The Valletta 2018 Foundation is always striving to include creatives from all fields as part of its projects. Together with Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC), the Foundation is inviting artists to apply for an immersive Artist-in-Residence experience. This will be linked with the Deep Shelter Project based at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC) in San Gwann. The residency will take place at the centre between January 2018 and February 2018 and will run for 6 weeks. It will include travel, accommodation and a per diem.
The successful artist will create a site-specific work for the Oncology Centre and will work closely with project coordinator and artist in residence Pamela Baldacchino, as well as Dr Benna Chase, Principal Psychologist at SAMOC.
The available space will be the central waiting area at the Radiotherapy Department which is also visually accessible through the Day ward providing this space with multiple viewpoints and extensive exposure to day visitors. The artist must liaise with the project coordinator and will be given an understanding of artistic research being presently carried out in the Oncology Centre.
The successful artist will be required to keep in mind relevance and specificity of artwork to the patients and relatives. When proposing ideas, staff will also be involved in this process. Staff, together with patients, need to engage with artwork that they can relate to. Artwork therefore should have with a clear and tangible meaning to patients who are experiencing such a traumatic crisis so as to reduce fear and uncertainty.
The Deep Shelter residency runs in the context of a growing cultural scene in Malta, led by Valletta’s European Capital of Culture title, and the Arts Council Malta’s Strategy 2020. The Residency Programme aims to enrich cultural diversity within the national creative scene and encourage productive interaction between international creatives and local creatives; between international creatives and communities, as well as, physical and virtual environments. Both entities believe that such initiatives and collaborations will enrich their programmes for 2018.
AiR applications will be considered in relation to the overarching strategic visions of Valletta 2018 and those of the Deep Shelter project.
The success of the Residency Programme depends on the time and energy we spend linking our artists with local communities and creatives. Artists will be assisted before, during and after their stay, to create these links and to plan and coordinate their project’s logistics, thus ensuring a successful stay.
Deep Shelter Project
Deep Shelter Project is an ongoing artistic process that started off with the creation of audio-visual work that serves as an empathic trigger. The work is based on the illness/trauma experience using nature as metaphor http://deepshelter.com/. This led to a 3 year artist residency in Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC), Mater Dei Hospital, Malta for artist Pamela Baldacchino. Here she is researching the value of Deep Shelter together with Dr. Benna Chase, Principal Pyschologist at SAMOC.
The project consists of collaboration with staff so as to help create a ‘holding’ environment through art donations and artist workshops for site-relevant work and a workshop series that allows the patient to experience connection through the senses. https://www.facebook.com/DeepShelterProject/
To apply please submit the application found in this link.
Contact:
Opening of the call: 14 August 2017
Closing of the call: 14 September
Results announced: 1 October