Making Matters X Levi's Digital Residency

Together with Levi’s®, the British Council invites fashion, textiles, craft and materials designers or artists based in eligible EU countries (see guidelines) to submit creative proposals reimagining Levi’s® post-consumer materials.

This open call invites applications from EU-based (eligible countries only - see below) fashion, textiles, craft and materials designers and artists to submit proposals for reimagining Levi’s® post-consumer materials, as part of the Architecture Design Fashion (ADF) Making Matters programme and the Levi’s® by Levi’s® initiative.

The Levi’s® Residency will run for eight weeks from August 2021 to October 2021 with a showcase at Levi’s Haus in London in October 2021. It focuses on supporting research and development, as well as cultural exchange, between the UK and international practitioners who are developing responsible making practices with post-consumer materials.

Through engagement with the Levi’s® back catalogue of faulty and donated garments and other research touchpoints across the UK, this residency also has a specific focus on exploring the social and cultural values that underpin different geographical relationships with textiles around the world.

One international designer or collective will be selected to collaborate digitally with a UK-based practice for the duration of the residency. The participants will collaborate to develop a body of work and then design and deliver a showcase of the results to the public at Levi’s® Haus in London in October 2021.

Eligibility

Applicants must be in France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Romania, Portugal or Netherlands with professional experience in creating and delivering fashion, design, craft or making projects focused on sustainability. Experience in developing and delivering temporary installations focused on public engagement is a also beneficial. Applicants must have 3-5 years professional experience.

Support

Levi’s® will provide:

Residency fee to successful applicant based on Artist’s Union England rates of pay (with breakdown allocated for day rate) and coverage of all costs related to physical installation and disassembly at Levi’s® by Levi’s® (delivery supported by project producer).
Access to the Levi’s® archive and back catalogue.
Structured check-in touch points throughout the residency led by a dedicated project producer.

Deadline: 5 August, 23.00 BST