Open call for photographers and image-based artists

Open call for photographers & image-based artists to the seventh Jaou Festival, October 10–26, 2024.

Jaou Festival is delighted to launch an open call for photographers and image-based artists working mainly with photography, video, montage-collage, etc. This call is open to creatives based in or from Africa and the broader southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. The chosen artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work in an open-air exhibition along the iconic Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the heart of Tunis during the upcoming Jaou Festival, to be held October 10 to 26, 2024.

The projects selected for the 2024 Jaou festival will receive support from the festival team and will work with guest curator Taous Dahmani

Applicants should be actively involved in visual and artistic practices.

This call serves two main objectives:
–To promote the work of image-based artists (e.g. photography, video, montage, multimedia practices, etc.).
–To champion artists residing in or from the African continent and/or the SWANA region (from Morocco to Iran).

Applications should include:
–A brief artist biography (or collective description) encompassing background, artistic practice, exhibition history, and publications.
–A portfolio featuring previous work and a link to the artist's (or collective's) website and/or social media profiles.
–Contact details, including email address and telephone number for the artist.
–A 400-word description of the proposed project/series along with accompanying visuals.

All elements must be compiled into a single PDF document, named as follows: SURNAME_FIRST NAME_COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. Texts can be either in French or English (as they will be the working languages). Incomplete applications will not be considered. Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate a consistent artistic practice and a certain regularity in the creative process.

Applications should be submitted exclusively to the following email address: opencall@klf.tn. For further inquiries, please contact: opencall@klf.tn.

Deadlines
Applications must be submitted before November 30, 2023 (midnight Tunis time). Applications received after this date will not be considered. Selected artists will collaborate with the guest curator and the festival teams (production, communication, logistics) to ensure the delivery of the final project within the specified deadline.

Provisional timetable*
Application deadline: November 30 2023 / Contact with selected candidates and contract conclusion: First week of January 2024 / Public announcement of chosen artists: February 1, 2024 / Exhibition design period: January–March 2024 / Production period (scenography, texts, test prints): April–June 2024 / Production and installation of works: August–September 2024 / Exhibition opening to the public: October 8–10, 2024 (to be confirmed).

*This timetable may be subject to minor changes. Thank you for sharing this call with anyone who may be interested.

Biography of Taous Dahmani
Taous R. Dahmani is a French, British, and Algerian art historian, writer, and curator based in London, specializing in photography. Her projects revolve around the nexus of photography and politics. She teaches at the London College of Communication. Her written work has been featured in books published by Loose Joints and Chose Commune, as well as in magazines such as The British Journal of Photography, FOAM, GQ, and 1000 Words Magazine. She delivers lectures widely, including at prestigious institutions like Tate Modern, the Getty Research Institute, the Barbican, Le Bal, and the MEP. She recently curated the Prix Découverte Louis Roederer at Rencontres d'Arles 2022. Since 2019, Dahmani is the editorial director of the annual thematic and photographic magazine The Eyes.

About Jaou Festival
Jaou Tunis stands as a vital fixture of Tunisia's contemporary art scene. Established in 2013 by the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, Jaou is dedicated to fostering the local artistic and cultural landscape, strengthening connections between artists and universities specializing in fine arts and architecture across the nation, and cultivating transnational collaborations and solidarity. Functioning as a true nomadic caravan, Jaou assembles diverse and communal experiences encompassing visual arts, dance, music, theater, and dialogues that bridge African nations and the broader global South. During its latest installment, Jaou 2022 animated numerous iconic locations within the capital, including the former Bourse du Travail, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the Hagsid Abdelliya palace, historic churches, mausoleums, and other forgotten landmarks. It featured contributions from 150 artists, whose creations and performances captivated an audience exceeding 70,000 attendees.

For additional details about the Jaou Festival, please visit the website: www.jaou.tn.

To explore more about the Kamel Lazaar Foundation's initiatives and projects, you can visit their website at www.kamellazaarfoundation.org and follow them on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.