CALL FOR ARTISTS
Deadline January 15th 2017
(for Turkey ONLY it is December 30th 2016)
BJCEM and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Albania announce the launch of Mediterranea 18 Young Artists Biennale, an international multidisciplinary event, that will take place in Tirana and Durrës, Albania, from May 4th to May 9th 2017. The exhibitions will remain open to the public until May 28th 2017. It will bring together around 230 Euro-Mediterranean artists.
Started in 1985, the Biennale takes place every two years in a different city in the Mediterranean area and focuses on young artists and creators. BJCEM is an international network with more than 60 members and partners from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and thanks to their support, make the event possible ensuring the participation of artists from the territories they represent.
The aims of this international Network are to create opportunities for young artists to enable mobility, exchange, mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue, collaboration and training. The Association supports their creativity processes and puts them in contact with local and international realities in order to help them to grow personally and professionally.
BJCEM is firmly convinced by the role that art and culture can play in society, it enables the values of different culture s to be discovered and learnt whilst enriching our own. Art is a tool that can be used to go beyond borders and conflicts and it doesn’t require the need to speak the same language because it implies a universal code.
The call is open to all creative – visual artists, filmmakers, writers, performers, musicians and designers from 18 to 34 years old (born from January 1st 1982). There are no submission fees and it is open to everyone regardless of gender, religion, social and political behaviours. However, artists that have participated in more than one previous edition cannot apply; priority will be given to artists that have never attended a Biennale before.
The Artistic Director of the Biennale is Driant Zeneli, who has developed the main theme of the event starting from the concept of “Home”, in connection with four elements:
– History, intending the archive of the unaccountable number of individual stories, recorded or forgotten.
– Conflict, to consider the way we share homes.
– Dream, as the project of home, as the fundamental human right to be free to choose and desire our real or imaginary home.
– Failure, as the inner resistance of the various attempts, transformed along the way in search for the dream home.
Selected artists will be hosted in Tirana – Durrës from May 4th until May 9th 2017 included. During these days their works and performances will be displayed in specific venues of the cities. The exhibitions will remain open to the public until May 28th 2017.
The deadline for applications is January 15th 2017, midnight (CEST Italian time). For Turkey ONLY it is December 30th 2016.
The names of the selected artists will be published on Bjcem website.