Submissions open for artist residency

Introduction
The Savona Ceramics Museum and Lions Club Savona Host invite interested artists to present proposals for works to be made in ceramics. One project will be selected to be carried out during an artist’s residency which will take place between June and September 2019 in Savona and Albisola (Ligurian Riviera, Italy).

An introduction to the ceramics area of Savona and Albisola
The chosen project will be made in collaboration with the ceramic craftsmen of Savona and Albisola, internationally renowned for their centuries-old tradition of matching ceramic work and visual arts. The most significant moments in this tradition have been defined by an openness to other cultures, a fusion of styles, and an inclination to experiment. During the second half of the twentieth century artists like Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, Asger Jorn and Wifredo Lam discovered and experimented with clay alongside local craftsmen, making works which have been shown internationally.

Requisites
Artists must be based in Europe. The proposals must set out ideas for works to be made in ceramic, with a maximum dimension of 25 cm3. In collaboration with local craftsmen, the artist of the selected project will be able to use traditional production methods (wheel, modelling by hand, etc.), as well as more innovative techniques (3D printing). Works must be made in such a way as to be reproducible in multiples of 106: 3 artist’s proofs will remain the property of the artist and 3 will become part of the permanent collection of the Ceramics Museum. The further 100 editions will be used by Lions Club Savona Host during their Christmas 2019 programme to generate potential donations from members and/or third parties to be used in accordance with the social and cultural mission of the Club (donations terms and conditions will be applied by Lions in conformity with their charitable policy). The work must be made during the summer of 2019, specific timings and methods to be agreed with the competition organizers according to the needs of the winning project. 

Funding
The costs of the artist’s travel, accommodation and production of the work will be covered by the Lions Club Savona Host. The length of the residency and the number of trips by the artist needed to make the work will be agreed with the artist in accordance with the needs of the project. The artist must meet the costs of transport and insurance for the three works that will remain his or her property. The finished work will be presented between the end of November and the beginning of December during a public event at the Savona Ceramics Museum where it will be on display for a minimum of six months.  

Candidature
To enter the competition please send a project proposal, cv and an up-to-date portfolio of work. All documents must be sent in digital format by and no later than midnight on April 30, 2019 to the following email address: comunicazione@museodellaceramica.savona.it 

The winning entry will be announced in mid-May 2019. 

Panel of judges 
All proposals will be looked at the beginning of May 2019 by a panel of seven made up from the management and scientific committee of the Savona Ceramics Museum, the current president of the Lions Club Savona Host, the Club president elect for the following year and the president of the Club Christmas programme.

More info
Giulia Macchiarella: comunicazione@museodellaceramica.savona.it

The Savona Ceramics Museum
The medieval building which hosts the Savona Ceramics Museum since 2014, became the seat of the Monte di Pietà charity in 1479 at the behest of Pope Sixtus IV. This same pope, born in Savona, is famous for commissioning and giving his name to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. 

Today the Museum's collection consists of over one thousand pieces displayed over four floors showing the centuries-old tradition of ceramic work from the Savona area. 

Lions Club Host Savona
Every year since 1991, the Lions Club Savona Host has invited an artist to work in collaboration with and inspired by the Savona and Albisola ceramic tradition to create artworks to support their Christmas initiatives. These works are used to generate potential donations from members and/or third parties to support the social and cultural mission of the Club.  In recent years the Club has been collaborating with internationally recognized artists, such as Plamen Dejanoff and Luca Trevisani.