Opportunity: Open call for Down the Wire collaborative project with Cryptic and B’sarya

Down the Wire Live is a six-month collaborative project between B’sarya (Egypt) and Cryptic (UK).  Both organisations will support artists, enabling them to participate in a  collaborative research and development project resulting in a live performance/event in both Glasgow and Alexandria.

We are looking for ambitious musicians, audio-visual, and visual artists from the UK and Egypt to collaborate through residencies in both Glasgow and Alexandria. Residencies will be for four weeks in each city allowing for immersion in local environments, as well as a cross-cultural exchange of experiences, techniques, and artistic approaches. Artists will be required to give public talks/workshops and the outcome of the exchange (performance, installation etc) will be presented in Alexandria and Glasgow in early 2023.

A maximum of 16 artists will be short listed by Cryptic and B’sarya, eight from each country to take part in an artist exchange. UK artists will be invited to Glasgow on Wednesday 6 July 2022 and will be joined by the Egyptian artists digitally. This is an opportunity for all artists to share their working practice, establishing artistic synergies across the group with the goal of choosing an artist from the other country to submit a joint proposal for the final exchange project.

Following this session and the submission of the joint proposal, two artists, one from each country, will be selected to participate in the final exchange project. 

For the final exchange project, artists need to be available between early October 2022 – early April 2023 to travel between the UK and Egypt. A weekly fee of £600 plus travel, visa costs, accommodation and per diems will be provided.

Artists participating in the artists exchange on the 6 July will be provided with a fee of £150.

This project is supported by the British Council International Collaborations Fund.

How to apply:

Please apply to crypticprojects@gmail.com

Applications should be no more than two sides of A4. Please include the following:

  • Links to your biography and examples of your work
  • Why working in Egypt and with an Egyptian artist is of interest to you
  • What you think you would like to learn from this residency
  • Why is this opportunity important to you

We welcome applications in alternative formats. Applications can be sent as a single PDF file, video* or audio application.* Please include Down the Wire Live Application with your name in the title of the email.

*10 minutes maximum

Please also complete the Inclusion, Diversity, Equality & Accessibility Monitoring form which is downloadable here as part of your application. Please note that you must complete this form for your application to be submitted.

If you require additional support in completing your application please contact Fiona Haggerty, Project Manager at crypticprojects@gmail.com

We will hold a drop-in session to help answer questions and give application guidance on Thursday 5 May, to book a slot please contact crypticprojects@gmail.com

You must be a UK based artist to apply for this opportunity.

 Cryptic is an equal opportunities and inclusive organisation. We want to inspire more people to discover, engage with and participate in the arts and we recognise that the diversity of our artistic programme, audiences and workforce is key to our success. We particularly welcome applications from artists who are currently underrepresented or under-supported within the arts sector (including, but not limited to under-represented Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQI++ identities, gender identities, those from a low socioeconomic background, those with disabilities and/or caring responsibilities).

If you have any access requirements that you would like us to know about, please include these in your application. We will work with all applicants to ensure their access needs are met during the selection process and will ensure that access requirements are not a factor in our decision making.

More about our partners can found here:

B’sarya is an artspace located in Alexandria, Egypt that aims to contribute to the development of artists and the art scene in the disciplines of music and visual arts. We do this through holding visual arts exhibitions, organising concerts in partner venues, hosting and organising creation and research residencies, and we provide our facilities to the local artistic communities.

https://bsarya.com

https://www.facebook.com/bsarya.arts/

https://www.instagram.com/bsarya.arts/?hl=en

Cryptic:

Cryptic is an award winning, Glasgow based, internationally renowned producing arts house. We present today’s most imaginative, innovative music creators whilst also nurturing the creative talent of tomorrow.  We create unique memorable experiences that engage and inspire audiences through four programmes: Cryptic Nights (supporting emerging talent), Cryptic Artists (promoting and developing talent) Cove Park Residency (annual creative residencies) and Sonica (our international festival). In 2021, Cryptic celebrates 27 years of supporting music creators’ multi-media performances and installations that fuse music, sonic and visual art.

https://www.cryptic.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/crypticglasgow/

https://www.instagram.com/crypticglasgow