The Bandung 2023 Residency Application

The Bandung 2023 Residency, presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), is an opportunity designed to uplift the work of organizers, artists, educators, and waymakers whose practice is intended to foster solidarity between Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Black communities. This residency is made possible through the NYS AAPI Community Fund, The Ford Foundation, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development.

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY

Inspired by recent events that have deeply impacted these communities, as well as the Stop Asian Hate and Black Lives Matter movements, this program takes its cue from the first large-scale Asian–African or Afro–Asian Conference, known as the Bandung Conference, which took place in April 1955, in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. The groundbreaking summit, which hosted leaders from 29 newly independent Asian and African states emerging from colonial rule (representing a total population of 1.5 billion people, 54% of the world’s population at the time), signaled a pivotal juncture between these communities to discuss peace, equality, and mutual respect for sovereignty, political self-determination, cultural cooperation, human rights, the role of the Global South (then known as the Third World), economic development, and decolonization. Building upon the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as identified the previous year by leaders from China and India, the primary objectives of the Bandung Conference ‘55 cohort were “ a call for an end to racial discrimination wherever it occurred, and a reiteration of the importance of peaceful coexistence…and collaboration.”

Similarly, The Bandung Residency aims to cultivate a dynamic safe space for a diverse cohort of changemakers interested in engaging in social justice discourse, restorative healing, cultural placemaking, expanding the narrative between communities, and cross-community allyship, whether participating in the program for their personal transformation, in service to the communities identified, or both.

PROGRAM GOALS

For this residency, 7-10 NYC-based visionaries will be selected as residents by a panel of independent reviewers. They will be invited to participate in a 4-month long hybrid program consisting of self-directed and group learning exchanges that introduce community leaders embedded in this social justice work, propel forward the spirit of solidarity crystalized during the 1960s and 70s, center the historical and contemporary issues faced by AAPI and Black communities, while enabling the deepening of each participant’s relationship with themselves, their practice, other participants within the cohort, and most especially with the communities identified.

Residents of The Bandung 2023 Residency will also be encouraged to connect with local leaders and community members to inspire unity through the lens of an artistic presentation, shared exploratory experience, or special project (e.g. public art piece, performance, walking tour, ephemeral installation, community building activity, etc.) that they will incubate and/or create during their residency. “Work” completed during the residency might also plant a seed that leads to a larger project that will be realized after the residency. While collaboration within the cohort is not required, we will support projects that evolve from an individual idea into a collective vision shared between (2 or more) participants.

Our north star rests in the human potential to strengthen cross-cultural community ties through intersectional advocacy (within and across participating communities), and to use “art” as a vehicle for social change through neighborhood interventions.

INFORMATION SESSION

An information session for those interested in applying was held on Monday, November 21 from 6:30–7:30pm ET via Zoom. To watch the recording, please click HERE.

ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

The Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring greater representation, equity, and opportunities for Asian American artists and cultural organizations through resource sharing, promotion, and community building. Since 1983, A4 has sought to unify, promote, and represent the artistic and cultural producers of one of New York City’s fastest-growing populations. We are a diverse alliance of artists, organizations, and arts supporters who believe that working together as a pan-ethnic, multidisciplinary community is essential to nurturing the development of artists and arts groups. A4 serves as a thoughtful convener of the Asian American cultural workforce around issues of race, identity, and artmaking and provides a critical voice for this community. We are the only service organization in the country dedicated to the professional development of Asian American and Pacific Islander artists in all disciplines.

The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art (MoCADA) was born from the graduate thesis of our founder Laurie Cumbo on the feasibility of an African art museum contributing to the revitalization of its neighboring Black communities. Twenty years later, our mission has grown through three programmatic arms – Exhibitions, Education, and Community – that use art as a vehicle for social change via the celebration of Africa and the diaspora. Through artistic presentations, community conversations, creative expression, interactive learning, and cultural preservation, we amplify “voices” that are central to the upliftment of Black lives, and advocate for equity and access on every level. We reach beyond the walls of our physical museum space to deliver dynamic arts, educational, and social justice programs, including 60+ exhibitions, 500+ public programs, conversations, community gatherings, healing circles, learning opportunities and more in the gallery, the street, parks, schools, public housing and beyond. “More than a museum”, MoCADA has become a critical tool for welcoming those who are systematically left out, and a safe space for engaging with people across social divides.

Connect with A4
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www.aaartsalliance.org
#A4

Connect with MoCADA
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www.mocada.org
#MOCADA

Requirements

Are you a NYC-based changemaker, organizer, artist, educator, waymaker or community leader interested in exploring and/or building a project rooted in fostering solidarity between AAPI and Black communities? Are you dedicated to inspiring and/or transforming yourself, other artists, the intended communities, or all of the above?

