Cross-Cultural Room Exchange: S1: Taipei–New York

“The essence of artist residencies is their existence to serve artists.”

In the art world, international exchange programs have consistently provided artists with valuable opportunities to expand their horizons. These initiatives offer a platform for cultural intervention through art, field research in foreign settings, and creative dialogue with global peers. Residency institutions worldwide dedicate themselves to supporting artists, fostering cross-cultural exchanges, and facilitating artistic growth.

Despite these benefits, existing funding mechanisms often come with challenges. While grants can alleviate some financial burdens, the high cost of living in certain locations remains a significant hurdle. Additionally, artists need a certain level of foreign language proficiency to effectively communicate and express their needs, which makes the application and grant-writing process a challenge during overseas residencies.

As post-pandemic realities reshape our understanding of space and interaction, the residency program of “Reimagining Beyond Context” emerges as a groundbreaking alternative to traditional residencies. This initiative facilitates space exchanges between artists, allowing them to reinterpret each other’s work and living environments while staying in their respective countries. By integrating distinct cultural perspectives, this program fosters innovative creative processes and aligns with the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and resourcefulness championed by New York museums and arts institutions.

The Drive-Through Art (DTA) residency program exemplifies the adaptability and collaborative spirit essential to contemporary arts programming, making it a model for accessible and impactful international cultural exchanges.

Requirements

Submit all required information through the application form (https://rb.gy/no7a0y) on our official website or social media by the deadline. Please don’t hesitate to email nomad.artlab1@gmail.com with any questions!

Application Instructions

Timeline and Location:
Submission Period: February 10, 2025 – April 18, 2025
Exchange Period: May 11, 2025 – May 25, 2025
Exhibition Dates: June 10, 2025 – June 22, 2025
Location: Based on each artist’s studio or personal living space
Exhibition Venue: To be announced following the completion of the project results

Residency Introduction:
DTA will select 8 artists from Taiwan and 8 artists from New York to participate in a contemporary art exchange project titled “Exchange Spaces, Not People.” This program eliminates high transportation costs and additional living expenses while minimizing language barriers. Artists will gain access to field research data from creators in another country within the shortest possible time, encouraging them to explore and interpret foreign cultures through cultural intervention.

Whether through text, imagery, sound, or even performance art, the creations will be documented using multi-sensory approaches, including visuals, smells, sounds, and tactile experiences. The artists’ rooms, studios, and creation field will be transformed into tangible texts and visual data. These materials will then be reviewed and selected by Nomad ArtLab and DTA. After being organized in a randomized manner, they will be provided to creators in the other country.

Ultimately, in addition to showcasing the results of the residence on an online platform, the texts and artworks generated from this project will be exhibited in Taiwan and New York. Negotiations are ongoing regarding the exhibition details.