RULES OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS “URBAN IRRIGATION” 2025

1. PRESENTATION

La Posta Foundation – Image Research Laboratory, has always paid special attention to artistic projects that focused on the territory and the landscape. Sometimes the most immediate territory (the Carmen neighborhood itself) and other times with a broader perspective. Sometimes with a more anthropological content and other times focusing attention on the landscapes. Among other projects developed, we can refer to, at the very origin of the La Posta Foundation, the exhibition curated by Juan Fabuel “The Invisible Resistance of the Everyday I: Reification”, which included a video work by Regina de Miguel “Knowledge Never Comes Alone” (2013), which focused attention on the Atacama Desert (Chile), incorporating knowledge from archaeology, ethnology, cosmology, etc. [see here]; And among the last ones we could mention, the winner of last year’s call for proposals “Art and Geology”, a project by Raúl León: “CaSO₄.2H₂O” [it is the chemical formula for gypsum], a project that is a transdisciplinary work on the significance of this mineral as a fundamental heritage element in social, artistic-cultural and technological development [see here]. In between, we cannot fail to mention the project “Operating around displacement”, developed in collaboration with the Master in Photography, Art and Technique UPV, within the framework of the LABi project (Laboratory of thought, creation and diffusion of the image), a collective exhibition with works by Anaïs Florin and Francisco Navarrete Sitja, which focus attention, respectively, on the Huerta de València and Invernada and San Dionisio (Chile); in particular, attention is focused on population displacement caused by the construction of large infrastructure works [see here]. We must also refer to the project that, having been promoted by the UPV Centre for Research on Art and Environment: Inner Nature, was an international project in which the La Posta Foundation participated from the beginning with the selection of videographic works that would participate in the travelling exhibition that travelled through various Spanish cities, as well as Puerto Rico, the USA, the United Kingdom, Finland and France. An exhibition focused on the problem of water, with works from all over the world [see here and here].

It should be noted that experience shows us that approaches to territory and landscape are almost always transdisciplinary, so that all the activities developed have generally incorporated knowledge from other areas of knowledge, and often developed in groups or coming into contact with local groups.

In this respect, it must be taken into account that approaching artistic projects in the field of territory and landscape cannot be alien to taking into consideration the populations that inhabit them and their specific circumstances. That is, we are interested in cultural landscapes, those that confront human activity with the characteristics of the environment, highlighting all the existing contradictions.

Finally, in order not to lose ourselves in the immensity of the sea and the territory, it seems appropriate to limit the scope of the works that can be presented, in order to make it feasible to make a comparison between those presented, in order to choose one (in addition, the door is left open to the possibility that other projects may receive an honorary mention and perhaps also be incorporated into the programming of the La Posta Foundation). Derived from this need to limit a field of work within the vast theme of territory, environment and landscape, it has been decided to direct the call to groups of artists who, working in the field of landscape and territory, place particular emphasis on aspects related to urban irrigation.

As for the media, all those currently used by contemporary art are eligible, from pictorial representations to direct interventions in the territory and the landscape (in this case, the project would include the documentation of these works for exhibition at the La Posta Foundation, through photography, video, vestiges of the intervention, found objects that characterize the territory and the landscape, etc.). In this sense, the call welcomes art that uses science (from investigations into new forms of irrigation in urban or peri-urban environments, to the search for inspiration in gardening or agriculture), art about science (scientific dissemination through artistic experiences) and art as a scientific instrument.

Specifically, in the Workshop on entropic landscape developed by La Posta Foundation, in its second and last edition (as part of the offer of the Permanent Training Center of the Polytechnic University of Valencia CFP-UPV), the integration of agricultural irrigation in urban gardens have been addressed, or rather, the difficulties, given the insufficient capacity for agreement between the parties involved. This has been seen on the occasion of the route through the suburban periphery Faitanar-Sociopolis-La Torre, led by Matilde Igual Capdevila (see here), who has studied the subject in her doctoral thesis (to be published soon): “Whatever Happened to Sociópolis? Who Cares for the Unfinished City”.

Urban orchards in Sociopolis. Incorporation of agricultural irrigation into the urban structure. Below, detail of the presence of irrigation, with its floodgates in view.

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE CALL

The purpose of the “Urban Irrigation” call is to promote creative projects led by artists that involve the active participation of groups ─formal or informal─, open to collaboration with other fields of knowledge and other professional fields, such as experimentation with land, water, irrigation and gardening and agriculture, interventions in the territory (e.g.: fountains), participation in irrigation plans, wastewater treatment, desalination, restoration or rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructures and housing associated with these activities (which could be considered, from an artistic perspective, as part of the so-called “expanded sculpture”), etc.

3. REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CALL

Artists who promote creative processes led by an artist or group of artists can apply for this call.

They can be presented under one’s own name or under a pseudonym.

Likewise, entities can be presented in which the indicated characteristics occur.

The main disciplines of the projects presented may be plastic arts, photography, video, music and sound art, electronics and digital art, expanded sculpture, documentation and archive (mainly images), with multidisciplinary proposals being positively valued.

