Dear all
I would just like to let you know about a publication we have done about the Cairo Residency Symposium (CRS), which took place at the Townhouse Gallery last March 2009. You can access the publication at the following url: http://www.crs.nu/Cairo_Residency_Symposium/CRS_files/on-residency_1.pdf
A close collaboration between the Townhouse Gallery of contemporary art and the Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB), CRS brought together 86 participants for three intensive days of presentations and group discussions around the aims and challenges of international residency programs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Our primary focus was on the topics of managing expectations (pre-residency dialogue and negotiations), the role of the host institution as facilitator and presenter of the visiting artist, methods of evaluation of residencies and the post-residency period.
The symposium program was structured around keynote presentations tackling problems from a broader theoretical or abstract perspective, case study presentations providing interesting, controversial and/or inspiring examples of residency programs and group discussion sessions around relevant issues affecting residencies (see www.crs.nu for full program).
The aim of the symposium was to create a forum allowing funders, artists and cultural practitioners to discuss in depth the rationale, significance and possibilities of residencies and artist exchange between centres in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. By providing an insight into the variety of expectations and desired goals of funders, host organizations and artists, our goal was to engage in a constructive dialogue that would identify the main challenges of residency programs while discussing possible solutions and potential policy changes. Another goal of the symposium was to facilitate networking between professionals involved in residencies and ultimately to serve as a platform for future collaborations between residency programs in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Best wishes
Laura Carderera