Open Call for The Sustainable Institution

May 16, 2023

The Sustainable Institution is calling artists, architects, designers and scientists to develop prototypes for sustainable exhibition-making in the fight against climate change. The interdisciplinary artist residency will give creative practitioners the opportunity to produce new solutions and mitigate the environmental burden of exhibition-making.

They are looking for ideas, presented through material or immaterial prototypes, that will “transform the current unsustainable landscape of institutional operations.” Proposals could manifest as pragmatic design solutions or experimental actions, such as performances, manifestos, activist interventions, food concepts, curatorial strategies, biomaterials, furniture design, functional sculpture, waste management solutions, de-growth processes or digital applications.

Three creative practitioners will receive a grant of €20,000 to develop their prototype for sustainable exhibition-making. The grant should support the research and development of a prototype, early sample, or model of a concept or process. Successful applicants will also be mentored by the jury over the research and development period, culminating in a studio residency at their respective institution in Spring 2024.

Presented by E-WERK Luckenwalde, Rupert and LUMA Arles, the Sustainable Institution comprises an interdisciplinary artist residency, international symposium series and digital toolkit. The programme is a call to action to innovate new sustainable approaches and inspire action-led thinking, stimulating human, economic and ecological change within the cultural landscape.

Your application should be sent via email to info@sustainable-institution.com. Application guidelines can be downloaded via the website below. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview with the jury and the results will be announced in September 2023.