“DIG IN” is a long-term open call for proposals for performance art works for all domestic and international artists. It will be published once a month. According to the type of work proposals submitted, the project team will invite appropriate professionals to form an evaluation team, at the end of each month to observe and evaluate the collected work proposals, and finally will invite 1 or 2 artists to implement their work proposals in Chengdu.
The archive will provide the necessary manpower assistance, a certain amount of material costs and food and accommodation support for up to one week for the completion of the work. It also organizes exchange activities around the artists’ work. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, out-of-town artists are responsible for their own travel expenses to and from Chengdu. Artists who have not reached cooperation in this period, with the consent of the artist, the work program will be properly archived and preserved in the archive as an alternative for the next period, and also as a documentation for participation in other professional activities of the archive.
This program was created for two main reasons:
Firstly, although the UP-ON Up International Live Art Festival, which has been held for nine times since 2008, has effectively built up a platform for multi-level exchanges among international performance artists, its specific organization has inevitably brought about corresponding limitations: for example, the implementation of the works is restricted to a specific time and place, and the presence of the public space and the audience restricts the degree of freedom of the topics and forms of expression of the works. Some of the best projects cannot be realized at the festival. This is a source of regret for both festival organizers and artists, and requires the creation of a platform that allows artists to express themselves as freely as possible.
Secondly, the Covid-19 has been going on for more than three years, and the obstruction of the movement of people has directly cut off the possibility of on-site exchanges of international performance art. This forces us to think about how to build transnational communication channels, and to continue and form new ways of effective cooperation. At the same time, it is more realistic and urgent to construct regional art exchange platforms and maintain and promote small-scale art activities within the scope of our ability.
This project is concerned with and focuses on programs of performance art works that are serious, experimental, and controversial in academic, conceptual, and linguistic form.
Application Requirements:
● Be at least 20 years old
● Have at least one year’s experience in creating performance art, or have created no less than three pieces of artwork. ▼ Tip: Please do not submit your work if you are not at least currently confirmed to be engaged in art creation.
Application materials:
● Personal resume, including but not limited to: date of birth, current place of residence, academic background, work experience.
● Program of works involved in this project (for new programs that have not been implemented before, please describe in as much detail as possible the specific implementation process and creative concept of the work)
● Personal portfolio of works
Enrollment Method:
Send information to email: [email protected]
Please specify in the subject of the email: “DOWN-DIG IN” registration + name Registration
period: from the date of poster release, registration will be accepted for a long period of time.
Project Manager：Zhiyang Li
Project Funding: Chengdu Shang Cheng Design Office
