The programme encompasses an 8-week stay at the Genshagen Palace near Berlin and is addressed to artists representing different art disciplines (literature, music, the fine arts, theatre, media art). The programme is a three-partite initiative: in each edition there are three participating artists – one from Poland, one from Germany and one from France. The programme’s objective is to provide space for individual expression. Genshagen is to become a place for meetings, exchanging ideas, interdisciplinary inspirations and creative expression beyond borders.
The stay can be a creative laboratory called “work in progress,” during which new opportunities will open up and new works enriching Polish-German-French cooperation on artistic and social level will have a chance to flourish. Genshagen Foundation, Villa Decius in Krakow (Poland) and the Théâtre des Bernardines from Marseille (France) are partenrs in this endeavour. The two partner institutions (Villa Decius and Théâtre des Bernardines) are co-authors of the programme and are ready to support its further development, as well as to participate in its evaluation. The residence is financed by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM).
The idea of the residency-grant programme for Polish, German and French artists was conceived during the Chopin Year 2010. Its originators, the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Minister Bernd Neumann (Germany) and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski (Poland) are much in favour of promoting dialogue and exchange among the artistic circles of Germany, France and Poland. The programme is named after George Sand and Frederic Chopin, who, for today’s artists, may be a great example of mutual inspiration and creative process of creation during which both authors also make their own/autonomous work.
Through its tri-partite nature, the “George Sand – Frederic Chopin” residency programme is the only project of its kind. It offers selected artists the possibility of cross-border artistic experiment. Therefore, the following criteria important for candidates applying were set:
– Willingness to stay eight weeks at the Genshagen Palace
– Willingness to cooperate with other grant holders
– Interest in Gendhagen Foundation’s programme, as well as its employees and target audience
– Full acceptance of the town of Genshagen as such, its history and future, but also its isolation.
Co-ordination: Katarzyna Renes kasiarenes@villa.org.pl