The Bandung 2023 Residency is seeking 7-10 participants with a range of artistic expression, social justice / social impact expertise, organizing frameworks, and lived experiences for its second cohort. Criteria for selection include:

• A resident of New York City & primarily based in New York City during the residency period (this residency will take on a hybrid form with some in-person meetings required)
• All disciplines and stages of artistic exploration/developments, activism, community organizing, educational practice, and thought leadership are welcome
• Demonstrate a willingness or an interest in community work and fostering solidarity between communities
• Create or develop an existing or new project that is forward thinking and proactive, that centers community building, healing, and solidarity, and not limited to being solely reactionary to moments of crisis or protest
• Projects should center/engage in social justice discourse, restorative healing, cultural placemaking, expanding the narrative between communities, and cross-community allyship, whether for their personal transformation, in service to the communities identified, or both
• Connect with local leaders and community members to inspire unity through the lens of an artistic presentation, shared exploratory experience, or special project (e.g. public art piece, performance, walking tour, ephemeral installation, community building activity, etc) that they will incubate / create during their residency.
• Project completion is not limited to the residency period. “Work” completed during the residency may also plant a seed that leads to a larger project that will be realized after the residency. If applying as a collective:
• We encourage you to select representatives for your group who will be accountable for your power and knowledge sharing structure within the collective. Representatives for a collective must be reflective of all communities identified.
• All members must participate in all three learning exchanges.
• A spirit of generosity and in fostering a collaborative close-knit community (artist knowledge/skill share and cultural exchange)
• An interest in using this residency as a platform to promote cross-cultural messaging of healing and unity
• Open only to individual participants (or participants working in collaboration/collectives); Organizations may not apply
• Degree-earning students at the time of residency may not apply
• Must be at least 18 years of age

PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND TIMELINE

The Institutional Partners will provide support and logistical help during the application process. During the course of the residency, we will expand this framework to include mentorship, resource-sharing (community contacts), workshop facilitation, and presentation support.

As part of the 4-month long residency, participants will:

• Must participate in 4 learning exchanges led by a notable anti-oppression coach (emailing coach for one-on-one support is optional, but available);
• Attend 4 cohort meetings with featured speakers and time for conversation (A4 and MoCADA are in the process of scheduling speakers and will share the dates and names of the subject matter experts when confirmed. Residents are strongly encouraged, but not required to attend these events.);
• Be offered the opportunity for up to three 1:1 check-ins with either A4, MoCADA, or a past Bandung cohort member;
• Create a new or build upon an existing project, art presentation/installation, performance, workshop or experience designed as a community activity that will inspire solidarity or create discourse between AAPI and Black communities;
• Receive an honorarium $1,500 per artist or per collective (if you’re applying as a collective) plus additional support of up to $1,000 for the execution of their project (a workshop, project, installation, art piece or performance, etc.)

Important Note: We have made changes to the dates for the Panel Review, Cohort Selection + Notification and Public Announcement of the Cohort

The program schedule is as follows:

November 7, 2022 Application Opens
November 21, 2022 Pre-submission Information Session (6:30–7:30pm EST)
January 9, 2023 Deadline for all Submissions (by 11:59 pm EST)
January 16, 2023 Applications shared with the Review Committee
January 30, 2023 Inaugural Cohort Public Share Out and Q&A (Optional)
January 31, 2023 Panel Review
February 2, 2023 Cohort Selected + Notified
February 7, 2023 Public Announcement of Cohort + Welcome Cohort Meeting (via Zoom from 6:30-8:30pm EST)
Week of Feb 7 1:1 Check-Ins
February 15, 2023 Learning Exchange #1
February 28, 2023 Cohort Meeting #1 with Presenter
March 8, 2023 Learning Exchange #2
March 21, 2023 Cohort Meeting #2 with Presenter (In Person)
Week of March 27 1:1 Check-Ins
April 12, 2023 Learning Exchange #3
April 18, 2023 Cohort Meeting #3 with Presenter (In Person)
May 10, 2023 Learning Exchange #4
May 16, 2023 Cohort Meeting #4
Week of May 15 1:1 Check-Ins
May 30, 2023 Final Cohort Meeting; Project share out (In Person)

Please note: The program schedule is subject to change, including whether a meeting takes place online or in-person. If there is a change, we will try to give at least one week’s notice. Based on feedback from our inaugural cohort, we are offering three opportunities for 1:1 check-ins with either A4, MoCADA, or a past Bandung cohort member. Two of the check-ins are mandatory and can happen any of the weeks listed above (Week of Feb 7, March 27, or May 15; a third check-in is optional.)

