Residencies in Bangalore
Our Residency programme has been conceived as a long-term collaboration between the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore and various innovative and contemporary art/cultural spaces in Bangalore, with a view to offering German aspirants a space conducive to creative output and the opportunity to work with Indian artists/experts, in the challenging context of Asia's fastest-growing metropolis. The Residencies are designed to involve mutual exchange so that both the visiting Germans and the local community reap the benefit of fresh perspectives and expanding horizons. 
The project began in 2009 with a single residency at 1 Shanthi Road, but has grown in popularity and scope and the nine much sought-after residences that are now on offer attract several hundred applications with each call. Our partner organisations range from art arenas and ateliers to theatres, festivals, NGOs and educational institutions. Potential residents are expected to explore the options thoroughly in the light of their own expertise and expectations before applying. Currently the following institutions, all of which have widely-differing profiles, are part of this project: - 1 Shanthi Road Studio/Gallery (Code: Pioneer)
- Jaaga - Creative Common Ground (Code: Nomad)
- Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology (Code: Hybrid)
- Jagriti Theatre (Code: Thespian)
- Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Code: Contemporary)
- Experimenta India Video Festival-Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology (Code: Cutting Edge)
- Yuva Chintana Foundation (Code: Transform)
- Pepper House-Kochi-Muziris Biennale (Code: Confluence)
- The Bangalore Literature Festival (Code: Scribe)
The next Residency will commence on September 1, 2013 and residents should plan to arrive in Bangalore on or before August 31, 2013.
This date is important because the Residency begins with a mandatory
orientation tour to the primary cultural watering holes of the City -
the ideal way to get to know us, each other and the hosts. This will be
followed in the first week with a guided walk through other significant
cultural hubs and later with a two-day trip to Mysore, to get a feel of
the cultural climate outside of Bangalore. Armed with this invaluable
orientation, the residents can then give full rein to their creative
potential and, in partnership with their local hosts and counterparts,
add fresh overlays to the cultural fabric of the City. 
The Goethe-Institut will bear economy return airfare from Germany to Bangalore and accommodation during the Residency, in collaboration with the local host organisation. International health insurance and visa charges have to be borne by the artist. In addition the Goethe-Institut offers a weekly maintenance stipend of Rs. 7000 (for the time spent in Bangalore), payable in Rupees in Bangalore, which would adequately cover daily board and routine expenses. Residents can apply to us for a grant to cover production costs, once the project outline is approved. The allowance for Attakkalari Residents will be fixed according to the workload.
Applications are invited from artists living and working in Germany, and looking for a stint in an expanding global metropolis like Bangalore to complete or complement a particular art project. The precise reasons underlying the desire to pursue an artistic project in a city like Bangalore should be specified. The host organisation offers the freedom to create in an ambience conducive to innovation and expression, as also the freedom from everyday mundane routine. The artist will be expected to make a public presentation (format is flexible) at the beginning of the Residency, offering an insight into his/her artistic practice and proposed project in Bangalore. Although it is not essential that the project should be completed during the duration of the Residency, an “open studio” at the end of the Residency, giving an indication of activities during the sojourn in Bangalore, is mandatory. This event should provide first glimpses into the outcome of the Residency. On completion of the Residency, a brief report for our online Archive (see samples on this site) is required to be submitted.
The host organisation will extend all possible technical support, but applicants should be aware that circumstances could be different in India and should be prepared to adapt and deal creatively with potential challenges in terms of resources and materials. As well as pursuing his/her own project, the incumbent will be expected to interact with the local art world as well as with the faculty and students of art institutions as one of the objectives of this Residency is to offer the local art community a fresh perspective and creative input from abroad, as well as to initiate a dialogue and exchange of ideas and opinions.
Extended travel in India, outside of Bangalore, should be planned before or after the period of the Residency.
Required documents
Please send only soft copy in English (German version optional)
- Resume with photo
- Reasons for applying for the residency and outline of artistic aims and objectives in about 250 words
- Preferred duration
- Information on previous significant artistic projects
- If the application is to be considered for more than one Residency, preference should be clearly indicated using the codes given above
Final selection: 08.07.2013
Residency starts: 01.09.2013
Please send your applications to:
residenz@bangalore.goethe.orgAttachments greater than 2 MB will not be accepted by the server. If you require to submit larger files, please upload them onto a file-sharing service. Only complete applications, conforming to the requirements specified in this call will be considered.
For an insight into the local art scene, visit Art & the City, our online resource on Contemporary Arts in India.
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