Call for Artists

Artworks must be new and original and should be inspired by the “Ocean literacy” topic, including blue economy, sustainability, sea ecosystem conservation and valorisation, etc.

Digital and Physical artworks should be coherent with the artistic categories and will be created according to the following technical specifications:

• A. Physical artworks:

  • Should be environmentally friendly (i.e. created with materials and techniques with a low environmental impact).

  • Should guarantee a proper conservation for at least 5 years.

  • In case of underwater sculptures, the artworks should have a maximum weight of 100 kg.

• B. Digital artworks should comply with the following requirements:

  • 3D model converted in OBJ, STL or DWG.

  • Video file with audio integration.

The programme covers two years, according to the following specifications:

2024 – Year 1:

• Cooperative learning and training activities on ART4SEA topics (from February to May 2024), such as online meetings, lessons, and workshops.

• Artists-in-residence with participation in cross-fertilisation workshops with local communities.

This 7 days residency program on one of the three Mediterranean islands will include:

• Interaction with local artists, inhabitants, and cultural associations.

• Workshops for co-creation and cross-fertilisation.

• Lectures, workshops, excursions and outdoor activities.

• Open events to involve the local community.

• Support to collect materials, pictures, and ideas for the creation process.

• Artistic mentoring by on-site support and online meetings with ART4SEA artistic direction and experts.

• Artwork design and definition of the executive design project with technical description and specifications for its installation.

• Support on artwork digitalization in view of the creation of digital twins (digital and physical art).

2025 – Year 2:

• Physical artwork creation, on-site installation, and creation of the digital artworks.

• On-site exhibition.

• Digital Exhibition for the web and the metaverse.

In 2025 only artists creating physical artworks (category A) will participate in on-site activities for the installation. Digital artists will finalize their artworks and collaborate to the digital exhibition remotely.

The Artists-in-Residence programme will be activated in the following Mediterranean Islands:

• Alonissos, which is one of the three Sporades islands, the Greek archipelago of the Aegean Sea (Greece).

• Gozo, the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago (Malta).

• Ustica, an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, northwest of Palermo, in Sicily (Italy).

2024 – Year 1 of the project: 

2025 – Year 2 of the project: 

Artists’ accommodations, studios and workspaces are located on the related island according to local residence and accommodation availability.

During the days of the Residency Programme, facilities provided by ART4SEA project will include lunch and dinner. Artists will be involved in joint activities to explore and get to know the Island and the local community.

Costs covered by the Project are strictly linked to the category of artists:

1. Physical artists will take part in on-site activities both in 2024 and 2025.

2. Digital artists will take part in on-site activities only in 2024. In conclusion, ART4SEA will cover the following costs:

• Travel: round trip, board and lodging costs from European cities, detailed as follows:

  • Year 2024: costs will be covered for both categories of artists (A and B).

  • Year 2025: costs will be covered only for the participation of category A artists, because the activities foreseen for category B artists will be developed remotely.

• Board and lodging:

  • Year 2024: costs will be covered for both categories of artists (A and B) for 7 days.

  • Year 2025: costs will be covered only for the participation of category A artists for 5 days.

• Costs for the realization of artworks:

The total cost of physical artworks is fixed. Artists could be asked to modify the list of materials/drafts in order to respect the set amount. This will cover costs related only to the realization of physical artworks (category A), up to a maximum of:

• • € 500 (all taxes included) total cost for one street/land/urban artwork (e.g., environmentally friendly materials, paints, brushes, and similar equipment for realization, etc.).

  • € 2.000 (all taxes included) total cost for materials and ballast of one underwater sculpture (e.g. environmentally friendly sculpture).

The costs for realization services (e.g. small scaffolding, lift platform, equipment for the underwater installation and placement) and shipping (in case of underwater artwork) are also included.

Prizes and timeline of payments

Selected artists will receive the following prizes:

• A: Street/land/urban artist: € 2.500 (all taxes included).

• A: Artist for the creation of the underwater sculpture: €3.500 (all taxes included).

• B: Digital Artist: € 2.000 (all taxes included)

Artists will receive the contribution of the prize by bank transfer and according to the following timeline:

• 20% of the prize upon signature of the contract.

• 30% of the prize when the final draft of the artistic project has been approved by competent authorities (approx. April 2025).

• 50% upon completion of the artwork and in any case before the final event of the project, scheduled in October 2025.

Collaboration between ART4SEA project and the Artists

ART4SEA team will activate:

• Administrative assistance to support local municipalities and public offices involved in the approval of the project design, according to its potential environmental impacts. Project design will be shared with the local community for its involvement and active participation.
• Promotion and dissemination of artistic creations in the Euro-Mediterranean context.

• 2024 – Year 1:

  • Training activities, artistic mentoring, and technical support.

  • Organization of accommodations and facilities for 7 days, during which the selected artists will be involved in contamination activities as inspiration for the design of the artworks.

• 2025 – Year 2:

  • Organization of the exhibition. Artists will be actively involved in the set-up of the local exhibition during the artistic production.

  • Organization and promotion of the digital exhibition in the metaverse with creation of digital twins of artworks.

  • (Only for Category A. Physical art) Organization of accommodations and facilities for 5 days. Artists are required to create their physical artworks and participate in the installation of underwater artworks.

The Application form and the attachments, duly completed and signed, shall be submitted at www.art4sea.eu/call-for-artists no later than November 30th, 2023.

The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the application forms and related attachments to analyse their formal admissibility according to the following criteria:

• Reception of documents before the deadline.

• Full documentation and attachments.

• Full and complete application form.

• Conformity with the Requirements.

The rights on the artworks are defined as follows:

1. Physical artworks produced by artists will be donated to the local municipality and to the owners of the spaces on which they will be installed. Artists are recognized as owners of NFTs, according to planned activities.

2. Digital artworks will be donated to the project.

3. Physical artworks will be digitized by the project team to be displayed in the digital exhibition. Artists are recognized as owners of generated NFTs, and they will allow the use of their artworks within the project ART4SEA.

All artists will allow the use of their artworks for free within the ART4SEA project and will not claim other financial benefits apart from the cachet received.

The ART4SEA consortium and the local municipalities are released from liability in case of material or immaterial damage to people, property or to the artists themselves, that may occur during the realization of project activities.

ART4SEA and its partners will not be liable even in case the created artworks were covered by copyright held by third parties. The artist assigned to the space is solely responsible for it and for the artwork.

Each artist will take responsibility for any damage of any nature they should cause, including the contents of the artworks. Artists are also fully responsible for the aesthetic and environmental care of the space assigned to them, also during the installation phase. If the assigned space is used improperly and not for artistic purposes, the ART4SEA consortium reserves the right to declare the termination of the assignment of the space, or, in the most serious cases, to proceed with the withdrawal of the authorization and eventual damage claims.

Participation in the present call is free of charge and implies acceptance of all the rules contained in this document.

Candidates allow the processing of personal data pursuant to GDPR 679/2016 to execute the evaluation process and all other ART4SEA activities, including the communication, information and promotion of materials collected in compliance with legal obligations.