Summer School
8 - 14 August, 2022
SPECTRAL
BAL Summer
School
Rucka Artist Residency, Cēsis, LV
Baltic Analog Lab announces an open call for a week-long Summer school and a film-labs meeting for filmmakers and artists working with extended cinematic art. The school will happen in Rucka artist residency and a manor house in Cēsis, Latvia from August 8-14, 2022 hosting 45 guests from all around Europe.
The aim of this summer school is to unite professionals as well as beginners working in the field of extended cinematic art. BAL provides a space for research, creation, presentation as well as networking which is crucial for those working in artist-run film labs. Together with members of the SPECTRAL project, BAL will organise workshops and lectures focusing on the creation of extended cinematic works. The results will be presented in natural environment of Cesis municipality – Gauja National Park and Cesis city by the end of the week.
We invite artists and filmmakers to apply for the school by July 8, 2022 by submitting their application here. Participation fee is 200-250 EUR and will cover accommodation in the manor house, 3 meals a day, material costs during the workshops. We also provide a small grant covering the travel costs which will be assessed by the travel distance and conditions of applicant.
In order to reach underrepresented communities* (e.g.the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, India and Asia etc), as well as areas where the film labs network is not established, we also offer a grant for one person to attend the school ( working in the field of film, performing and visual arts). We will assess the strength of application by reviewing persons previous experience working with photochemical, performative arts, their future visions, as well as their motivation to participate.
*We define these communities as communities that have been historically marginalized by virtue of their ability, citizenship status, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
The school is organized by the artist-run film lab Baltic Analog Lab (BAL) and funded by the Creative Europe project “SPECTRAL'' uniting six artist-run film labs from Europe - WORM.Filmwerkplaats (Rotterdam, NL), Mire (Nantes, FR), Baltic Analog Lab (Riga, LV), LaborBerlin (Berlin, DE) Crater Lab (Barcelona, ES), Laia (Porto,PT). The project will have an emphasis on expanded analogue film art and focuses on the creation, presentation and circulation of extended cinematic art projects (E.C.A.). Over the next 4 years there will be various events organized by SPECTRAL team members bringing up the discourse of E.C.A. practice and its place in contemporary film art. In order to respond to the lack of creation facilities for E.C.A., SPECTRAL will offer the conditions for transnational exchange through numerous artist residencies that will be offered in each of the six cooperation partners’ countries, generating spaces for the creation of new pieces; touring programs of the created showcases will be organized with numerous associated partners, as well as workshops teaching new skills of working with photochemical film and its devices. SPECTRAL will also develop new technical devices, through a contemporary dialogue between arts, science and technology.
Programme
The school will focus on exploration and engagement with the environment of Cesis city and it's surroundings which is located at the Gauja National Park which is famous for the river Gauja and cliffs that were formed during the Ice age by melting ice and river. Therefore we also want to link the school's topic on water and its impact on Earth, humans and of course film processing and projecting. Therefore we will invite local geologists and researchers to give more insight into the
area we will be at.
During the week we will be exploring various ways of creating extended cinematic works with an intense hands-on practice creating works that will be presented in the environment of the area by the end of the week. The participants will be split into two groups - one focusing on sound and the other on apparatus of projector and the shutter. However other practical skills will be taught throughout the week giving short input and ideas on working with photochemical film and projectors. The both teams will be led by tutors assisting and leading the teams into particular directions.
However, we will also have open slots for mutual discussions focusing on the needs and ideas of the practitioners of photochemical film, therefore we particularly invite people from the global film lab network to join the meeting.
8.08. Monday
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Until 12:00 Arrival, introduction
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Excursion to Gauja National Park cliffs with local geologist
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BAL performance at art space, bar “Mala”
09.08. Tuesday
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Lecture with a scientist (To be confirmed)
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Introduction with tutors Sound team (BAL, Filmwerkplaats) and Shutters team (Crater Lab, LaborBerlin)
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Short workshop input (Filmwerkplaats, Mire)
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Open screening/ drinks at Rucka manor
10.08. Wednesday
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Lecture with a scientist (To be confirmed)
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Short workshop input (Filmwerkplaats, Mire)
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Workshop continuation with Sound team (BAL, Filmwerkplaats) and Shutters team (Crater Lab, LaborBerlin)
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Open screening/performances in Cesis city
11.08 Thursday
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Short workshop input ( Filmwerkplaats, Mire)
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Workshop continuation with Sound team (BAL, Filmwerkplaats) and Shutters team (Crater Lab, LaborBerlin)
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Open screening/performances in Cesis city
12.08. Friday
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Creative time
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Open screening/performances in Cesis city
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Film labs meeting/discussion
13.08. Saturday
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Device research presentation with SPECTRAL partners
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Discussion/ Round table
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Creative time
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21:00 Final performance at Gauja National Park cliffs
14.08 Sunday
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11-12:00 Goodbyes, freeing up the space
Application and costs
Travel grant opportunities
We invite both professionals, as well as beginners working in the field of extended cinematic arts to apply for the school.
Our aim is to invite as diverse communities as possible to provide a space for knowledge exchange both in creation as well as sharing the ideas. Even though high focus will be on creation and mutual experimentation with photo chemical medium, screen, space, light and optics, there will be also a high focus on sharing ideas concerning the distribution, creation and practicing E.C.A. works within and outside film labs network.
Participation fee : 250 EUR
The price includes accommodation in Rucka manor, 3 meals a day (all vegetarian/vegan), as well as participation in all activities and material costs needed during the workshop trainings.
Due to limited space we also offer sleeping on the mattress which then will be offered for a reduced price of 200 EUR
We will consider supporting part of the travel costs for participants traveling from far-out places or participants with limited means. Please write in your motivation whether you need a support.
Also we offer one special grant for one person coming from underrepresented communities* (e.g.the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, India and Asia etc), as well as areas where the film labs network is not established. We will assess the strength of application by reviewing persons previous experience working with photochemical, performative arts, their future visions, as well as their motivation to participate.
*We define these communities as communities that have been historically marginalized by virtue of their ability, citizenship status, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
Location
Rucka Artist Residency is a space created by artists for artists. It is located in Cēsis, a small medieval town an hour's drive from Riga, where a rich cultural heritage lives along numerous new creative initiatives. The region of Cēsis has historically been known for its intellectual traditions - many writers, artists and politically and socially active individuals come from this area.
Rucka Artist Residency is a space that serves as a meeting point for artists from various disciplines to create cross-disciplinary projects dealing with social and environmental issues. It is operating as an artist residency, hosting artists from all over the world, and a venue for creative gatherings, such as various summer schools and other gatherings of students and practitioners of visual communication, architecture, film and photography, and anthropology.
The residency is located in an old manor house just 10 minutes walk from the historical centre of Cēsis. Rucka manor house, which dates back to the 18th century, has been a home to wealthy German families, a railway office and, most recently, a hospital. In 2013 it was restored to serve as an artist space. The residency is surrounded by a wonderful park with lots of centuries old oak trees and an orchard. A 40 minute walk brings Rucka visitors to the banks of river Gauja and the nature trails of the Gauja National Park.