The European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute is pleased to announce the 2021 edition of its Artists Development Programme (ADP). The EIB Institute is looking for ONE visual artist (born after 1 January 1986) from an EU Member State to work on the theme “Disruption: The Imprint of Man”.

“Disruption: The Imprint of Man” aims to offer a unique vantage point on the Anthropocene. Building on the past residency theme “Anthropocene – The Imprint of Man” (2014-2017), “Disruption” broadens the focus beyond the environment to include topical social issues in the EU: the decline of solidarity and respect as values, generational clashes, and the meaning of intra and international relations. The call encourages the creation of works of art that interrogate human behaviour and its consequences. “Disruption” is therefore understood not only in its physical sense, but also as a social, cultural and behavioural phenomenon.

The ADP offers emerging European visual artists a 6-8 week residency in Luxembourg, enabling them to develop their practice and create a new (body of) work(s), boosted by the mentorship of a renowned artist. In 2021, the recipient will be mentored by acclaimed Finnish artist Jorma Puranen.

Eligibility criteria

  • Born after 1 January 1986 (in the case of an artist duo, both members must be aged 35 or under)
  • EU national (in the case of an artist duo, both members must be EU nationals)
  • Fluent in English

Budget and duration

The EIB Institute will cover the artist’s travel costs to and from Luxembourg (for the residency), and to and from Jorma Puranen’s studio (before the start of the residency).

The artist will receive a €100 (one hundred euros) flat-rate daily allowance to cover their living costs during the residency and all or part of the production costs, and will be provided with a living/working space.

In addition to the above, the artist will be granted a contribution towards production of €500 (five hundred euros) at the beginning of the residency and a success fee of €1 000 (one thousand euros) at the end of the residency, provided that they have produced a work or body of works.

The residency in Luxembourg will take place between early May and end of June 2021.

Upon completion of the residency, the EIB may consider acquiring an artwork produced on-site by the artist.

Application procedure

All applications must be submitted through the online form available here.

Requirements

– A CV in English (maximum four pages) including education, work experience, solo and group shows, and media coverage

– A letter of motivation (in English) with ideas to be explored during the residency, in line with the proposed theme (maximum 1 000 words)

– A portfolio (maximum eight pages in A4 PDF format) to showcase a representative selection of the applicant’s works

– Names and contact details of two professional referees familiar with the applicant’s art

– A brief reference to how the applicant found out about the programme

Please note that proof of nationality and age will be requested if shortlisted.

Selection procedure

A jury – consisting of Jorma Puranen (the mentor), members of the EIB Arts Committee and external art advisers – will select the candidate based on the artistic quality of their work, their motivation and their potential to make the most of the opportunity offered by the residency, as well as the relevance of their practice to the cultural context of the EIB Institute.

The selected candidate will be informed of the jury’s decision by email in March 2021.

Application deadline: Midnight (GMT+1), 10 January 2021.
Any application failing to comply with the set requirements will be automatically disqualified.

Apply here

Photo: Niamh Schmidtke, winner of the category “Disruption: The Imprint of Man”, ADP 2020