Open Call for Expression of Interest for inclusion in an international long list of Artists Engaging in Art Practices

Project Overview
The OTRart project is a collaborative initiative between France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia and Malta, aimed at exploring the ecological transition process and landfill sites in the Mediterranean region. Through knowledge exchange, skill-building, and the integration of cultural and artistic practices, the project seeks to address environmental challenges and promote waste management awareness. Thus, OTRart project is dedicated to fostering a sustainable future through art. We seek artists who work with recycled materials and engage in environmentally conscious artistic practices to raise awareness of climate change and the urgency of sustainable living. Art has the power to reflect the beauty of nature, highlight threats to the environment, and inspire action across all generations. The project is co-funded by the European Union.

Project duration
19 months – starting date: 1st November 2024/ ending date: 31st May 2026

Project and activities short description
In today’s Europe (and beyond) waste is accumulating in the countryside as well as in towns and cities, by the
seaside and even in the digital sphere, despite good recycling practices. What’s more, there is a growing sense
of abandonment among local populations, in both rural and urban areas.
The OTRart project aims to respond to this situation through a series of concrete actions:

• Preparatory exchanges on the themes addressed during the residencies and exchanges of good practice between experienced organisations and those newly involved
• Identifying local partners who can benefit from the activities carried out during the residencies
• Organisation of 6 themed artistic residencies on the main issue of recycling through art, leading to 6 restitutions. In other words, the implementation of a high-impact awareness-raising method
• Workshops to learn new recycling/ upcycling methods
• Micro-events to raise awareness and promote recycling
• Creation of a visual identity specific to the project’s events/exhibitions

The main aim of OTRart project is to utilise waste to create something beautiful and literally make art from something people would just throw away, meanwhile launching a message of sensitisation to youth and the main public. Through the present Call, the OTRart project is inviting artists from all backgrounds and nationalities to apply for a series of residencies focusing on sustainability, aiming to raise awareness through creative and transformative artistic expressions.

Residencies and their relevance: The choice has been made in order to give visibility to those differences in approach towards litter. There is no better way to denounce an issue than to allow people to reflect critically on the matter. We firmly believe that the medium of art is one of the best to allow critical thinking.

• Open-air waste disposals can be found in many agricultural areas, cities, their outskirts, and on the sea-side. This underlines the mismatch between the fundamental values of the EU and the behaviour of individuals within it. Although it being a factor amongst many, they contribute to the stigmatisation and even exclusion of fragilised citizens.
• Rural desertification is a major issue that many small villages in the Mediterranean are facing. Traditional memories and culture in agricultural areas are strongly threatened. By bringing activities in those villages, we hope we can help revitalise them.
• Suburban and urban areas also suffer from neglect, especially their youth. By showing them rural areas problems, we hope to raise their general awareness and help revitalise them.

Residencies’ locations and periods of implementation:

• Spain: May 2025
• Malta: June 2025
• Greece: September 2025
• Croatia: October 2025
• France: November 2025
• Italy: January/February 2026

Given all of the above, which is an integral part of this Call for expression of interest, Déchets d’Arts is seeking artists who, aware of the ethical and pedagogical mission of the project and of the dissemination and awareness-raising purposes of artistic residencies, possess the requisites to be included in an international long list of artists capable to manage an artistic residency, also in collaboration with other artists of national and/or international fame.

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Artists Search for the activation of Artistic Residencies

With this Call, Déchets d’Arts is looking for artists of every nationality who possess the requisites to be included in an international long list of artists capable to manage an artistic residency of a maximum duration of ten days, also in collaboration with other artists of national and/or international fame.

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Description of artistic residencies: locations, aims, duration, outputs

• Spain, in the Mancomunidad Taula del Senia – May 2025
  Thematic : Rural wasting
• Malta, in Birżebbuġa – June 2025
  Thematic : The art of stoping Waste
• Greece, in Kalamata – September 2025
  Thematic : Plastic wasting in the Mediterranean
• Croatia, in Zagreb – October 2025
  Thematic : Wasting in the city
• France, in Avignon – November 2025
  Thematic : Industrial and agricultural waste upcycling residency
• Italy, in Faienza – January 2026
  Thematic : Ceramic reprocessing art laboratory and training

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Adherence to the Expression of Interest

The following subjects may adhere to the Expression of Interest:

• Artists from all disciplines of arts are welcome to apply.
• Artists must coordinate the project on site with the artist and local partners.
• Artists must have a sensitive approach to youngsters in order to convey his or her message and skills about ecology, environment and recycling

The artists as described above must possess the following requirements:

• national and/or international experience made;
• demonstrated experience of artistic productions related to waste or artistic practice addressing sustainability and climate change
• not having had any pending criminal proceedings in the past and not currently having any in progress

All the candidate artists who possess the minimum requirements requested in this Call will be automatically included in the international long list currently being prepared.

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Inclusivity, gender equality and rights arising from inclusion in the long list of artists

This Call for expression of interest is based on principles of maximum transparency and inclusiveness of the weakest social categories, with particular attention to respecting equal opportunities for women. The international long list in which the artists who possess the required requisites will be included must be understood as a sort of “supplier register” of the organisation that owns the long list itself, which will be able to draw on the human resources present in it at its widest discretion, but always in full compliance with the principles listed above. In any case, inclusion in the aforementioned long list does not imply any right on the part of the selected artists present in it to be contracted either by the owner of the long list or by third parties.

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Treatment offered

Artists inserted into the long list, in the hypothesis of selection for the participation in a residency as described above, will be subjected to the following treatment:

• Full recognition of travel expenses, accommodation, and meals
• The production costs of the artwork (tools, raw materials, etc.)
• Remuneration for artistic activity for a maximum duration of ten days
• Permission of participation in exhibitions and community engagement events
• Inclusion in a Digital Art Catalogue which will be published after the project completion of the artistic production issued through the implementation of the residency

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Deadline of the Open Call

The Call is open until : June 30th, 2025 (23.59 pm, CET).
The list is open from the date of publication until the above mentioned expiry date of the Call ad will be regularly updated, as new applications that meet the requirements are submitted until the Call closes.
Participants will be uploaded immediately on the list after their application, if they fulfil all the mandatory requirements.
The organisation holding the list will be able to draw from this list at any time it needs to involve artists, starting from the opening date of the Call.

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Terms and conditions for submitting the application to the Call for the Expression of Interest

Interested parties must transmit their adhesion to this Call for Expression of Interest that will be published on the institutional website of Déchets d’Arts, on the OTRart project’s institutional website and in the one of the Cultural Foundation “The Routes of the Olive Tree”, as well as on the ones of all the partners interested in publishing it on their own websites and social media.

Interested candidates should submit their applications by filling a form available by a link published on the aforementioned websites and social media.

In this form, interested candidates will have to upload their portfolio, a copy of identity card or passport, describe their motivation to take part in the project and declare of not having had any pending criminal proceedings in the past and not currently having any in progress.

For any question and for the submission of candidatures, an email can be sent at the following adress: projets@dechetsdarts.com.

Saint-Denis, 07 / 03 / 2024