OPEN CALL: ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV
Mentorship and production programme for emerging artists
ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV. Mentorship and Production Program for Emerging Artists is a mentorship programme that starts from the premise of the importance that a strategic career path approach can have for emerging artists and the understanding of this approach as a means used by both them and their partner institutions to educate a wider audience, not just a specialized one. In the current cultural context in Romania, there is still an acute lack of communication between the artist and the public due to the absence of a common language between the two parties. Through this program, the Eastwards Prospectus Cultural Association, together with the Art Museum in Brașov, its institutional partner, aims to generate a context in which artists and the public will enter into dialogue. We consider the lack of information of emerging artists about the professional environment of contemporary art as an ecosystem in which the artist is not only a creator, but the core of processes of collaboration with other professionals in the field and of direct communication with the public, which require knowledge complementary to creative knowledge.
From 18 – 21 September 2023, the selected emerging artists will:
- Participate on-site in four workshops by Romanian mentors on the following topics: The System of Contemporary Art – The Artist as Part of an Ecosystem; The Contemporary Art Market and Funding Opportunities – The Artist as a Cultural Entrepreneur; Curating – Artist-Curator Collaboration; PR, Communication in Art, and Writing in the Context of Artistic Practice – The Artist’s Interaction with the General Public; Engage in individual mentorship sessions with each of the four mentors.
- Contribute to the creation of the digital content project “MEET THE ARTISTS,” dedicated to their professional activities, which will be available on the project’s website.
- Produce artworks on a predetermined theme within the working groups, which they will present in a group exhibition showcased at the Art Museum in Brașov.
ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV selects 10 emerging artists and puts them in contact with Romanian art professionals for a period of 3 months. During the programme, the artists will be permanently coordinated and supported by a team of professionals made up of the mentoring program manager, Andrei Breahnă, and the program coordinator, Georgia Țidorescu, whose main goal will be that together with the mentors of the programme they will provide a framework for professional development through a strategic and coherent approach and provide the artists with the necessary tools to develop their presentation, organization, and communication skills.
Through ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV we aim to provide artists with insights and pragmatic solutions to effectively manage their career path. Participants will gain knowledge on issues such as how the contemporary art system works, the inner workings of a contemporary art organization, production budgets, artwork pricing, presenting one’s practice, and communicating to different audiences. Through this project, we will also support the production of artworks and the organization of a group exhibition.
A total of 10 emerging artists will be selected to participate. Each of them will receive a gross fee of 5,000 lei for each of the two stages of the project – the mentoring and production phase of artworks, and the group exhibition.
The programme accepts applications from artists who are:
- Emerging* artists
- 21+, no art degree requirement
- Have continuous experience of maximum 10 years in the visual arts field
- Romanian citizens
- Available to participate in the workshops in Brașov (18-21 September 2023)
- Available to participate in the meetings organized by the curator of the group exhibition in order to produce new works (11 – 31 October 2023) and to panel the group exhibition (6 – 9 November) which will be presented and opened at the Museum of Art Brașov on 10 November 2023. The exhibition will be open from 10 November 2023 to 25 February 2024.
- Willing to be involved in an extended mentoring programme over 3 months (September 2023 – November 2023), through physical and online participation in all activities carried out within the programme, depending on how each stage is carried out
* We consider emerging artists to have less than 10 years of professional experience. We opted for the term “emerging” instead of “young” because the project also welcomes applications from those who have made a career change or have recently decided to prioritize their art above everything else, at any age.
The application file must contain:
- CV
- Letter of intent, reflecting the complexity of the ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV program and the intentions of the emerging artists in line with the project’s structure and proposed activities (max. 400 words).
- Artist portfolio with a maximum of 10 works (file size limit: 20MB; for video works, include links and, if necessary, passwords).
Send the files via email to accelerator@eastwardsprospectus.com.
Deadline: August 27, 2023, 11:59 PM
In the subject line: Open Call for Emerging Artists
You will receive a confirmation email upon receipt of your application.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Georgia Țidorescu at accelerator@eastwardsprospectus.com.
Registrations: until 27 August 2023, 23:59
Selection announcement: 9 September 2023
Workshops and physical meetings (in Brașov): 18 – 21 September 2023
One-to-one mentoring sessions (online): 22 September 2023 – 10 October 2023
Production of the artworks: 11 October – 5 November 2023
Exhibition production: 6 – 9 November 2023
Group exhibition opening: 10 November 2023
The jury will go through all the application files and select the final list of the 10 emerging artists who will participate in the ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV program. We regret that we cannot provide feedback to those who are not selected.
Read the call rules here.
What does "emerging artist" mean?