This residency is co-presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) and made possible through New York State AAPI Community Fund, the Ford Foundation, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development.

FAQ

The FAQ is based on questions we received during the Information Session and via email.

Will there be housing and/or food accommodations during the 4-month residency, and if so, what does that look like?

At this time, the residency is primarily virtual as we want to ensure the safety of all participants. As the residency is open to residents of the 5 boroughs of New York, we are hoping that all of the participants will already have housing and be engaged in their communities. We are only able to provide a stipend of $1,500 per artist at this time, plus an additional amount (up to $1,000) for the execution or development of a project. The participants are free to use the stipend in any manner they see fit.

Is a portfolio required?

No, a portfolio is not required. However, you can add your portfolio to your application submission in the Supplementary Information section under video upload or a link to your website. If you want to include your portfolio in that section, you are welcome to, but it is not required.

When is the information session? If I can’t attend, where can I access the recording?

The information session was held on Monday, November 21 from 6:30–7:30pm ET and you can find the recording HERE.

Would you ever consider expanding this opportunity to non-NYC residents or do you know of any?

At the moment, the residency program is limited to NYC residents only, but we hope to grow this program in coming years and will consider non-NYC residents in the future.

The very important question about collectives, structures, sharing power, what sort of thinking are you seeking from individual artists in this question?

That question is actually specifically for collectives so you can bypass that question if you are applying as an individual. If you see a question that’s related to specifically collectives and you are not applying as a collective you can simply type “N/A” (as in not-applicable) and keep it moving.

When would we know the specific meeting times? Figuring out how to work with family travels.

We will be holding a majority of our sessions (cohort meetings and learning exchanges) from 6-8pm ET. If there are any changes to the times or dates, we will do our best to let you know at least one week in advance. You can find the meeting dates in the timeline of this document.

The four Learning Exchanges are mandatory. We are also asking that residents attend the cohort meetings with featured speakers. However, let’s say you’re part of a collective and you can’t attend, a member from your collective should be there. If you’re an individual, and cannot attend for whatever reason, we will do our best to record the featured speaker presentations and make them available.

Since I work full time I’m curious to ask how much time commitment you anticipate the residency will be asking for. I recognize each project will have its own needs but more like what is the residency asking for within the learning exchanges.

At a minimum, we’re looking at 20 hours based on totaling the cohort meetings, learning exchanges, 1:1 check-ins, and final presentation. The 20 hours does not include the amount of time you may commit to your project/idea over the 4 month period. That commitment will be self-driven.

What is the window for accessing the $1,000 production funding?

We will be making the production funds available to cohort members before the end of the residency period (May 30, 2023).

If we are not NYC residents but can commit to attending all of the workshops and dates needed to be in NYC, could we be eligible to apply for this?

We have to say no because while the program’s purpose is to create solidarity, we want to see how these projects can impact our communities and we’d like to have them happen here.

I will be overseas for the final week. Would you accept a pre-recorded video report in case the Wi-Fi doesn’t work where I am? I am an individual.

We don’t see why not, although it would be a loss to miss out on the group sharing, we think we can accommodate.

Is attending in person meetings mandatory since the term is the touring time for musicians. My friends and I may get some last minute gigs although this residency has the higher priority.

The learning exchanges are absolutely necessary and mandatory. We want to encourage you to attend all of the speaker workshops, so if you think that you will miss more than 1 or 2 that may be a bit problematic. We encourage you to participate in all of them.

I noticed the application equates the concept of the third world with the global south, both of these concepts have been disputed. Will the program sessions address this as a discussion topic? What are some of the discussion topics being planned?

So “Third World,” “Global South,” the reason that language was cited was that it was being used at the time of the original conference in 1955; and yes, topics such as that will come up for discussion. So, a little bit about YK (the learning exchange facilitator). YK is an anti-oppression organizer, thought-leader, and consultant, so they will be exploring many topics on their own but in addition to that, the residents will be participating actively, engaging in discussions they want to bring up as well, so topics they may feel are important to their particular project or collective communities in general, so this can be posed yes, but the full list of discussion topics are forthcoming.

Are we able to save our application and continue filling it out over time?

Yes, you can save your application and return to it later. At the bottom of the page on the application, you will find a “Save” button. You can click “Save” and then come back to it later and submit once you’re ready. You will receive an email with instructions on how to access your saved application. We highly recommend completing your application in a separate word doc first and copying and pasting into the actual application when you’re ready.

