“Art Commune” Residency at the Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory

Where: Yerevan, Armenia
When: 2009
Deadline: ongoing deadline

Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory NGO (ACSL) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization was established in Yerevan, Armenia and is now a leading model for similar institutions internationally.

The aim of the organization is to support the development of contemporary creativity and carry out projects by Armenian and international artists to foster discussion and research into themes which are of vital importance for society and culture.

ACSL is a catalyst for communication between artists, art workers, theorists, cultural critics, curators and their audience. Organizing exhibitions, conferences, seminars and workshops are within the scope of our organization. ACSL promotes and diffuses contemporary creativity. A group of Armenian artists, art and cultural critics are
involved in the organization which co-operates with international artists.

ACSL proposes to work in collaboration with a cultural company in Ireland which is located in The Irish Gaeltacht. Clo is an artist lead initiative providing a platform for creative exchange between artists worldwide and the Gaeltacht community. It fosters the emergence of artists in the Gaeltacht through providing access to professional development
services.

Every year ACSL produces 2 Annual Events and Artist Residency ART COMMUNE:

1. INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON CONTEMPORARY ART (Autumn) (workshops, seminars, conferences are foreseen) Curator: Susanna Gyulamiryan.

2. INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL EXHIBITION GENDER TROUBLE (Spring). (workshops, seminars, conferences are foreseen) Curator: Susanna Gyulamiryan.

3. ARTIST RESIDENCY ART COMMUNE, all the year round (12 months).

The primary aim will be for the artists to work on an agreed project in Yerevan, Armenia (North district Djrvej). However, artists transporting to different environments is expected to have many other benefits. These include:
Opportunities for a new physical environment to impact upon the artists work Cross fertilization of ideas with residents of other cultures Professional Development opportunities e.g. invitations to exhibit elsewhere.

The Artist Residency ART COMMUNE is a major artists residency and project workshop for the promotion of contemporary and other categories of art and international exchange. Art Disciplines: Visual Arts, Curatorial, Art critical researches, Composing, Crafts, Dance, Fiction, Non Fiction, Theatre, Playwriting, Screenwriting, Film making, other. ART COMMUNE is able to host 30 individuals at one time. 

ART COMMUNE PLACE DESCRIPTION AND SUPPORT

The Artist Residency ART COMMUNE is located in one of the districts of Yerevan called Djrvej and has occupied 10,000 m/sq territory. Yerevan is the capital of Armenia. The region is not far from the city center (it takes 20 minutes by car).The territory is in a suitable place away from the city life and near to the countryside. The territory is enclosed with a large gate and includes two buildings; factory and comfortable living quarters. It gives a possibility to live and work the same area. ACSL takes care of the territory rent in Djrvej (studios, exhibition hall, some equipments and tools), utility expenses (gas, electricity, hot water except winter months stay heating expenses, TV-set, internet) and somen materials, depending on the volume of artists works (if they dont required something specific).

The territory has all conveniences for land art.

1. The living house has 4 floors.
* There are two large studios on the first floor. Each of them is 12m#10m height-3,5 m (120m/sq), with a big gate.
* There are four separate apartments on the 2nd and the 3rd floors (2 apartments on each floor).
* Each apartment has 4 bedrooms (15m/sq each one), 2 bathrooms, 1 well living room with all conveniences (TV, furniture, telephone, internet ) and 1 kitchen with gas, hot and cold water, refrigerator and etc.
* On the 4th floor there is a large multifunction studio 240 m/sq with a bathroom and barbeque place.
* There is also a computer room, restroom and an open balcony with view to the Biblical Mountain Ararat.

2. The 2nd building is a factory (1152m/sq), there are plenty of multifunctional technical machines: 3 cars, 1 lorry, 3 ovens for ceramic works, computer studio (video editing, recording etc.) and a music studio (arrangement, recording of live music, mixing, mastering etc.) with technical support.

*The centre has cars for rent as well as, the cars can be rented by the artists with or without a driver.

Near this factory are a fresh air studio and an old factory building, which can be used as a studio, exhibition venue or for other kind of big projects.
Possible extra options:
- smith craft
- gold smithy
- sculpture of all types
- printmaking
- tours to historical places of Armenia
- tour to the Armenian brandy factory in Yerevan
- visit to the art spaces, galleries and schools

Administrator of that territory is Armen Miqaelyan, e-mail: info@malver.net

Criteria and Eligibility
Knowledge of English is obligatory.
Artists experience in giving floor talks, participating in exhibitions,
seminars, workshops or panels will thus be an advantage.

Evaluation
On completion of the residency the artists will get a Diploma about participation in the Artist Residency ART COMMUNE, Booklet or Catalog on Final Exhibition and will provide a detailed report that gives an account of project completion and of all the professional activities in which the artist has engaged while in Yerevan. The report is an important resource for ACSL NGO helping to build a picture of what is being achieved over time through similar initiatives.

FEE PROCEDURE
There is no an application or exhibition fee.
We would love to invite all participants but we are a young non-profit organization and, unfortunately, we do not have the budget which would allow us to cover artists expenses.

We are able to cover only utility expenses but heating in winters. But we are ready to provide you with some materials, studios for the workshops, computer-hall, hard ware, soft ware, internet, some equipments and necessary tools.

However, if participants can find resources to cover their expenses (travel, living, housing and medical insurance) through an institution in their country, we will be happy to provide any official letter required.

DEADLINE: We have no deadline, but all potential members have to apply to ACSL NGO at least one month before their preferable residency date.

PLEASE NOTE:
*Minimal duration for Artist Residency Art Commune is 2 weeks. If the duration of the residency coincides with the date of International Forum on Contemporary Art or International Annual Exhibition Gender Trouble, each member of the Artist Residency can make a proposal to partake in the above mentioned events.

CATALOGUE
2 Catalogues will be publishing every year date to ACSL 2 events: International Forum on Contemporary Art (autumn) and International Annual Exhibition on Gender Studies Gender Trouble (spring). Besides the theoretical texts, there are small texts, photos and credits for each project. Digital type of Catalog is available, too.

Where send your application.
Please send your application package, by post or courier, to the ACSL NGO office specifying the program title: Artist Residency ART COMMUNE.

For more information and files downloading, please visit our website: www.acsl.org.am or contact with Susanna Gyulamiryan, art critic, curator and artistic director of the ACSL projects Mkrtich Tonoyan, artist, director of the ACSL residency program
E-mail: info@acsl.org.am.

Contacts: Phone numbers:
Postal address: Susanna Gyulamiryan
ACSL (T) + 374 10 64 20 47, (Mob.) + 374 91 944 783
8 Roubinyants, apt 17,
Yerevan, Armenia, 0069 Mkrtich Tonoyan
Mkrtich Tonoyan (T.) + 374 10 24 42 13
Susanna Gyulamiryan (Mob.) + 374 91 23 24 55, (Fax) + 374 10 64 34 32