In the context of this project, an emerging artist has less than 10 years of professional experience. We define this professional experience through various activities, from residencies and participation in group exhibitions to solo exhibitions and presentations of work at art fairs.
We have opted for the term “emerging” instead of “young” because we also accept submissions from those who have made a career change or decided to prioritize artistic activity in recent years, regardless of age.
Is the mentoring programme only for Romanian artists?
Yes, only Romanian artists can apply. Whether you live and/or work in Romania or abroad, if you are a Romanian citizen you can send us your application. All selected artists must be willing to travel to Brașov to participate in the workshops held at the Art Museum in Brașov and to participate in all activities carried out within the programme.
We are a duo or an artistic collective. Can we apply?
Yes. Please include this information in your application. Please note that the fee will be awarded for the duo/collective and will be divided between the members.
Can I only participate online?
ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV is a three-month project, with activities taking place mainly offline, participation in all activities carried out within the programme is mandatory. We believe that the best way to participate in the workshops is in the same physical space with the other artists and mentors invited to the programme. Therefore, we are waiting for you at the Brașov Art Museum, from 18 – 21 September 2023.
Each lab will physically take place over four days. Each mentor will give you the opportunity to deepen the knowledge you have acquired through the assignments you will receive and then you will work on your own from the assignments given by the mentors and you will receive online feedback from each of them in individual working sessions held online.
I don't live in Brașov. Will my travel and accommodation expenses be reimbursed?
The transport and accommodation expenses for the laboratories that will take place in Brașov between September 18 and 21, 2023 will not be supported by the project.
We support the participating artists with a gross fee of 5.000 Lei, which will be paid in two installments, one of which for the presence in the digital project “Meet the artists”, in which the artists will answer questions about themselves and their practice and the second one for the preparation of the exhibition.
Which data should I remember?
Registrations: until 27 August 2023, 23:59
Selection announcement: 9 September 2023
Workshops and physical meetings (in Brașov): 18 – 21 September 2023
One-to-one mentoring sessions (online): 22 September 2023 – 10 October 2023
Production of the artworks: 11 October – 5 November 2023
Exhibition production: 6 – 9 November 2023
Group exhibition opening: 10 November 2023
What does the project timetable look like in detail?
ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV runs for three months and consists of the following phases: the mentoring programme (four workshops over four days starting on 18 September 2023) & the production of artworks (min. 1 work/artist; period 11 October – 4 November 2023) and the panel exhibition (6 – 9 November 2023).
ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV starts with four days (18 – 21 September 2023) of in-person activities, held at the Muzeul de Artă Brașov (Bulevardul Eroilor 21, Brașov): one day for each of the four workshops (Contemporary Art System; Contemporary Art Market and Funding Opportunities; PR, Art Communication and Writing in the Context of Art Practice; Curating. The relationship between artist and curator). Between 22 September and 10 October, activities will continue online in the form of one-to-one mentoring.
Between 22 September and 10 October 2023, you will work on your own based on work assignments given by mentors and use the information from the labs. You will discuss each task with mentors in one-to-one meetings.
After completing the actual mentoring program, you will move on to the second stage of the project and will be guided by our team to start the production of the artwork for the group exhibition that will be hosted by the Brașov Art Museum. The curator of the exhibition will establish with you the concept of the group exhibition, the production of the artwork will take place from 11 October – 4 November, the paneling from 6 – 9 November 2023, and the opening of the exhibition on 10 November 2023. The group exhibition will be open from 10 November 2023 – 25 February 2024.
What results does the project aim to achieve?
We aim, at the end of ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV, to:
- have more confidence and ability to follow your career path on the art scene
- have the knowledge and skills to manage a personal exhibition project
- expand your network of professional contacts
- be part of a community that shares professional opportunities
Through the two stages – mentoring and group exhibition – ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV engages emerging artists in an experience with the potential to significantly transform their careers.
You will learn from mentors in four thematic workshops and individual mentoring sessions. You’ll gain insights on topics such as the artist-gallery relationship, the workings of different types of contemporary art organizations, and the communication of artistic practice. In this way, you will receive tangible complementary information that formal education in Romania does not offer and through which you can improve your skills in organizing, presenting, and communicating your own practice.
You’ll get access to the resources you need to produce new work. You will produce these works and work with a curator on an ongoing basis throughout the process. Artistic creation will take place through individual works intended for a group exhibition.
The structure of the programme facilitates interaction within the core group of emerging artists, between you and Romanian professionals, as well as interaction with the general public.
If I have further questions, who can I contact?
If you have any questions about the project, please write to Georgia Țidorescu at accelerator@eastwardsprospectus.com.