Brashnar Artist-in-Residence Summer 2024

Brashnar Artist-in-Residence (BAiR) is an artist owned and operated urban artist residency program located in the neighborhood Hrom on the west side of Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. BAiR is a multi-faceted residency program allowing resident artists the freedom to explore the potentials of their practice while experiencing Macedonian culture through group related activities.

Why the neighborhood Hrom? As an artist led project, Brashnar Creative Project aims to directly influence the process of decentralization of the arts and culture in Skopje. Introducing the possibilities of contemporary artistic practices to the local and surrounding neighborhood for gaining new perspectives and knowledge further strengthens the bond between Brashnar Creative Project and the community.

While residing at BAiR, residents live in an open, communal style environment situated in a family-oriented neighborhood. During their residency, residents are encouraged to embrace the local culture and to engage the surrounding community while living at the Art House. Residents also take part in maintaining Brashnar’s organic gardens at the Volkovo Project Space and participate in living a sustainable lifestyle.

The residency program is open to all visual artists and writers that strongly encourage work utilizing innovative and traditional forms of art making along with collaborations, artist-led projects and socially engaged practices. This is a self-directed, process-based residency with no obligation or expectation to complete a body of work, but artists are expected to engage with the community during Open Studio events organized by Brashnar that take place the last week of each month.

Brashnar Artist-in-Residence offers work and living space for up to 6 artists/writers for stays of 1 month with 1-2 staff artists living with the residents in the Art House during the residency season.

The residency season runs from June 2nd through September 30th.

The artist-in-residence program offers stays of 4 weeks.

Currently they can support artists that work with disciplines in the following fields: drawing, printmaking (linocut and woodcut), painting, mixed media, new media, digital photography, bookmaking arts, sculpture/installation, performance/video art, interdisciplinary arts, literature, socially engaged practice and cultural research.

Requirements

Resident artists are expected to participate in all aspects of the residency program. A guided tour of the surrounding neighborhood and city center either as a group or individually (depending on resident arrival) during the first days of the residency. Informal meeting and welcoming traditional Macedonian dinner for all resident artists prepared by Brashnar staff members. A short informal presentation of artists’ work at the beginning of the first week. Garden related activities up to twice a month totaling approximately 2 – 4 hrs (planting, harvesting fruits and vegetables, garden maintenance, food preservation, pickling, making of marmalade, pinjur, ajvar). 1 – 2 short group trips to locations outside Skopje (Lake Matka, Mountain Vodno, Katlanovo natural thermal bath, Observatory Kokino etc.). 1-2 scheduled group dinners per week. Up to 2 traditional Macedonian group meals at Volkovo Project Space prepared by Brashnar staff members. Cultural exchange night through meal preparation, cultural dances or other forms of cultural exchange. This is a self-directed, process-based residency with no obligation or expectation to complete a body of work, but artists are expected to engage with the community during Open Studio events organized by Brashnar that take place the last week of each month.

Open to All emerging (must have completed undergraduate degree or experience equivalent to that) and mid-career artists.Applicants can be writers, individual artists and collaborative teams with a maximum of 2 members.
Members of a group shall provide previous collaboration work samples and each member’s CV or resume.
Applicants must have a working knowledge of English. Knowledge of Serbian, Croatian, or Macedonian is a plus, but not required.