Shinano-Omachi Asahi AIR

Open call for Artist / Creater who update the presence.

Theme

[Time, Water, Rice cultivation]

Can you follow the pure curiosity towards this world at the front of you?

[Time]

Time is the transition of phenomenons. Everybody have their own sense of time and it is affected by their own culture, place and era. Just a hundred years ago, 90 percent of Japanese were farmers. People that time were feeling their own sense of time through "a day" with sunrise and sunset, "a year" with four seasons of agricultural works.
However, we are living in the present day with the pressure of advanced efficiency. How are we going to transit our "time"?

[Water]

Asahi AIR is located at Omachi city, Nagano, where has been sustained by rich headwaters of Japan Alps. We have great ancient writing called "HO-JYOUKI" It said "The following river never stops and yet the water never stays the same." The sentence brought up the concept of water for Japanese people. Water represent the impermanence of things. What can we learn from it?

[Rice cultivation]

Rice is a grain that represents Japan. One rice grain grows up to 800 grains. That's why Japanese ancient people formed their lifestyle and culture with rice farming. Even now, rice field shows us the symbolic and nostalgic scenery of Japan in all season.

Omachi city is located at the foot of Japan alps at the altitude of about 700m. September, when the residency starts, is a harvest season for rice. Let's eat a rice ball made from the first crops of the year. I am looking forward the application of Artist who experience our town by the theme of [Time, Water, Rice cultivation] and update the presence of the world.

Sosei Sato
Asahi AIR coordinator

Program theme

[Time, Water, Rice cultivation]

Venue

Shinano-Omachi Asahi AIR

Residence period

from 2016 September 15th to November 23rd

Number of artists

4

Requirement

A proposal of your project idea based on the program themes, a plan for how you might exhibit your work and a proposal for a workshop program.

Eligibility

• Any nationality, place of residence, age(you must be at least 18 years old when you start the residence), sex or gender.
• Applicants must have experience of a previous artist in residence program. (Students are not eligible)
• Acceptable areas are fine art, music, craft, theater, dance, literary arts, photography, film and design.
• Selected artists must understand the aim of the resident program and report their results at the end of the program (the form of the report presentation will be decided upon following discussion).
• Selected artists should create at least one artwork which influenced by the characteristics of Omachi city.
• Selected artists are expected to participate in events and activities organized at Shinano-Omachi Asahi AIR.
• Selected artists are responsible for producing work, exhibiting and taking down the exhibition.
• Selected artists must be able to support themselves throughout their stay.
• Selected artists must abide by the regulations of the facility.
• Selected artists must attend the opening event and the event for result report.
• You must be able to communicate with the other selected artists in English.

The following support is given to artists participating in the program.

• Studio rent (include : electricity, water, Wifi connection) and heating expenses.
• Support of expenses for creation (see the grant guideline)
• Arrangement of volunteer support and cooperation with related organizations.
• Press materials and interaction with local art communities.
• Documentation materials which Asahi Air has produced (photos and videos).

＊You are required to arrange travel insurance, which must cover the entire stay including journey to Omachi and to send a copy of the certificate to Asahi AIR prior to your journey.
*Please bring your own laptop as no computer will be provided

Grant guidelines

*Travel and material fees can only be reimbursed in Japanese Yen in exchange with receipts and boarding passes (showing the date of purchase, amount of payment, travel itinerary and name of the passenger). Participants should bring enough money to cover the initial spending ideally for the first month.

Our grants includes

Travel costs (up to 150,000 yen) in exchange with receipts and boarding passes

Daily allowance (2700 yen)　

Material Fees (up to 220,000 yen in total) in exchange with receipts

Cultural exchange workshop (up to 50,000 Yen) in exchange with receipts

Studios

・Accommodation studio; one room per person (open 24-hours).
Please visit the website to view photos of the room. Artists must follow the regulations regarding the use of the rooms.

* Common areas are open to public. Artists are required to consult with members of staff in advance regarding usage of this space.

Notes

• Any expenses exceeding Grants guideline must be covered by the artist.
• Facilities in the Asahi AIR except for allocated studios cannot be occupied. * When using areas outside the residence studio, consult with members of staff to arrange the time and discuss the usage in advance.
• Overseas residents who need a passport and visa to enter Japan must take responsibility for obtaining the correct documentation.
• Artists from countries which have not concluded a tax treaty or a country which Japan has concluded the tax treaty with but where income is taxable may be liable for income tax on the sum provided to support their activities and transportation.

Deadline of Apprication

2016 August 1st

Open call period

2016 July 1st to August 1st

Residence period

From 2016 September 15th to November 23rd

*The selected Artists will be announced at August 29th on the official website.

How to apply

Please complete the following application forms and submit either via e-mail or post.
(Please upload to a web server if your application file is large and mention the link to download, or use a high volume file transfer service.)

Required documents

1. Application form: 2 pages.
2. Artist statement up to 400 words
3. Proposal for Asahi Air / A4 size (up to 3 pages)
4. Past Artworks /A4 size (up to 10 pages) / data which can be shown to the public.
5. Other relevant information such as portfolio,website or DVD (optional)
6. Overseas applicants must attach a copy of their passport ID page.

Where to send

E-mail: asahi-air@shinano-omachi.jp Title: “Application for an open call”

Post: To: Open Call to Asahi AIR
Shinano-Omachi Asahi AIR 3887 Omachi Nagano Japan. 398-0002

Selection and notification

Asahi AIR committee will select the Artists based on the application forms and portfolios submitted. All applicants will be notified of the results by 2016 August 28th on the official website.

• Applications which arrive after the deadline will not be accepted.
• Any application material which is damaged or illegible will not be considered.
• Submitted documents, portfolios and DVDs will not be returned.
• No enquiries about selection will be accepted.
• We will send you a confirmation email once we receive your application form.
  However if you do not hear from us after a few days, please get in touch.
• Please let us know if you are sending your application form just before the deadline. If the application is not received properly we may not be able to accept your application.

Application Form download

Please download the application form from below link. or e-mail to [asahi-air@shinano-omachi.jp] for requesting the applicatio form.