We invite you to apply for support for the creation of new artworks as part of the “Soil” yearly theme of The Big Green project

In the “Soil” project, five artists or art collectives from various European Union countries—Latvia, Portugal, Poland, Italy, and the Netherlands—are invited to create artworks on the theme of “soil,” exploring it within each artist’s local context. The project will result in five distinct yet interconnected works of art. Representatives from any artistic discipline may apply for the “Soil” project. The new work is scheduled to be presented at the 2025 International New Theater Festival “Homo Novus.”

During the project, which runs from August 2024 to September 2025, the artists will work on creating new pieces using environmentally friendly methods, and will involve local scientists and/or community representatives in the creative process. Each artist will work on their piece individually, but there will also be consultative online and in-person meetings for all artists and organizers representing the five countries.

During the initial phase of the project, all artists will meet in person to agree on a common theme for the five artworks. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the “Ratnieki” recreation and conference complex in Līgatne Parish, Cēsis Municipality, from August 23 to 27, 2024; attendance is mandatory.

Soil is one of the most sensitive and largest organs on our planet. Many of the climate change processes currently underway are linked to soil—its pollution, deforestation, degraded soil, monocultures, and more. At the same time, soil stores three times more carbon than the atmosphere. Wetlands and marshes can be more effective at sequestering carbon than forests, while soil quality helps improve resilience to climate change, promote biodiversity, and even improve water quality.

The “Soil” project invites artists to examine and transform the relationship between soil and people, and to rebalance the power dynamics in relationships characterized by existential threats. Or can we at least imagine a process of positive change? Although the theme of the new work is soil, artists may explore this theme through perspectives and conditions that interest them, working in their preferred medium and location, while focusing on local soil issues, memories, stories, or people’s relationships with the soil.

The selected artist or artist collective will receive a fee of 3,500 EUR (including taxes) for the creation of the artwork, as well as coverage of production costs (the exact amount will be specified after the artists are selected).

The creation of these artworks is part of the Creative Europe project “The Big Green”.

Applications are due by May 20 of this year: https://forms.gle/RSta4ACKngWhchrQA

The event is organized by the “The Big Green” project and supported by the EU’s “Creative Europe” program.