The Culture Initiative  is an art fund set up by AFEW International for artistic interventions preceding and during the 22nd International AIDS conference 2018 (AIDS 2018) in Amsterdam. The fund is looking for visual & performing artists from Eastern European and Central Asian Countries (EECA)  to critically reflect on HIV/AIDS and its related topics (e.g. affected communities, stigma and discrimination, community health etc) and the relationship and dialogue between ‘The West and the East’ in tackling overarching global social and economic phenomena such as the HIV/AIDS crisis.

The Culture Initiative invites five artists for artist-residencies in Amsterdam in the months leading up to the conference (23-27 July 2018).

There will be three long term residencies (2-3 months) for artist to be placed outside traditional art spaces in institutes and organisations that work in the social and health sphere, such NGO’s, Health-, Research-, and Cultural Institutes. The invited artists will interact with social and health professionals, artists and art organisations in the Netherlands. The artists are asked to reflect on the relationship between the Netherlands and EECA countries in the sphere of social and public health matters. The final works will be presented at AIDS 2018.

In addition, there will be two short term residencies (1-2 weeks) during the conference period, where the artist will show their work and interact with the conference participants (approximately 18.000).

Criteria for artists or artist collectives applying:
•    Contemporary visual and/or performing artists
•    Citizens or originals from any of the eligible EECA countries (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan)
•    Proven experience with social and community art projects
•    Good knowledge of (spoken) English
•    Not applicable to art-students
The participant artist or artist collective will be offered:
•    Travel, visa and insurance cost
•    Accommodation and working space
•    Daily allowance (25 euro per day)
•    Production fee (depending on requirements max Euro 3.000)
•    Artist/collective honorarium (estimate per month Euro 1.000)

The artists are expected to deliver:

Long-Term residents   
2-3 months between May-August 2018   
Final Presentation/Exhibition at the Conference 23-27 July 2018
Engagement with conference participants and visitors
Min. 2 Artist presentations/open studios   
Min. 2 Artist external presentations   
Regular curator meeting and process documentation

Short-Term residents
1-2 weeks 13-27 July 2018
Final Presentation/Exhibition at the Conference 23-27 July 2018
Engagement with conference participants and visitors


The application will consist of the following (preferable in English)
•    Portfolio – Maximum 5 works/projects - 5 images/videos per project – total not exceeding 20 MB
•    Artist statement (max 200 words) and biography
•    Project ideas (max 300 words)
•    3 recent references

Send the full application to jan_van_esch@afew.nl
Deadline 05 December 2017
Only selected artist will be contacted