New Paris-based residency for artists and researchers

Art Explora is a non-profit organisation founded in 2019 by the French patron Frédéric Jousset, based on his belief in the power of culture to create dialogue and to reinforce social cohesion. The foundation is committed to bridging cultural gaps in all the projects it undertakes by promoting access to arts and culture for as many people as possible.

In order to carry out this mission, the foundation is promoting several projects: supporting artistic creation through exhibitions and residencies; promoting itinerant cultural projects; supporting mediation programmes such as the Art Explora & Academie des beaux-arts European Award : with a fund of EUR 150,000, this award will honour the three most innovative institutional programmes in the field of culture in Europe—recognising their ability to reach new audiences, remote areas, and diversify their public. With more than 350 applications, the 2020 edition has received an overwhelming positive response from all over the continent. The laureates will be announced by the beginning of December.

To support international artists, Art Explora creates a new partnership with the Cité internationale des arts to launch a unique international programme of residencies in Paris. The first residency session will begin in March 2021 and the programme will welcome 20 residents, of all ages and nationalities, each year, who will be asked to present a project that questions the relationship between art and science, with the theme of scientific and technological exploration.

The residencies will be of two types: a solo programme for artists and a duo programme for collaboration between artists and researchers. Art Explora and the selection committee will select participants who think about tomorrow’s world by taking into account the social and ecological challenges facing our societies today.

All residents will receive a grant for living expenses and production.

The selection committee is composed of leading figures from the worlds of art and academic research:

Vinciane Despret, Philosopher of science, Professor at the University of Liège and at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium);
Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Zeitz MOCAA (South Africa);
Christine Macel, Chief Curator and Head of the Contemporary Art and Prospective Creation Department at the Pompidou Centre National Arts Museum (France);
Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries in London (UK);
Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez, Interdependent curator, editor and writer;
Philippe Vergne, Director of the Serralves Foundation (Portugal).

Applications will be accepted until November 6, 2020
Information and eligibility criteria are available on www.artexplora.org.