Open Call: Tilting Axis Fellowship 2024

The Open Call for 2024 has closed.

Nieuwe Instituut and Tilting Axis are launching the fourth iteration of the Fellowship program for applicants based in the Caribbean. The initiative aims to foster and support research based practices and stimulate mutual exchange between the Caribbean region and the Dutch cultural field. Together with the leading partners - Nieuwe Instituut and Tilting Axis - other cultural institutions including Amsterdam Museum, De Appel, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and Kunstinstituut Melly will engage with the selected applicant during the Fellowship.

About the Fellowship

This Fellowship focuses on applicants living and working within the Caribbean region offering the space to think through research and practice. The selected applicant will be based in Rotterdam at Nieuwe Instituut and will have access to other partner cultural institutions in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

The Fellowship will be developed through independent research; individual support and interaction with the Research Department team at Nieuwe Instituut; monthly meetings to discuss thematic and methodological aspects of the project; and diverse collaborations with partner institutions.

Applicants are invited to submit a proposal that addresses their current investigations and research interests through the lens of architecture, design and digital culture.

Read more about the past editions of the Tilting Axis Fellowship with Fellow Sean Leonard in 2020-2021, Fernando Martirena and Anadis González in 2021-2022 and Israel Mapp in 2023.

Watch a video introduction to the Open Call here.

For whom?
One researcher, designer, writer, curator, or cultural producer based in the Caribbean region interested in building new links with cultural institutions in the Netherlands, and with an interest in developing their research practice around themes related to architecture, spatial practice, design or digital culture.

Neither a curriculum vitae nor letters of recommendation are requested. The Fellowship is open to all degree levels in design, architecture and digital culture. Equal priority will be given to those without a degree or institutional affiliation who can also demonstrate a high level of creativity, critical thought and other potential in their respective fields. There is no age limit for applicants.

Artists who are residents of and based in the following countries can apply: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Barthélemy, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Sint Martin, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands.

Resources offered by the Fellowship
-Stimulate and visualise curatorial, design, and artistic realities coming from the Caribbean region;
-Enhance knowledge exchange and collaboration with a cross-section of Dutch cultural institutions;
-Network and exchange with a variety of platforms for professional experience;
-Produce critical knowledge on inter-disciplinary exchanges as well as visual culture;
-Offer practical support for travel to the Netherlands;
-Engage with hosting and collaborating institutions to interrogate and challenge their institutional structures and methodologies;
-Utilise the existing Tilting Axis network.

The Fellow will be invited to:
-Make a series of presentations in Rotterdam & Amsterdam at host and partner institutions on their research/practice;
-Produce a monthly text/sound/video/photo essay as potential options to be discussed with the fellow. The fellow’s research could lead to an installation, exhibition, or further events at partner institutions during or after the Fellowship;
-Write a final reflective report on the Fellowship experience is required and will be posted on the websites of Tilting Axis and Nieuwe Instituut, with links to the partner institutions.

Research Stipend and Travelling to the Netherlands
A total stipend of €12,000 will be granted by Nieuwe Instituut to cover living expenses and in addition to the stipend, Nieuwe Instituut will cover one round-trip airfare from any country within the Caribbean to the Netherlands. Accommodation costs will be reimbursed to the fellow for the period of stay in the Netherlands for a maximum of €800 per month. Stipends may be subject to a withholding tax.

Specific details about the position will be discussed with the selected applicant. Developments around COVID-19 and/or the restrictions imposed by governments including visa restrictions will be taken into account. The Fellowship might be undertaken partly remotely for applicants who are only able to reside in the Netherlands for 90 days given visa stipulations.

Crossovers Programme
This Fellowship is part of Nieuwe Instituut’s crossovers programme that aims to stimulate the international exchange of knowledge and research through collaborative fellowships, events, exhibitions, and publications involving designers, researchers and partners across the world. Broader alliances can contribute to cultural and political change, and eventually to policy adjustments.

Application process
Applicants for the Fellowship are invited to develop an independent proposal clearly outlining their areas of research/practice while also highlighting their interests in some or all of the partner organisations. The proposal should be content driven and can be based on already existing research or offer new projects. The Fellow is not expected to produce an outcome or finished artwork or product but will be encouraged to publicly present the ongoing research interests whilst in the Netherlands. The research will also be published on an ongoing basis via Nieuwe Instituut and partner institutions’ websites, newsletters, or other publications.

Proposals will be considered by an international committee consisting of the Tilting Axis and Nieuwe Instituut teams along with representatives from the partner institutions including curators, academics, creative practitioners and museum professionals.

Apply
The Open Call for 2024 has closed.

In order to be considered, proposals should include the following information:

-An introductory video of max 3 minutes in which applicants introduce themselves, their initial project idea and what inspired them to apply.
-A written proposal of max 1000 words in which applicants detail: a statement of intent which should explain the applicant’s research focus and its methodology, highlighting its connection to architecture, design, or digital culture; the relation between their interests and the hosting partners and institutions; a proposed working calendar with availability to take up the fellowship from February- July 2024.
-Relevant documentation of previous work (maximum 10 works), and/or links to audio or video files (maximum 5 minutes) in PDF format with an accompanying caption list.
-Proposals should be written in English and applicants must have a working knowledge of English. While we understand that English proficiency may vary or that English may not be the applicant’s first or primary language, unfortunately, we are not able to offer translation support at this time. Applicants with specific questions are encouraged to contact ta-fellowship [​at​] nieuweinstituut.nl about the availability of any support service.

Selection process
Proposals will be considered by an international committee consisting of the Tilting Axis and Het Nieuwe Instituut teams along with representatives from the partner institutions including curators, academics, and museum professionals. Find a full overview of the jury members here. The review committee includes:

Ramon Amaro, Senior Researcher, Nieuwe Instituut
Holly Bynoe, ARC Magazine, Sour Grass and Tilting Axis co-founder
Annalee Davis, Visual Artist, Founding Director of Fresh Milk, Sour Grass and Tilting Axis co-founder
Jessy Koeiman, Curator of Collective Learning, Kunstinstituut Melly
Mark Raymond, Director of the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa
Lara Khaldi, Direct at De Appel
Imara Limon, Curator, Amsterdam Museum & Lateesha Verwey, Curator-in-Training, Amsterdam Museum
Charl Landvreugd, Head of Research and Curatorial Practice, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview with members of the selection committee.
Candidates must hold the dates July 4th 2023 for the interview.