Open Call: SALWA's Internet Café

Submission start: February 01, 2023
Submission deadline: March 12, 2023


Do you find a home online?


SALWA’s Internet Café is an invitation to Re-imagine the potential of a landscape that was created by the internet. Through our Open Call, creatives are invited to explore questions revolving the internet as a space, virtual, physical, or conceptual.

Four migrant artists living in the Netherlands will be accepted for a three-month residency. Participants will be meeting to share literature, resources, stories and experiences in relation to the topic. Invited guest lecturers from the field of art and technology will give talks and workshops for deeper reflections. The residency will conclude with an exhibition.

Our open call is inspired by the following question: "How did early internet infrastructures shape the experience of migrant communities?". Internet Cafés became widely popular in the early 90s and they became a meeting point to connect both online and offline, creating a community that was being built through a communal physical space in areas where internet access was not common. With this program we encourage to revisit the Internet Café as well as tie new connections around the 'World Wide Web'.

Important Dates:

-February 01: Submission Starts
-March 12: Submission Deadlines
-March 20: Final Selection + Announcement (4 Participants)
-April 03: First Meeting
-April until June: Residency period
-July: Possible exhibition or presentation

Who can Apply?

At SALWA, we focus our support and activities on the needs of emerging and mid-career artists, designers, and creatives with a migrant background. This includes newcomers, asylum seekers, multicultural creative professionals, and people with hybrid geographical orientations. Our programs cater first and foremost to these groups and prioritize women, people of color, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities, and neurodivergent people who bring their diverse experiences to SALWA.

We welcome applications from artists and cultural practitioners who live in the Netherlands and are from a migrant background.

SALWA’s support:

-Artist fee: € 1.500,
-Production budget: up to € 1.000,
-Travel budget
-A warm meal during each meeting
-Access to SALWA’s studio space
-Connecting you to our partners

How to Apply

The application is open to individuals, pairs or groups at any stage of their career, but priority will be given to artists who are early in their career.

Please submit the form before the 12rd of March 2023, including the following:

• A short artist bio (max. 300 words)
• CV with contact details including name, phone number and other relevant links (.pdf, Max. 10 mb)
• Portfolio (.pdf, Max. 10 mb) or online portfolio link
• A description (max. 500 words) that clearly explains the project you wish to produce, including a reflection on the theme. This could be either a new project or an existing project that needs further research or development
  
  

Apply here

For any questions regarding the application procedure, theme, or if you are not sure whether you fit the criteria, you can reach out to Hello@salwa.nl for inquiries, and check out our handy FAQ below.

SALWA’s Internet Café is supported and made possible by the Creative Industries Fund NL. Our partners include Casco Art Institute, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, The Hmm, Varia Zone, W139 and The Institute of Network Cultures (INC).

FAQ


Do I have to live in The Netherlands to apply? I did not have to leave my country but chose to, can I apply to your residency?

Yes, the principal criteria is that the artist is physically based in The Netherlands and able to attend in person to the sharing sessions.


If I am an immigrant, does my work have to be about immigration?

Not necessarily. We are open to projects directly or indirectly working around the themes of migration and the web. The topics can intersect, be abstractly related or be treated separately. We welcome practices from all mediums and are happy to be taken outside of our comfort zone.

How many days per week is the residency expecting from me?

During the three months of residency, the format is open. There will be monthly mandatory meetings but the rest of the time, SALWA’s space is at the disposal of the residents.

Do I need to be a media artist or have experience working with Technology?

No, SALWA is not a space for Art & Technology. We are more interested in community building and care practice. Any medium that relate to the topic is accepted.