Ireland | Open Futures 2021 call for dance and digital arts exchange projects

Open Futures 2021 will enable 8 artists, consisting of 4 collaborating pairs, from the fields of dance and the digital arts, to investigate and explore the potential for interdisciplinary exchange that encompasses practices for the stage, gallery, installation, and outdoor settings. With an emphasis on creative process, the project will facilitate experimentation and exploration of methods and approaches. This process will occur within a mentored and technically supported environment.

Studio Light Moves is an initiative of the Light Moves Festival of Screendance in Ireland, aimed at investing in and nurturing creative process and enquiry in dance, technology and screen-based dance practices. In partnership with Dance Limerick, The Digital Media and Arts Research Centre UL, Studio Light Moves is delighted to announce its 2021 development programme, Open Futures.

Applications are welcomed from individuals or proposed duo partnerships between a dance artist and a media artist at any career stage. Successful individual applications will be matched with corresponding partners.

Open Futures 2021 is designed around a two-week creative process residency for 4 dance and media artist pairs, peer exchange and facilitated discussions with practitioners working in dance and technology and a €5K continuity bursary awarded to one selected artist pair to continue beyond the residency period.

Open Futures 2021 supports dance artists and media artist’s time, space, and equipment to work in collaboration over 2 weeks. Applicants may either propose their own collaborator or request to be partnered with one working in their area(s) of interest. (In this instance Light Moves and consultants will match collaborators in relationship to interest and experience.)

Open Futures 2021 aims to focus on collaborations in between dance and digital media practices including: video mapping, real-time image capture and/or generation, motion sensors, cinematography, coding, immersive video, game engines, real-time/interactive sound, generative audio and moving image installation methods. Applicants will be asked to describe the area(s) they wish to explore, what access to the related technologies and software they already have to hand and to specify what may be additionally required for this research process. It is anticipated media artists will have access to their own laptop and related software. All dance genres are welcomed.

Open Futures 2021 residency artists are encouraged to build a relationship with Light Moves Festival and residency artists will participate in sharing their experiences arising from their exploration at the Festival event hosted in September 2021. Following this event, a €5,000 continuity bursary will be awarded to one artist or artist pair to act as a spring-board towards further developing their work and to aid in acquiring funding.

The Open Call is open to artists based in Ireland and those based internationally. If you have questions about applying from outside of Ireland, please email info@lightmoves.ie. Light Moves takes account of the realities of the COVID 19 on artists’ circumstances. With this in mind, while we envisage in-person time, we are open to proposals that may need to avail of remote interactions. All events will be carried out in line with COVID-19 Government Guidelines.

Application Deadline: Friday 5th March
Residency week 1: 28th June – 3rd July
Residency week 2: 27th Sept – 2nd Oct

Please read the Full Open Call Details and Application Process HERE.