Would you be able to go over the difference between a collective and an organization?

We believe the difference is that a collective is less formal than an organization. So, an organization is incorporated or could apply under fiscal sponsorship whereas a collective is a group of individuals working together towards the building of a project so it’s a bit more informal.

The founder of the collective is not a student, but I as a co-founder am, would we still be able to apply?

We are thinking no, because again the purpose of this program is to have people dedicated to the project, to have opportunities and access that they would not have as students. There are a lot of resources that are given to students for access that are not given to people once they are out in the world as an emerging artist or even as a mid-career artist, so we’re thinking this is really for people who are dedicated to their practice full-time or as close to that as possible.

Can you share more about how the learning exchanges will be facilitated?

They will be conversational. There will be themes that will be grounding themes for those conversations. But, both YK and those who are in attendance, all the residents, will be exploring themes that come up naturally through those conversations but the intention is to fortify the historical legacy of solidarity between these two communities and exploring what are the current issues within these collective communities and how to bridge the solidarity.

Two artists in our collective we spoke of being students, can we use part of the project money to pay the performers, teachers, including ourselves?

Yes, absolutely.

Can you speak about the question, what is your experience within the two communities?

For instance, let’s say if you’re an artist, educator, or organizer maybe you have been involved as a teaching artist within one of these communities. You may have been involved in a project that was focusing on one of these communities, or maybe you have been exploring one of them for some time. Or perhaps you’ve done research. There are so many ways to describe experience within these two communities. You could also be someone who is just a member of these communities and speak to that. We want to know about the lived-experience in these communities, so what have you done in these communities or how have you lived within this community.

Will there be make-up sessions for group cohorts?

We won’t have make-up sessions for the cohort meetings. We encourage people to attend all meetings to learn from each other and share their progress, hurdles, etc.

What is the difference between your intentions and project description?

Intentions: what is your ultimate goal? What is the purpose of your project? Why is this residency so important to you right now at this moment?
Project Description: What is the mechanism, the actual structure, product, or workshop that you are building; how do you describe it in a physical/tangible form?

If I want to involve a facilitator that is not based in NYC for my proposed project, is that OK?

Yes, that is OK. We will not be able to provide additional funding to cover travel costs for the facilitator; it will need to come out of the Resident’s stipend.

Is there anywhere we can view past cohorts’ work?

You can learn more about the inaugural cohort and their projects here: https://www.aaartsalliance.org/programs/the-bandung-residency

Will the inaugural cohort’s public share-out be IRL or virtual?

It will be happening in-person at MoCADA (80 Hanson Pl, Brooklyn, NY), but we will also be streaming it to our website/YouTube channels. We will be posting a registration link soon.

Does the NYC Residency requirement mean an established, long-term resident rather than someone who moves to NYC to live for the length of the program?

We require that applicants are current NYC residents who are connected to the communities in NYC and looking to serve NYC communities. Given a majority of our funding is through New York City and State, this program must benefit artists/organizers/educators and communities within NYC.

For a performance-based project with installation components, do you support the project with physical / exhibition space once it is selected?

MoCADA has spaces that might work for exhibition, and both organizations have connections to spaces that might also work. We will try our best to accommodate; it will ultimately depend on size, timing, and other needs. If you have those details in advance, please include them in your application under the Project Description section.

I have a question. I am an individual artist with a community project idea. But I have general anxiety. That prevents me from coming into spaces sometimes. Could I have a friend who is an artist/writer speak about the project for me when we are supposed to meet in person?

For any special accommodations, please email jlee@aaartsalliance.org and we will try our best to address this.

Does the project have to be executed during the Residency Program, or can it be executed sometime after?

The project has to be in progress during the duration of the Residency Program, but it does not need to be completed. In your application, you will have space to share your project goals and benchmarks.

For the selected artist, are the check ins and learning exchanges in person or are they virtual?

The program including cohort meetings, check-ins, and learning exchanges will be a mix of in-person and virtual, but generally, we will default to virtual. When we do have in-person meetings, we will try our best to accommodate folks who need to join virtually by streaming the in-person meeting. We will share the exact times and locations of all events as best we can before the program begins.

Application Instructions

Applications are now closed!

To access the application, click HERE.
To download an accessible copy of the application questions, guidelines, and FAQ, click HERE.
To view a Google Doc of the application questions, guidelines, and FAQ, click HERE.
To watch the Information Session Recording from November 21, 2022, click HERE.
For any questions on the application or for any accessibility needs, please email jlee@aaartsalliance.org.