As part of the project to convert the abbey of Clairvaux, while the central house is preparing to permanently close its doors, and in order to enhance the redeployment of the site while proposing a strengthened artistic presence in the territory in 2023, The DRAC Grand Est is launching a call for photo residency on the site of Clairvaux, its inhabitants, and the actors of the territory.
Presentation of the device
What is the photographic residence at the Clairvaux Abbey?
Anticipating the closure of the central house, the State, owner of the former abbey of Clairvaux, wishes an economic, tourist and cultural renaissance for this site, leaving to operators (public or private) the possibility to propose adapted projects. By September 2023, the project leader selected under a call for expressions of interest and authorised to occupy the domain will be known.
For a virtual tour of Clairvaux, go here:
Programmed as part of an action of prefiguration before the implementation of a new program of cultural development with national influence for the site of Clairvaux, this call for artistic residency aims to enhance the redeployment of the site while proposing a strengthened artistic presence in the territory in 2023.
The call for residence will be part of the DRAC Grand East Cultural Summer and the Ministry of Culture and will benefit from the communication dedicated to this event.
Residency will run from June 2023 to early October 2023:
- May: a week of site identification in order to meet the partners of the project and the actors of the territory previously identified and to develop the mediation program of the residence (identification of possible restitution sites in addition to the main site of Clairvaux).
- June to August: time to create and implement mediation actions.
- September/October: post-production and restitution of the residence.
Objectives of the approach
The creative residence aims to produce a photographic report of the site of the Clairvaux Abbey as well as portraits of inhabitants and actors of the territory.
Witness to the different eras it has passed through, the site of Clairvaux reflects the two worlds that have succeeded, monastic and prison. Located inside a fencing wall, with a total area of 320,680 m² of which approximately 50,000 m² of built elements, it includes 35 buildings protected as historical monuments.
The proposal:
- will be part of an approach involving the public, residents and stakeholders of the local area;
- include an arts and cultural education project, particularly during the summer and during the month of September (meetings, sharing of experiences, participatory workshops);
- take into account the particularities of the site, in order to understand its historical, heritage, geographical and territorial specificities in particular the historical dimension in order to propose a reading of the site in its internal component (life of the site, heritage, architectural dimension) and its external component (representation, industrial context of the valley);
- can integrate a mobile solution to meet the inhabitants and promote ownership of the project.
Am I concerned by this approach?
- Associations
- Individuals
Are eligible for this call for artistic residency project:
The residency is intended for photographers or reporter photographer or collective associating photographers and authors residing in France or Europe and having a recent creation news.
During the residency, the teams will present their work and organize meetings with audiences other than those involved in the project. A public meeting and press conference will be scheduled for the launch of the residency.
The artist or collective is committed to:
- to be present on the site for a minimum of 8 weeks;
- to include a post-production time and a face-to-face time for the realization of a restitution (exhibition, publication for example) and mediation time;
- to include a communication plan integrating regular communication of the project to the public and inhabitants.
Proceeding
The artist or the collective will draw up a global budget including the expenses of expenses, the travel expenses of the artist’s place of residence to the territory concerned, the production costs of the restitution and the forecast expenses related to the communication of the project.
The residency allowance for an artist/ collective is fixed at 15,000 euros and may not exceed 30,000 euros depending on the number and status of artists.
The winners will benefit from the provision of housing throughout the duration of the residency.
The grant is paid by the DRAC Grand Est.
Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- quality of the artistic and cultural approach;
- originality of the project;
- taking into account the concept of in situ and the particularities of the site;
- relevance of the approach and capacity to mobilize local audiences;
- ability to anchor the project in the territory.
The selection will be made jointly with the partners: the DRAC Grand Est, the Association renaissance historique de Clairvaux and the project partners. Candidates must respond to the specifications of this call for applications.
- Opening of the deposit of files: 31 March 2023.
- Deadline for submission: 30 April 2023, 23:59 (Paris time). No file may be filed or considered after this date.
- Artist selection: first half of May 2023
- Announcement of results: May 13, 2023
- Residency start date: June 2023
- End of residency: October 7, 2023
- To access the online form, click on the "Access form" button at the bottom of the page.
- Log in or create an account, then let yourself be guided.
- The expected attachments are:
- a memorandum of intent (2 A4 pages maximum) presenting the project including the mediation actions envisaged, the specific presentation of the creative work, the intentions of restitution and insertion of the work in the site and in the territory;
- a portfolio of up to 25 images including a text of the artistic approach and images of works and exhibition shots;
- a CV with all the administrative information, SIRET No.;
- biographies/CVs of speakers and video links to previous creative work;
- a certificate of civil liability;
- a detailed provisional budget.
A question?
If you have any questions about the photographic residence at the Clairvaux Abbey, please contact:
Pascale Valentin Bemmert
Advisor for Cultural and Territorial Action
pascale.valentin-bemmert@culture.gouv.fr