Patchwwwork: your work on Kunstenfestival Watou 2024?

With ‘Patchwork’ we are exploring with artist Koen Vanmechelen how Watou as a village and as a community can connect with the artists and vice versa. Interested artists can register through an open call to participate in this project and apply for Watou Arts Festival 2023. Registration will be open as from 1 March and will run until 25 April 2022.

The project “Patchwork” runs parallel with the Watou Arts Festival. It’s an open call for professional artists and final year bachelor or master students in an art program. Curator Koen Vanmechelen and the city of Poperinge invite you to spend a number of days in Watou during the summer of 2022.  Registration is required. A jury will select the participants, based on their motivation, CV and portfolio.

For whom?

• Professional artists (all disciplines)
• Final year undergraduate or graduate students from a domestic or foreign art program (all disciplines)
• Individual or collective (maximum 3 people)
• Candidate participants from all countries are welcome

Timing?

Two research periods are planned. When registering, you select one or both periods. You will stay a minimum of 3 nights in Watou. These are the periods:

• Tuesday, July 11 through Friday, July 14, 2023
• Tuesday, August 8 through Friday, August 11, 2023

Offer?

• You get a place to sleep for four days (three nights). This is the minimum stay period (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday).
• We keep it basic: a tent with a mattress (provided by us). Plumbing and kitchen, wifi, workspace, tables and chairs are provided.
• You get a fee of 300 euros net to cover your expenses.
• You get free access to the festival.
• You can engage in dialogue/debate with inspirer Koen Vanmechelen.
• You can come individually or as a collective (maximum 3 people).
• You can post your thoughts in the Watou notebook or on our inspiration wall.
• You have a chance to be selected for the 2024 Kunstenfestival.
• Has the jury selected your project proposal? Then you will receive a budget of 5,000 euros to elaborate the project. This budget includes fees and production costs.

Conditions?

• You register, with a motivation letter, CV and portfolio. The number of places is limited. The jury will select and confirm your participation.
• You are willing to spend three nights in Watou.
• You would like to enter into dialogue with Koen Vanmechelen, the Watou community, festival-goers, artists, chance passers-by, …
• You have a healthy dose of empathy and guts.
• You feel free to share your thoughts, sketches, inspirations on the inspiration wall during the encampment.
• You work out a project proposal after the Watou bath.
• You will submit the proposal by September 29, 2023.

Practical?

• The open call runs from March 10 to April 20, 2023.
• Participants will be selected by a jury chaired by Koen Vanmechelen.
• The selection will be announced on June 2, 2023.
• The research periods will run from July 11 to 14, 2023 and from August 8 to 11, 2023.
• Project proposals for the 2024 Arts Festival may be submitted through Sept. 29, 2023.
• Winning project proposals will be announced in December 2023.

How to apply?

• Apply through this form
• Your application includes: name and/or studio, address details, motivation letter, CV and relevant portfolio. You provide this in Dutch and English (synopsis). Maximum 5 pages per language, to be submitted in pdf.