AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

http://www.deappel.nl/cp

Initiated in 1994 the Curatorial Programme of Arts Centre de Appel wishes to offer young curators a condensed package of experiences and skills that can be used as tools and instruments during the further development of their professional career. De Appel is an internationally oriented arts centre located in Amsterdam that functions as a site for research and presentation of contemporary visual arts through a series of exhibitions, performances publications and discursive events.

In September 2006, a remodelled version of the eight-month long Curatorial Programme was launched with a renewed curriculum and an extended tutorial team. It encompasses a dense array of theoretical seminars, thematic workshops, field trips in Europe and Asia, practice-related assignments and encounters with artists and art professionals. Throughout the programme attention is paid to the history of exhibition-making, diverse curatorial practices, institution building and project management. The unique and special thematic focus is on the polarity between 'free-lance ' and 'institutional' curating and on the examination of 'context-responsive' curating. The programme explores through which formats and methodologies curators deal with the presentation of art in the 'expanded field' outside of the white cube and how they respond to the cultural moments.

From 2006 until 2009 the focus of the Curatorial Programme culminated in a 'site-specific' curatorial assignment: the participants of the programme were invited to investigate a specific 'area' (in 2006/2007 this was the Amsterdam suburb de Bijlmer, in 2007/2008 the satellite city Leidsche Rijn near Utrecht and in 2008/2009 the urban area Amsterdam Noord) and realise a project that relates to this site in a direct or indirect way. Through inviting the participants to work 'off-site' de Appel challenged the curators to reflect upon the current status and problematics of art in (sub)urban public space and to reflect upon the different ways in which art functions in processes of urban renewal/generator and gentrification. In the programme 2009/2010 (current year) the focus of the final project is on the so-called 'cultural moments', i.e. situations and contexts in Amsterdam ranging from the restructuring of specific areas in Amsterdam and the urban processes that accompany it to the contemporary political situation in the Netherlands. The participants will familiarize themselves with these contexts, and can choose to incorporate it in their final project. Throughout the process the relationship with the 'mother institution' is maintained while at the same time being interrogated.

The following parts of the programme are considered to be of vital importance:

- The opportunity to research theoretical issues and developments in regular sessions with a tutorial team consisting e.g. of visual artist Liesbeth Bik (NL), de Appel director Ann Demeester (BE/NL), curator and writer Charles Esche (UK/NL), curator Annie Fletcher (IR/NL), writer and curator Elena Filipovic (US/BE), curator Dieter Roelstraete (BE), independent researcher/curator Lisette Smits (NL), philosopher/curator Henk Slager (NL) and art critic Jan Verwoert (BE).

- The opportunity to meet a large number of artists, curators, critics and other professionals from the Netherlands and abroad in a very condensed period of time, and having the chance to exchange ideas with them, either during thematic seminars or during informal encounters. Guest teachers over the past years have been e.g. Carlos Basualdo (US) , Gerardo Mosquera (CU/US), Paul O'Neill (GB), Jacques Rancière (FR), Simon Sheik (SE), Pier Luigi Tazzi (IT), Teresa Gleadowe (UK) and Nina Möntmann.

- the opportunity to get acquainted with de Appel from 'the inside', and get a better

- The possibility to make a long trip outside of Western Europe and a minimum of 7 excursions within Europe.

APPLICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

1. A letter of motivation in which your personal drive is stated and what you expect from the programme.
2. A proposal for a project (5-15 pages), including: concept and location of the project (main focus), the participating artists (including some image material), a budget, a publicity plan (not obliged)
3. A CV, including an extensive description of one's relevant working experience
4. Two written references of (former) tutors, professors or employers, in English.

On the basis of the submitted documents a pre-selection is made. Approximately ten candidates will be short-listed; they are invited to come to Amsterdam in the second week of March for an interview by an international selection committee.

Application deadline: January 15th 2010

Send completed applications (in two-fold) to:

de Appel
Attn. Danila Cahen/Hendrik Folkerts
P.O. Box 10764
1001 ET Amsterdam
the Netherlands

For further information please visit our website
http://www.deappel.nl/cp

contact:
Danila Cahen (coordinator): dcahen@deappel.nl
Hendrik Folkerts (assistant-coordinator):hfolkerts@deappel.nl
t +31 (0)20 6255651
f +31 (0)20 6225215