Open call: Text Laboratory - International working residency project for text culture 9.12.-26.1.2025

The House of Text in Helsinki, Finland opens a working residency program called Text Laboratory for writers and other artists working with text. The aim of the project is to test and find new ways to bring works of text culture for audiences.

We are looking for eight writers or other artists with different backgrounds (disciplinaries, age, cultural background) who are interested in thinking about the possibilities of text culture and possibilities of working with text at a wider level, sharing their thinking and practices and working together with other project participants and facilitators. The working language of the project is English, but each participant may operate their own texts / art works in the language of one’s choosing.

During the laboratory period, a joint work or works will be made together with facilitators Meiju Niskala and Maija Hirvanen (see short introductions of the facilitators at the end of this open call). The outcome(s) will be presented as part of the Text Festival on 23-26.1.2025 at the House of Text.

The selected artists must commit to working together  from December 9, 2024 to January 26, 2025. (Holiday break  December 23-January 1). The group defines the working methods together with the facilitators, but there will be set times for working together. We encourage participants to also use the time and facilities to work on their own projects.

We welcome writers and other artists also from outside of Helsinki to apply and take part in the Laboratory. We will cover travel and accommodation costs for a maximum of 4 participants.

What we offer:

- 2000 euros compensation per person

- the facilities of The House of Text

- networking sessions

- group to learn from and make project together with

- small production budget for the event(s)

- working space outside the joined working hours (in shared working spaces)

The application deadline is the October 11, 2024. To apply, send us

1. An introductory letter in which you tell us: who you are; why you want to join the Text Laboratory; what do you want to offer for the other participants; what are you hoping the facilitators and other participants could give you; what would you want to investigate or explore during the laboratory (themes, structures, art forms, ways of presenting etc.) Max. 1 page

2. Your CV

3. Portfolio or a short work sample (1-3 pages + a possible translation. You may send the sample in the language of your choosing, but if needed, please provide a translated summary in English or in Finnish.

4. If you need us to cover the costs of travel and/or accommodation, please let us know your itinerary (from where to Helsinki, where to from Helsinki)

Send this info to osallistu@tekstintalo.fi by 11th of October 2024. Title the email Text Laboratory Application + your name.

The selections will be made by November 1, 2024 and all applicants will be informed on that date. The selection committee includes project coordinator Heidi Backström, facilitators Meiju Niskala and Maija Hirvanen together with the steering group members Lois Armas, Maarit Bau Mustonen, Johanna Freundlich, Saara Hacklin, Eino Santanen and Jenna Viro.

Two more residency periods are held in 2025, open calls will follow.

Maija Hirvanen is is an internationally active choreographer, performance maker and the Artistic Professor in Dance 2024-2028, an honorary title granted by Performing Arts Council / Arts Promotion Centre Finland. Hirvanen's works have been presented at many major stages and festivals in several countries across the world. Hirvanen makes performances for stages, places and situations. She writes, teaches and collaborates. She is a research fellow in the THIRD Research Fellow program (DAS Research/Academy of Theater and Dance Amsterdam) and has worked as a co-dramaturge and host in several artist laboratories, incl. with Ong Keng Sen, Meg Stuart, Moriah Evans, Jane McKernan and Kiasma Theatre.

Multidiscplinary artist Meiju Niskala lives and works in Finland. She is known for her writings, lectures and talks, and participatorial live art pieces built in public spaces. She has been honored with several awards for her work. Niskala’s art works have been participated by over 150 000 people over the past 20 years. She is especially interested in encounters between different species, and has a protected land area in Lapland that she is nursing with her herd of sheep and volunteers.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the project coordinator:

Heidi Backström

+358 505896073

heidi.backstrom@tekstintalo.fi

Text Laboratory is funded by Alfred Kordelin Foundation.