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Open Call: Galway x Kaunas Artist's Residency


Alannah Robins_Interface.JPG

Open Call: Galway x Kaunas Artist’s Residency (CLOSED)

The open call invites artists born or based in Lithuania to apply for a four week residency at INTERFACE deep in the heart of the Connemara landscape.

Galway City and County have the honour of hosting the European Capital of Culture in 2020 on behalf of the Irish nation. As part of the Galway 2020 programme TULCA has been commissioned to produce a number of projects throughout 2020 and into 2021 and the Galway x Kaunas Artist’s Residency is one of these projects.

A four-week artists; residency at Interface, a studio and exhibition space in the Inagh Valley, Connemara, County Galway. This initiative plans to create links with Kaunas, the 2022 European Capital of Culture. This residency is an opportunity for a Lithuanian artist to visit Ireland, create new works in isolation, and to help us to forge exciting creative collaborations between Galway and Kaunas into the future.

Speaking about this amazing opportunity Marilyn Gaughan-Reddan, Head of Programme, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, said, “Our programme at Galway 2020 is built on partnership and collaboration, all of our projects have wonderful European partnerships, it’s great to build this strategic relationship with Kaunas 2022 and look forward to exploring artist opportunities between our two cities for years to come.”

TULCA Festival of Visual Arts is a multi-venue, artist-centred festival of contemporary art that takes place annually in Galway, on Ireland’s West Coast. Every year, TULCA works with an Irish curator to present innovative exhibitions and events that provoke and energise audiences through Visual Art.


The Residency:
Interface residency is based in a former Salmon Hatchery, a series of long, low-lying modernist buildings on the shores of Derryclare Lough. The facility was bought by the current owners in 2007 to develop a centre of scientific research and development. Since then, dozens of artists have completed residencies at Interface, creating unique projects at the interface of science and art.

What we offer:
The Interface studio shares premises with the Inagh Valley Trust which drives several innovative scientific research projects in the Valley. The residency offers artists an opportunity to engage with a unique environment and be inspired by the research taking place in this spectacular landscape. Access to the studio building is 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, so it is a good idea to plan your work around this. The resident artist has the use of a 15m2 private space as well as access to 90m2 shared studio space. Accommodation is twenty-two kilometres away at Connemara Getaway, a self-contained apartment at High Moyard. The organisers will provide the successful applicant with a car to travel between the apartment and the studio. It is necessary to be a confident and experienced driver with a full clean drivers license, and good spoken English to avail of this residency.

We are inviting artists born or based in Lithuania to apply for this residency. The successful artist will be selected via open call and will be awarded the four-week residency at Interface. All costs and accommodation will be covered, and a small stipend will be provided. The successful artists will be asked to take part in a mediated online talk/public presentation of their work during the final week of the residency.


Criteria for the successful artist are listed below: 

  • Artist born in or based in Lithuania.

  • A professional artist working in contemporary visual arts practice.

  • An element of scientific or research-based practice would be preferred to fit with the existing curatorial themes and interests of the Interface residency.

  • Artist must be available within the proposed timeframe.

  • Artist must be able to drive and hold a full, clean European drivers licence (this is essential due to the isolated location.)

  • Artist must speak English to at least an intermediate level 


How to apply:

Please provide the following information in English:

  • Artists CV and biographical information

  • Artists statement

  • Up to 10 examples of documentation of your work (photography, video and sound files all accepted)

  • A letter explaining why this opportunity appeals to you, what your ideas are and how you would propose to use the time at Interface. 

  • Applications should be sent to: daiva.j@kaunas2022.eu by 30 October 2020, 17:00.

  • Results will be announced by 30 November 2020.


Open Call Deadline:

  • Friday 30 October 2020, 5.00pm

  • Email applications to: daiva.j@kaunas2022.eu

  • Results will be announced by 30 November 2020


COVID-19 information

The Artist will be living and working alone in a place of great natural beauty, without much contact with other artists. In this way, the artist will be isolated and compliant with all government guidelines around COVID-19. Interface’s full COVID-19 safety protocol is available upon request.  


For further information:

Earlier Event: 31 July
DEEP STATES curated by Helen Carey | Nuns Island Theatre (continued)
Later Event: 15 October
TULCA Education: How Far Can Your Voice Carry?