
Open Call
1 February – 1 April 2021
For whom?
- Professional artists (all disciplines)
- Final-year Bachelor or Master students who follow a national or foreign art program (all disciplines)
- Individual or collective (maximum 4 people)
Candidate participants from all countries are welcome.
Timing
Two research periods are foreseen. You must select one or both periods upon registration. You will have to stay at least 3 nights in Watou, but you can also add the weekend (maximum 5 nights). These are the periods:
- Tuesday, 20 July, to Sunday, 25 July 2021
- Tuesday, 17 August, to Sunday, 22 August 2021
Offer
- You will get sleeping accommodation for four days (three nights). This is the minimum period of stay (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). You can also stay for five nights.
- We keep it basic: a camping bed in the meeting centre of Watou, or you bring your own little tent. Sanitary and kitchen, Wi-Fi, workspace, tables and chairs are available.
- You will receive a fee of 300 Euro to cover your costs.
- You can enter into dialogue/a debate with the curator/inspirer Koen Vanmechelen.
- You can come as an individual, or as a collective (maximum 4 people).
- You can share your thoughts in the Watou notebook, or on our inspiration wall.
- You will stand a chance to be selected with your project proposal for the Arts Festival in 2022.
- Has the jury selected your project proposal? Then you will receive a budget of 5.000 Euro to work out the project in concrete terms.
Terms and Conditions
- You must register with a motivation letter, CV and portfolio. The number of places is limited. The jury will select and confirm your participation.
- You are prepared to sleep in Watou for three nights. It could also be for five.
- You would like to enter into dialogue with Koen Vanmechelen, the Watou community, the festival goers, artists, passers-by, …
- You have a healthy dose of empathy and guts.
- You must feel at liberty to share your thoughts, sketches and impressions on the inspiration wall during the camp.
- You will have to work out a project proposal after the Watou immersion.
- You must submit the proposal by 1 November.
Practical
- The open call will run from 1 February to 1 April 2021.
- The selection of the participants will be done by a jury, chaired by Koen Vanmechelen.
- The selection will be announced on 1 May 2021.
- The final registrations will be finalised on 15 May 2021.
- The research periods will run from 21/07 – 25/07/2021 and from 17/08 – 22/08/2021.
- Project proposals for the Art Festival 2022 can be submitted until 1 November 2021.
- The winning project proposals will be announced on 15 December 2021.
Registration
- Your application must contain: name and/ or studio, address details, motivation letter, CV and relevant portfolio. You must supply this in Dutch and in English (synopsis).