CALL FOR ARTISTS | AFTER THE COLLAPSE/ THE THREE OBJECTS

Cascina Bauci Arte — A Space for Art and Landscape

Artist Residency Open Call 2026

KEY INFORMATION

• Applications open: 20 May 2026

• Deadline: 22 June 2026 (11:59 PM CET)

• Announcement of winners: 5 July 2026 (a total of 3 winners will be selected, one for each object)

• Residency starts: September 2026

• Minimum stay: 1 week (dates to be mutually agreed)

• Location: Cascina Bauci, La Morra (CN) — Langhe (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Italy

I. INTRODUCTORY SECTION: CONTEXT AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

1. General Context

After the Collapse, almost nothing remains. Cities have disappeared, languages no longer coincide, and systems do not work. Everything that had been built — culturally, socially, symbolically — has lost its meaning. The goal is not to rebuild the previous world, but to work with what is left.

2. The Three Objects

Research proposals must focus exclusively on one of the following three remaining elements:

• The Statue: A resilient physical object with a worn but intact surface. Its shape is stable and ambiguous. It is the remnant of a possible faith, now emptied.

• The Sound: It appears only when something enters into a relationship. It is an unstable event, unarchivable, and has no origin.

• The Substance: Diffuse and uncontrollable. It acts on the environment and on perception. It does not consume itself but modifies; once a promise of happiness.

3. Purpose of the Call

The call invites artists, designers, performers, and researchers to develop a project based on only one of the three objects. The project must meet the following operational constraints:

• Treat the object as a condition, not as a symbol.

• Avoid references to the past.

• Do not construct a narrative.

• Activate a real situation within the space.

4. What We Are Looking For

• Activatable devices.

• Open and modifiable systems.

• Process-based, unstable, and transformative works.

• Work that functions without the need for explanation.

5. The Role of the Public

The public is understood as a variable within the system: their very presence modifies what happens in the space.

6. Expected Outputs

Installations, sculptures, plastic arts, visual practices, immersive environments, sound devices, performances, environmental or immaterial interventions.

8. Conceptual Conclusion

After the collapse, it is not a matter of imagining a better future, but of testing whether, starting from minimal conditions, something can still happen.

II. REGULATORY SECTION

1. Admission and Equal Access

The call ensures equal access and is open to all applicants regardless of nationality, age, gender, discipline, or educational background.

2. Selection Process and Winners

The selection process is curated by the Cascina Bauci team in dialogue with the advisory community and consists of two phases (Curatorial pre-selection and Final selection).

A total of 3 winning projects will be selected (one for each object). The official results will be announced on 5 July 2026.

3. Evaluation Criteria

• Consistency with one of the three chosen objects.

• Operational clarity of the concept.

• Processuality and transformation of the work.

• Feasibility within the context of Cascina Bauci.

4. Support Offered and Opportunities

Selected projects will receive:

• Hospitality: Accommodation and access to workspaces, the wine cellar, and the natural surroundings of the Cascina.

• Production: Dedicated workspace, essential materials, basic technical assistance, and logistical support.

• Curatorial Support: Ongoing critical and project guidance throughout development (from concept to spatial realisation).

• Network: Inclusion in the Metodo Contemporaneo program, a national network connecting contemporary art production with agricultural and rural landscapes.

• Public Presentation: A public showcase of the project (open studio, activation, or final event).

• Permanence: Potential acquisition or permanent site-specific installation of the work within the spaces or surrounding landscape of the Cascina.

5. Required Application Materials

To apply, candidates must submit the following documentation:

• Clear indication of the chosen object.

• Detailed project description (maximum 1,000 words).

• Updated artistic portfolio.

• Curriculum Vitae or professional biography.

• Visual or audio materials (optional).

6. Rights and Intellectual Property

Intellectual property remains entirely with the artists. Cascina Bauci reserves the right to document the projects for archiving, communication, and promotional purposes.

III. THE ORGANIZATION: CASCINA BAUCI

Cascina Bauci is a place for residency and artistic experimentation, nestled in the Langhe region, where contemporary practices, landscape, viticulture, and sensory processes intertwine into a single working ecosystem.

The project is realised in partnership with the Metodo Contemporaneo circuit, a national network connecting rural areas, farms, cellars, and production spaces with artists and cultural institutions.

HOW TO APPLY AND CONTACTS

To apply, please fill out the dedicated application form.

• Website: cascinabauci.com

• Art Projects E-mail: arte@cascinabauci.com

• Info E-mail: info@cascinabauci.com

• Phone / WhatsApp: +39 338 233 5772 (Curatorial Projects — Enrica Benedetto)

• Instagram: @cascinabauci

Registered and Operational Office:

Cascina Bauci, Regione Serra Denari 10, 12064 La Morra (CN) — Italy