The ArtsLink Residencies program offers artists and arts managers a five-week residency at an established, non-profit arts organization in the U.S. For the 2005 Residencies Program, ArtsLink will accept applications from artists and arts managers working in dance, music, theater and literature. Artists and arts managers working in visual and media arts may apply in November 2005 for the 2006 Residencies program. Applicants do not need to have any contacts with organizations in the U.S. ArtsLink will place successful applicants at a host organization.

The Residency includes two sessions in New York City for all ArtsLink Fellows to meet with each other and with ArtsLink staff: one prior to the residency to orient the Fellows to the residency program and one at the conclusion to share residency experiences. The opening and closing sessions offer an important opportunity for ArtsLink Fellows to interact and strengthen contacts with colleagues in Central and Eastern Europe. ArtsLink Residencies provide artists and arts managers with a unique experience relevant to their professional and creative goals.

Residencies incorporate the visiting professional into the host organization's activities and provide interaction with local artists or organizations.

ArtsLink Residencies provide opportunities to:

• Pursue artistic and/or professional collaborations that will enrich and enhance your work
• Establish mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and expertise with U.S. artists and organizations and with colleagues from Central Europe, Russia and Eurasia during ArtsLink Fellow meetings
• Deepen your understanding of a particular artistic expression that is related to your own work
• Create new work that draws inspiration from interaction with artists and arts professionals in the U.S.
• Expand professional arts management skills through work with U.S. organizations.

Eligibility

For the November 5, 2004 deadline, ArtsLink Residencies will accept applications from contemporary and traditional creative artists working in dance, music, theater and literature and from arts managers at independent, non-profit, and government organizations working in these artistic disciplines. Applicants must be citizens of, and reside in, an eligible country (see below). There are no age limitations. Applicants must have sufficient knowledge of English to function independently while in the U.S. Students, amateurs, and scholars are not eligible. Arts managers must be affiliated with an arts organization in the non-commercial sector. Artists seeking placement in commercial firms are also ineligible. ArtsLink Fellows from prior years are ineligible.

Review criteria

All ArtsLink applications will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary review panel comprised of U.S. arts professionals based on the following criteria:

• Artistic or professional excellence of the applicant's work -Extent to which working in a U.S. arts organization is consistent with the applicant's artistic vision, creative goals, and professional development
• Benefit to the applicant, at this time in his/her career, from interaction with U.S. artists and audiences
• Quality and feasibility of mutually-beneficial exchange with the hosting organization
• Applicant's plans for sharing the benefits of the exchange with artists and institutions in his/her home country
• Applicant's ability to meet cross-cultural challenges successfully

The selection process is extremely competitive and applicants should anticipate a highly rigorous review of their work. Applicants are advised to submit quality work samples, e.g. slides and videotapes. Applicants should make sure their work is properly labeled, videotapes are properly cued, and that all work samples are properly described on a separate sheet. Applications that do not include required materials will not be considered. All pages should have at least a 3cm bottom margin.

Financial arrangements

ArtsLink Residency Awards are made to the U.S. host organization to cover the living and working expenses for the five-week residency. Airfare, visa expenses, health insurance, and subsistence for ArtsLink meetings that take place after arrival in the U.S. and before departure from the U.S. are provided directly to ArtsLink Fellows.

Eligible countries

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

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