Open air exhibition “Sentiers D’art”

The open air exhibition “Sentiers D’art” is organized by Maison du Tourisme Condroz-Famenne with various partnerships in each of its municipalities. Each of them hosts a work on its stretch, and will take place between May 21st and 31st, 2020.

This call for projects relates to around 6 works, to be installed in Belgium. The selected works of art will be installed in the natural landscapes or built areas of the Condroz-Famenne region.

The towns of Ciney, Gesves, Hamois, Havelange, Ohey and Somme-Leuze will be involved in the project, and the works will be located on footpaths, in the countryside and/or in villages. The footpaths and works have all been mapped out and signposted.

The project may be presented by an individual artist or group of artists.

About works

This call for projects relates Works installed outside (in natural or built areas).
The project consists of creating an outdoor work of art on a loop walk located in the countryside or in towns/villages. The installation of existing works on our art walk does not enter into the framework of this call for projects; the project must be created on site during the 10-day event.
All types of hardy materials are authorized. In case of wood, priority is given to local varieties.
We are seeking installations with an estimated lifetime of at least 4 years.
Traditional, regional materials shall be supplied by the organizers (stone, clay, wood, trunks, branches, twigs, iron, etc.). The supplied materials shall remain the property of the organizers.
Artistsm must possess the necessary technical skills for the personal creation of their work. If assistance is required, artists must give details in the registration form. However, no artistic skills are provided by the organizers. If tools are provided by the organizers, a deposit of 100 euros is payable, to be returned on the day before the inauguration if the tools are returned in good condition (excluding normal wear and tear).
The organizers are strongly committed to educational, social and participative aspects of the event. The artist is therefore invited to share their work and experience, and even contribute to participative aspects (all suggestions are welcome) involving, for example, schools, local inhabitants, visitors, etc.

Location
Completion of the "Sentiers d’Art" loop walk, measuring over 140 km, is scheduled over a 4-year period (from 2017 to 2020). The art walk aims to span 6 towns in the Maison du Tourisme Condroz-Famenne geographical area, i.e. Ciney, Gesves, Hamois, Havelange, Ohey and Somme-Leuze.

The works are implanted for a minimum of 4 years. This means that they must be accessible to the public and in good condition throughout this period. The works can’t, in no way, present stability problems or represent a danger to the public. If this is the case, the artist must return at his own expense to ensure the safety of the work.

Works creation
The works shall be created between May 21st and the inauguration on May 31st 2020, which shall be a festive, public event. The artist's presence throughout this period (inclusive of start and end dates) is imperative and the work must be completed by Saturday May 30th, the day before the inauguration.
During the creation period, you may be led to meet with the public, in particular school groups, in a spirit of awareness and continuous learning. The organizers shall ensure these meetings do not affect the work completion deadline and shall schedule them in agreement with the artist.

Financial terms and condition
Individual artists or teams shall receive the sum of 1250 euros including VAT (one thousand two hundred and fifty euros) to create their project on presentation of an invoice for services according to the template issued by the organizers.
Travel expenses shall be refunded at a rate of €0.3412/km (for car travel - arrival and departure at end of residency) up to a limit of €250 (flight, train fare, etc.). This sum shall also be paid subject to issue of an invoice, declaration of claim or any other document of equivalent legal value.
All social security payments and taxes arising from these sums are artists responsibility.
All the materials needed for the construction of the work are financially supported by the organizer.

Tools
Artists should bring their own tools to make the work, but some will be available for artists who require them in advance.
The necessary equipment to be provided by the organizer must be included in the technical data sheet and a deposit of 100 euros will be requested.

Food and Accommodation
Artists will be hosted by family accommodation or or residency accommodation during the event, together with free meals. Artists will be invited to various dinners, music evenings and cultural events in order to meet the local inhabitants.
A private vehicle is preferable. However, transport for artists without a car can be provided by the organizers.
Any persons accompanying the artist shall pay a set sum of +/-€250 (meals, accommodation, transport) for the stay. The organizers shall do their utmost to accommodate accompanying persons.

Selection
The jury shall comprise art experts chosen by the organizers, representatives from each town crossed by the art walk and representatives of the relevant subsidizing authorities.
The selection process is anonymous.
The jury shall discover the various candidate projects during a public session. The artist shall remain anonymous. The jury shall then select eligible works from among the projects (projects that do not fulfil the criteria of this call for projects shall be eliminated). The representatives of each town shall then establish a list of selected works by order of preference. A draw is then held to decide in which order the various towns shall select an available work.

The main selection criteria are as follows:

emotional value, power to astonish and raise questions
integration in the environment
sustainability (4 years)
the cost and feasibility of the project with regards to the organizers' material, human and financial resources
the use of natural, sustainable materials
participative aspects relating to the project are an advantage

The jury's decision is sovereign and does not require any justification.
Selected artists will be notified of the results in early february 2020.

HOW TO APPLY:

Each artist has the right to present several projects on condition they are fundamentally different. Each project must be sent by email to sentiersdart@gmail.com

Each application must include the following 4 files:
A text file (extensions .doc, .odt, .docx, .txt) including:

The name and address of the artist.
A dated and signed agreement to the Terms & Conditions (require to the event email address or to info@aiesm.com ).
A text file (extensions .doc, .odt, .docx, .txt) including:
A description of the work presented anonymously (no visible signature or name), a cover letter (maximum ½ page A4 including artistic approach, personal motivations, participative dimension, etc.), technical data, site description, budget estimate and estimated project lifetime.
A graphic file (pdf or jpg) including:
The project in sketch or photomontage form, presented anonymously (no visible signature or name). Be careful this sketch should look like the final realization.
A graphic file (pdf or jpg) including:
Other works created by the artist or, failing this, any other element intended to show the jury your ability to create the project (photos, CV, press book).

If you are having difficulties submitting the project by email, please contact the organizer at: sentiersdart@gmail.com or by phone at +32 (0) 86 / 40 19 22

Projects are to be sent to the organizer at the latest on January 1st , 2020
The selected artists will be notified in early february 2020.