Only one project can be submitted to this call.

4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The following aspects and characteristics of the proposals will be favorably evaluated:

• - That the artist or artists leading the proposal can develop it in terms of artistic excellence, working as a team and promoting horizontal cooperation with groups or professionals.
• - That it is an artistic process of new creation.
• - That the activity is based on an objective identification of needs, and that these needs define and justify their reason. So that it opens up professional perspectives.
• - That a dissemination and communication plan appropriate to the proposal be contemplated.
• - That collaborations be contemplated with cultural or artistic institutions or entities that promote networking and the creation of alliances.
• - That a coordinated intervention be proposed with social entities in the territory.
• - That the activity is developed in contexts where there is no experience in the use of art and culture as tools of social intervention.
• - That the proposal presented incorporates the gender perspective in its methodology, content, objectives, activities, target population and/or values it promotes.
• - That the project incorporates the environmental perspective, including measures that minimize negative impacts on the environment.

5. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LA POSTA FOUNDATION

La Posta Foundation will grant the selected project:

In addition, basic services:

– Opening of the room from Wednesday to Friday from 5 pm to 8 pm and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 pm. This is for exhibitions, for installations and general work as agreed.

– Preparation of posters for the dissemination and promotion of the exhibition (if it is not the artists themselves who want to make their own poster).

– Dissemination of news about the exhibition on the La Posta website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

– Curating the exhibition if the artists request it.

– Photo report. Videographic documentation to be agreed.

– Vinyl cut to place on the wall with the name of the exhibition, etc.

– Drinks for the opening.

– For the assembly of the exhibition, plans will be provided with the different configurations of the room and a list of the equipment available for the assembly.

6. SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS

The requests must be submitted by email to: laposta@fundacionlaposta.org

The information requested for the presentation of the project is structured in the following sections:

• - Presentation letter.
• - Description of the project. It must include a simulation of how it would look in the La Posta room.
• - Participants and roles.
• - Budget.

All documentation must be delivered in electronic format. Images and video may be included, even through links.

Mandatory documentation:

• - Curriculum vitae of all artists and other professionals involved in the project.
• - Sample of previously developed artistic work (with photographs, videos and/or audios, texts, etc., incorporating them into the dossier or, preferably, through a link to the website or the cloud). This material will serve exclusively to assess and guarantee the professionalism and artistic quality of the work carried out by the project artists. Their courage to take risks and their willingness to venture into unexplored territories will be especially valued.

Optional documentation:

This documentation will not be mandatory, but will be taken into account and will be given a favorable score in the evaluation process:

• - Agreements or collaboration with other institutions or cultural entities and/or artists.
• - Artistic material that shows artistic processes and projects developed in terms of social intervention.

7. SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Request must be completed with all the information referred to in this call and must be submitted before the end date of the call.

The deadline for submitting projects is until October 28, 2024.

8. EVALUATION AND SCORING SYSTEM

The evaluation system for the submitted projects will assess two issues:

1. Artistic evaluation (represents 60% of the final score): the Board of Trustees of the La Posta Foundation will evaluate the methodology of the project and the career of the artist, according to the requirements and criteria specified in sections 3 and 4 of these rules.
2. Technical and social evaluation (represents 40% of the final score): the Board of Trustees of the La Posta Foundation will evaluate the ability to reach agreements or develop collaboration processes with groups or professionals that provide the project with a social or technical dimension, according to the requirements and criteria specified in sections 3 and 4 of these rules.

9. RESOLUTION OF REQUESTS

The resolution will be communicated during the month of November 2024 to the requesting group, artist or entity by email. The decision of the call will be final.

10. FORMALIZATION OF COLLABORATION

La Posta Foundation and the group or artists or entity with an approved project will sign a collaboration agreement subject to current legislation and which will end on December 31, 2025. This document will specify the rights and obligations of both parties, and, among other points, the following will be included:

• - Start and end date of the agreement.
• - Amount of the aid granted.
• - Method of payment.
• - Monitoring of the project and form of collaboration of both parties for a better achievement of the objectives.
• - Economic justification of the costs of execution of the project for which aid from La Posta Foundation is requested within the maximum set in the call.

The amount of the aid granted will be paid into an account linked to the artist leading the group. As for production costs, within the established maximum, they will generally be paid directly to the professional or company that provides the services or supplies the materials, after submitting the corresponding budget to the La Posta Foundation for approval. As for the fixed aid, it will be paid into an account linked to the artist leading the group once the development of the project has been completed under the terms of the agreement.

Participants should be taken into account the execution of the project and the exhibition of the results should preferably take place in February 2025.

It must be taken into account that it will be necessary to notify La Posta Foundation of any changes that occur in the approach or execution of the approved proposal. If any relevant change or modification not previously communicated is detected, the proposal will be invalidated until the change has been properly justified.

For questions related to this call, please contact:

La Posta Foundation – Image research laboratory

laposta@fundacionlaposta.org

630542624 (preferably by WhatsApp)