Contemporary Art Triennale for School Students »

Eksperimenta! (hereinafter E!) is an art festival for young people to support the critical and creative thinking in society through the integration of contemporary art and education. The project brings together youth from 10 countries to exchange ideas and to offer them an experience of a professional international art event. The main topic of E! is “Art & economy” to analyse the current world economic situation by the means of contemporary art. The outcome of the project is a triennial exhibition held in Tallinn.

We wish to unleash the potential of youth whose decisions will build the future. E! helps to make the ideas of young artists visible and offers youth an opportunity to gain new experiences working in an international context and collaboration. E! target group is unique – the age group 14-21 is left without attention by the organizers of the majority international art events.

Open call for partners willing to participate in the 3^rd International Contemporary Art Triennial for School Students Eksperimenta! “Art and Economy”

Deadline for submissions 10 December 2015

We invite you to apply if you are an organisation (school, university, art society, professional association, gallery etc.) that wishes to arrange for the participation of school students of your country in the 2017 Eksperimenta! triennial and would like to become an official partner and member of the Eksperimenta! network.

The Contemporary Art Triennial Eksperimenta! is a multi-level international art education project designed for students between the ages of 14 and 21, as well as artists and art teachers. The mission of E! is to support the development of critical, socially sensitive and creative thinking in society through the unification of contemporary art and art education. The main aim of Eksperimenta! is to bring art and art education closer to each other.

The next Eksperimenta! will be taking place from 20 October to 3 December 2017 in Tallinn Art Hall, the Art Hall Gallery and City Gallery under the overarching theme of “Art and Economy”.

The relationship between contemporary art and the economy is one of irritation – on the one hand, they have a similar basis in social psychology, while on the other, they have a love-hate relationship of defiance and contest. The discourse of Us vs. Them can be observed distinctly.

Art education creates an opportunity and context for discussing complex subjects. Art helps to conceptualise and comprehend a more profound, less-illuminated side that otherwise remains imperceptible, abstract in everyday haste. Sustainability, for example, is a central concept in both economics and art education. How sustainable is today’s economic model? Is the economy, the way we are accustomed to thinking of it and whose modes of action we study in economics lessons, now self-destructing? What is emerging? What awaits us?

Submission guidelines

The submission process consists of three steps. Here is the process at a glance.

Step 1

Open call for partner organisations

Submit your organisation to become an Eksperimenta! partner:

Deadline 10 December 2015
Free of charge
Submission form
Results will be emailed by 11 January 2016

Step 2

Open call for artworks

Submit your country’s artworks:

Artwork photos + reproduction information (author’s name and age, title of the artwork, technique, dimensions, concept up to 900 characters) to be emailed by 11 April 2017
Results will be emailed by 10 June 2017

Step 3

If your artwork is admitted

A partner organisation will arrange and pay for the shipping (the artworks must reach Tallinn by 10 October 2017 at the latest) and return of the artwork
The artwork will be exhibited in one of the three participating galleries (Tallinn Art Hall, Art Hall Gallery, City Gallery, EAA Gallery).

Further conditions and clarifications

Step 1

Eksperimenta! partner:

Official partner status – participation in the preparation of the triennial, a mention on the triennial website, in media materials, catalogue etc.
Right to use the E! trademark at local and international events related to the triennial
Invitation to the opening ceremony
Invitation to a preliminary meeting in Tallinn in October 2016
Opportunity to conceptualise the overall theme of the triennial “Art and Economy” in accordance with the local conditions and cultural and social needs
Obligation to curate the participation of school students of its country in the triennial, from informing the general public and attracting the students to arranging the local financing, production and shipping of artworks

Step 2

What is it that we expect from the students? Model and/or viewpoint, outlook – a position with regard to art and economy.An artwork as a meaningful object with its own purpose and metaphysical value.

Open to young artists from all over the world
The artists must be 14 to 21 years old
One submission per artist or group of artists
Subject matter in accordance with the overall concept
Submission is free of charge

Step 3

If your artwork has been admitted into the show:

Please label the back of your work with your name, country and title of the artwork
A partner organisation will arrange and pay for the shipping (the artworks must reach Tallinn by October 2017 at the latest) and return of the artwork
The artwork will be exhibited in one of the three participating galleries (Tallinn Art Hall, Art Hall Gallery, City Gallery, Estonian Art Academy Gallery).
Artists should carry their own insurance if they need it. Sally Stuudio and Tallinn Art Hall will be exercising utmost care but shall not be held responsible for any damage or loss, whatever the cause.
The participant grants Eksperimenta! 2017 unlimited use of the reproduced works of art for the needs of the triennial, either in print or in electronic media, at home and abroad, exclusively for non-commercial purposes.

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