Italian Council - 9th edition

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The Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity is launching the ninth edition of Italian Council with a budget of €2,000,000.00. Projects may be financed that envisage the enhancement of public collections international promotion of artists, curators and critics and the development of Italian talent.

Italian Council is the international call promoted by the Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea to support contemporary Italian creativity, strongly committed to the promotion of Italian art and artistic, critical and curatorial researchabroad.

The new Italian Council notice operates in three areas of intervention:

1) Incremento delle collezioni pubbliche

Proposals may concern the production - including during residencies and/or exhibitions - of one or more works by a living Italian artist and the related promotion and enhancement; the acquisition, promotion and enhancement of the work of a living or no longer living artist, provided that it has been produced in the last 50 years. The aim of the action is to promote and support the Italian production of artists of all generations, with particular attention to emerging artists and mid-career. In addition, through acquisitions, the call allows for an increase in the public heritage of Italian contemporary art, including works produced in the last 50 years.

The works produced or acquired are to be presented to the public. The works produced or acquired go to increase the collections of Italian state, regional, provincial and civic museums. The mission of the Italian Council is above all to promote Italian art at an international level: for this reason every project must necessarily include - under penalty of exclusion from the competition - a phase of presentation of the workabroad, through exhibitions, presentations or talks in a public or private non-profit institution active in the field of contemporary art.

2) International promotion of artists, curators and critics italiani

Proposals may concern:

• Monographic exhibitions at international institutions > The aim is to give living Italian artists the opportunity to make themselves known or to establish themselves internationally. In this regard, Italian Council supports exhibition projects at prestigious international venues accredited in the field of contemporary art, also with the possibility of involving Italian critics and curators.

• Participation in international events > In order to support the Italian presence in the events that periodically take place around the world (e.g. biennials, triennials, festivals, etc.) and which are increasingly becoming an opportunity for international visibility, Italian Council may finance the participation of an Italian artist. The project may also concern the participation in a collateral event of such events, provided that it is included in the official programme. The call also supports critics or curators invited as guest curators of international exhibitions or festivals.

• International publishing projects > Through the funding of publishing projects, the Italian Council enhances and promotes Italian art of the last 50 years at an international level. Publishing projects are an opportunity to make artists, protagonists, peculiar events and problems of contemporary Italian art known to the world. For this reason, the projects must guarantee adequate international promotion and circulation of the books produced (international publishers, distribution in specialised libraries, book launches).

3) Talent Development

• Research residencies abroad > Funding research residencies at accredited institutions is the talent development action promoted by the Italian Council. The projects are aimed at studying and deepening research and artistic, critical or curatorial practice. In addition to developing their profession, the period of research abroad is an opportunity for artists, curators and critics to create international contacts and relationships.

• Scholarship to support research by artists, curators and critics The new feature of the new call is the provision of annual scholarships to support projects aimed at the formative and conceptual development and evolution of research and artistic, critical and curatorial practice. The projects must include at least one moment of return of the research to the public both in Italy and abroad, at accredited institutions.

The following are eligible to apply: museums, public and private bodies, university institutes, foundations, cultural associations, formally constituted committees, and other entities, provided they are all non-profit organisations. The funding requested may not exceed 80% of the total amount, with a maximum ceiling that varies according to the type of project.

For further information on the call for proposals, please write to italiancouncil@cultura.gov.it

Application deadline: 30 September 2020 16:00

Italian Council – Bando Edizione 9
Italian Council - Attachments 9th edition (ZIP)
Instructions for sending the application
Italian Council – Regolamento Edizione 9
Italian Council – Com. stampa 31.07.2020
Italian Council – FAQ Edizione 9