‘Home’ seeking artists from Portugal, Poland & Romania for unique multicultural residency in Jersey

We’re calling for Portuguese, Polish and Romanian artists with experience of socially engaged practice to come to the Island for an unforgettable paid residency. Our arts charity is offering an opportunity for one artist from each country to learn about, research and explore the lived experience of their compatriots, living within each of these three significant local communities while creating a piece of work that celebrates the contribution each makes to the Island. We are seeking artists of any discipline (conceptual, drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, design, dance, digital, crafts, photography, literary, video, film making, music, multimedia, live, sound, multidisciplinary etc.). Each artist will create an inspiring piece of work to be gifted to ArtHouse Jersey and will attend the opening of a showcase featuring their work that will take place over the last weekend of the residency. Artists must be confident that they will be able to create their work within the timeframes and with the materials budget provided.

For the final two weeks in the Island the selected artists will contribute to the briefing of a visiting street art muralist on the lived experience of the Portuguese, Poles and Romanians in Jersey, introducing them to the communities and explaining what they have learnt from the experience. This transfer of knowledge will inform the muralist’s creation of a piece of work in a separate but connected project which also aims to celebrate the contribution each community makes to Jersey.

ArtHouse Jersey is working closely with the Polish Cultural Institute, The Embassy of Portugal and the Romanian Cultural Institute in London and plans to hold an event in London after the residency. The deadline for applications is midnight on Friday 17 September 2021. Full details can be found at the opportunities tab above.

Director of ArtHouse Jersey, Tom Dingle, said: ‘Using art to recognise and celebrate diversity in Jersey’s community is something we are striving to do more of. We will be pushing the ‘Home’ residency opportunity out far and wide, inviting anyone from the international artist network to apply. To be able to welcome and support artistic talent to come to the Island and apply a journalistic yet creative approach to get under the skin of the Romanian, Polish and Portuguese communities here will be a real gift for the Island. I would wholeheartedly encourage those who have connections within those three communities to spread this message to their networks or share directly with anyone they think might be interested in this fantastic opportunity. It’s our hope that the artwork created as a result of these residencies will ultimately help Jersey continue to positively celebrate and appreciate the unique cultural landscape in which we live every day.’