language used to discuss the art-making process
Fees and funding
The residency fee is €75 per participant.
There is one funded place available for an artist who needs financial help. If you are applying for the free place please make that clear in your application.
How to apply
Application process
The application window for this residency has now closed. Please check back later in 2022 for news on the deadline for the next cohort.
Please include:
– A specific project proposal for the period of the residency, maximum 500 words.
– Your thoughts on how to make the most of a virtual experience, compared to in-person one, maximum 150 words.
– Web address or social links if you have them. Note that we will only look at the first three links that you send.
– An artist statement . You may also attach PDF portfolio if you have one, but the portfolio is not a requirement.
We promote an atmosphere of inclusion for artists who might have followed unconventional paths in the arts, including coming to art after pursuing something else, or having an active art practice alongside paid work or other commitments. Please don’t feel the need to hide these realities in your application.