In response to the acute crisis in Lebanon, which has had a devastating impact on the Lebanese arts scene, the Institut français, the Association des Centres culturels de rencontre (ACCR) and the Institut français du Liban have joined forces to offer residencies in France to 100 Lebanese creative artists and arts professionals via an emergency programme entitled "NAFAS", jointly funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Culture.
"NAFAS", from the Arabic word نفس, means "breath". The NAFAS residencies are designed as a breathing space to allow Lebanese artists to pursue their creative work via cultural exchanges with France. The aim of the programme is to provide Lebanese creative artists, designers and arts professionals with support in the form of residencies of a specific duration in all parts of mainland France to enable them to develop a creative and/or research project in any sector of contemporary creative arts.
The programme was instigated in October 2020 following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August 2020. As of March 2021, it is being stepped up with the implementation of three schemes: a call for applications by the Institut français; a call for applications by the ACCR; and a special selection by the Institut français du Liban. In addition to these three residency schemes, specific residencies will be offered by associate partners such as the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) and the Cité internationale des arts.
THE ACCR ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCY– CALL FOR PROJECTS
The program is aiming at artists, researchers and culture professionals living in Lebanon for at least 5 years and wanting to develop projects within French Cultural Centers – Historic Monuments, in connection with the general projects of these Centers.
The 2021 call for projects is open until the 30th of April 2021.
It is aiming at artists, researchers and culture professionals from Lebanon, debutants or already consecrated, living in remote areas, but also in main cities, especially artists that haven’t developed cultural exchanges with France yet.
We highly encourage feminine applications.
It is necessary that applicants have a minimum knowledge in French or English in order to be able to communicate with people on the spot during the residency.
Candidates are asked to submit only to one artist-in-residency call for projects amongst the three possible ones: the ACCR (present) call, the call of the Institut français and the residency proposals of the Institut français du Liban.
Applications for a residency period in the area of artistic and cultural projects must be in line with the artistic project of the selected French Cultural center (see in attached document). Artists, researchers and culture professionals wanting to apply for a residency period within a French Cultural Center, have to send their projects to the selected center (email address in the list here below), c.c. to
residences@accr-europe.org , before the 30th of April 2021.
Applications for a residency period in the area of cultural management and networking are to be sent directly to the ACCR, before the 30th of April 2021, by e-mail to: residences@accr-europe.org, mentioning ‘NAFAS - ACCR’ as the object
Applications should include:
• Curriculum vitae / short biography;
• Personal project for the residency period in line with the global project of the welcoming center;
• Selection of works or link to on-line recording of music or theatre creations, if applicable, whenever possible;
• Cover letter;
• Recommendation letter;
• Proof of residence (recent utility bill i.e. telephone, gas, electric);
• Copy of passport or national identity card.
The artist-in-residency program allows residents whose projects have been selected by a CCR (Centre Culturel de Rencontre), member of the French network, to receive 1200€ per month and the refunding of their travel fees (up to a determined level depending on the distance from their home to the CCR). Residents are staying free of charge, within the Centre that has accepted them. Some Centers offers restauration on the spot, others reimburse restauration fees within a certain limit). Whenever possible, the Centre puts at their disposal material necessary for their residency project. The period of residency can vary between 1 and 6 months.
Agenda:
• End of May 2021: NAFAS – ACCR Commission deciding on the applications
• End of June 2021: Answers to applications
For further information on this call, please contact: residences@accr-europe.org
Please don't wait until the very last day to send us your application!
