Ptarmigan project space (Tallinn, Estonia) is looking for creative minds!
We're looking for people who can contribute to Ptarmigan's activities from April - September 2014. Ptarmigan is generally focused on creating participatory activities that are open and inclusive. We are probably not a good fit for those looking to create their own visual art or performance events.
Proposals are welcome that focus on one (or more) of the following "streams":
- Whither are we wandering?
Ptarmigan is now in year five of existence, having started as an uncertain venue for strange musical forms in Helsinki and now lumbering along in Estonia as, well, whatever we are. (If you don't know what we do, have a look through our archive at some past events and projects). The grassroots cultural landscape is filled with small initiatives like us, constantly active creating events, projects and partnerships. The connections and networks continue to grow. But what are we actually building? Looking forward and backwards at the same time is not always easy, and despite the multiple ways that we can communicate electronically, human interaction is still the cornerstone.
The Whither are we wandering? programming stream seeks to question the meta- issues of independent culture production, not just relating to Ptarmigan's own history but in a larger context. Topics to explore: How do we build upon the efforts of the past? How do we disseminate our activities to a wider audience? What is an 'archive' in this context, and how can it be re-imagined as an open, living creature? When and why do we collaborate?
- Unraveling, untangling and undoing
We will continue our ongoing focus on activities that resist measurable outcomes. If the journey is more important than the destination, or you subscribe to the credo "pointless ≠ waste of time", or you like taking things apart without putting them back together, or you like the demo versions and outtakes more than the finished album, or you're utterly unconcerned with creating a product or final work, or anything of the sort: let's talk. We plan to resurrect last summer's aborted projects, Strange Meetings Club and Undo Lab, as well as to provide space for experimental, open-form collaborations. So we're looking for any sort of proposal along these lines.
- Feeding the Hand that Bites Us
Money. Sustainability. Creative Industry. Rising inequality. Culture incubators. The neoliberal agenda. Blah blah blah.... you're heard it all before, and it's not going away. We understand if you're sick of hearing about this stuff. We're sick of thinking about it. Maybe we should just quit what we're doing and get "proper" jobs instead. Maybe an IT call-centre would hire us.
Some possible topics: Creative experimentation in a technocratic society. The privilege of inefficiency. Hybrid public/private institutional structures.
If you're happy with things the way they currently are, disregard this stream. If you want to really talk about meaningful collaboration, self-empowering support structures, alternative economic models, etc. then we're listening. Propose something.
This is a residency, and it is also not a residency. We are an unfunded, volunteer-run organisation that will close (or change drastically) in autumn 2014. This is most likely our final summer, and we want to do good things with good people. We can't offer any financial support; we're trying to find a way to pay the bills ourselves! However, we can write invitation letters for your local funding agencies, if that will help.
What we can definitely offer is enthusiasm, the physical resources of the place (rooms, equipment, furniture), and the network of interesting people in our axis. What we really want are flexible people with good ideas who want to come and spend a bit of time with us and make great things happen. Maybe you have to be a bit crazy, but that's who we typically get along with anyway. Ptarmigan has always been as much of a "lifestyle" as an artistic platform, and that's not going to change. Think of this as a bizarre summer camp
Everything is negotiable. And as we've said in the past, everything is tentative.
Send us your ideas by emailing the name of the city we're based in, "@" the domain name of this website. As this open call is as flexible as the actual 'residencies' will be, there's no deadline or anything like that; just be practical.
