Call for 5th Ghetto Biennale 2017

Credit: Ghetto Biennale

Ghetto Biennale
http://www.ghettobiennale.org

The polyphonic city of Port-au-Prince has a rich history of cultural production. While its infrastructure is deeply compromised, and the gap between the rich and the poor immense, this chaotic and resolute city is provocative and engaging.

The 5th Ghetto Biennale 2017 is looking for projects that map, in the broadest use of the word, the city’s many diverse centers of cultural production, street life, religious heritage, mythologies, histories, varied architectural presences and much more; to create a compelling portrait of a historically significant, and intensely complex, city in flux.

“A Cartography of Port-au-Prince” will use the city as a lens through which to view the chaotic intersections of history, music, politics, religion, magic, architecture, art and literature; to enable to the viewer to reflect upon the past and speculate about the future of this uncommon city and its country.

The 5th Ghetto Biennale 2017 will take place from the 24th November until the 18th December 2017. All works must be made and exhibited in Haiti. Artists and curators will be invited to pass, no less than one and up to three weeks in Haiti before presenting their work in the neighbourhood to an audience of local people, Port au Prince neighbourhood communities, arts collectives and arts organisations.

The deadline for proposal applications is midnight Sunday 2nd July BST and our decisions will be made and announced by the end of the third week in July.

Applicants for the 5th Ghetto Biennale 2017 must provide a written synopsis of their project proposal covering conceptual background, methodology, and a production and exhibition strategy for the proposed new work in no more than 500 words and on no more than two sides of A4 including illustrations and a one page CV; all formatted as pdfs. The Ghetto Biennale will not accept any proposal longer than two sides, no attached images and neither will they accept website links as a proposal component.

Please keep in mind that the Ghetto Biennale is looking for works that will be created during the three-week period in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They are not looking for work that is already created. They welcome projects that may require collaboration with local artists and would be able to help connect artists beforehand.

There is no funding for this event and you will be expected to cover the cost of your flight, accommodation and materials. The Ghetto Biennale will supply a reading list, there is a film about the Grand Rue sculptors on-line and they will be more than happy to help (via email) with any research and information needed, both before your application and leading up to the event. Advice can also be given about the practicalities for the production of specific projects and budgeting for the trip. If your work involves intensive interviews they will advise you to budget for your own translator. Artists should be aware that Haiti has only a 50% literacy rate and text heavy projects could be problematic for the local audience. They can help organise all hotel bookings, airport pick-ups and internal transport.

The Ghetto Biennale site remains a lens-free zone for none-Haitian artists but there will be a photographer on site to document the projects at the end of the event for anyone needing images for documentation. But the event is relaxing the lens-ban to accept film and photographic project proposals for works made in other areas of the city.

For enquiries, applications, and questions, contact Leah Gordon at Leahgordon@aol.com.