PERFORMING THE PRESENT
Open Call
Performing the Present — an educational programme in contemporary art for young Belarusian artists
Mochnarte Foundation invites Belarusian artists aged 18–35 to apply for Performing the Present, a five-month educational programme.
The programme is intended for artists developing their own contemporary art practices in performance, multimedia art, video, installation, and experimental interdisciplinary forms.
It will provide a space for experimentation, discussing ideas with fellow artists and mentors, exchanging experiences, and building professional connections.
We value not only the final result, but also the creative process itself, artistic exploration, and the development of an individual artistic language.
The programme will select five artists.
About the programme
Performing the Present is a five-month educational programme combining workshops, discussions, individual mentoring, group work, the development of an individual art project, and an in-person residency in Poland.
The programme aims to support young Belarusian artists in developing their own artistic language, acquiring new skills, establishing professional connections, and building networks of collaboration within the contemporary art community.
An important part of the programme will be working on an individual art project — from the initial idea and research through experimentation and consultations to production and public presentation.
The programme will also provide a space for participants to exchange experiences and engage in dialogue with artists, mentors, and professionals working in contemporary art.
Programme mentors
The programme will be led by two experienced artists and curators who have been active in contemporary art for many years. Their practices encompass performance, video, installation, participatory and interdisciplinary art, as well as the production and curation of artistic projects.
Their work has been presented at international exhibitions, festivals, and contemporary art institutions, including the Venice Biennale, Manifesta, MUMOK in Vienna, and ZKM in Karlsruhe.
Throughout the programme, they will support participants in developing their individual artistic languages, working on project concepts and production, and consciously shaping their artistic practices.
How will the programme work?
1. Educational programme
4 January – 31 May 2027
The programme will include educational workshops, group discussions, individual mentoring sessions, peer-to-peer meetings, mutual feedback, and consultations on the development of artistic practices and individual projects.
The programme will consist of 10 main educational sessions: nine online meetings and one in-person session during the artist residency at Mochnarte Foundation.
Online sessions:
• 16 January — introduction of the mentors and participants, presentations of artistic practices, and getting to know one another
• 23 January
• 6, 20 and 27 February
• 13, 20 and 27 March
• 3 April
In-person session during the residency at Mochnarte Foundation:
• 12 April 2027
The exact times of the online meetings will be agreed upon with participants before the programme begins.
In May, the work will continue primarily through consultations, project finalisation, and preparations for public presentations.
2. Artistic research and project development
1 February – 30 April 2027
Each of the five selected participants will work on an individual performance or multimedia project.
The process will include:
• Concept development
• Artistic research
• Experimentation with media and form
• Individual mentoring
• Exchange of experiences within the group
• Testing and further development of the project
• Portfolio development and work on presenting one’s artistic practice
The aim of this stage is to guide participants through the entire process, from developing an initial concept to creating a project ready for public presentation.
3. Artist residency at Mochnarte Foundation | Poland
11–18 April 2027
All participants will take part in an intensive artist residency, during which the online programme will move into a shared working space.
The residency will include intensive workshops, individual mentoring, group consultations and critical feedback sessions, collaborative work sessions, artistic experimentation, and work-in-progress presentations.
It will be a period of intensive work on individual projects, as well as an opportunity to meet and build relationships among participants and mentors.
4. Public presentations
The programme will conclude with two public presentations of the resulting works.
• 17 April 2027 — Mochnarte Foundation
• May 2027 — Poznań
The resulting works will also be documented and presented online, with promotion carried out through the project's partner networks.
What does the organiser provide?
Participation in Performing the Present is free of charge.
The organiser will provide participants with:
• Full participation in the educational programme, workshops, and meetings
• Individual mentoring and consultations throughout the development of their projects
• Coverage of travel expenses to and from the residency at Mochnarte Foundation, as well as travel to the presentation in Poznań
• Accommodation and meals during the residency at Mochnarte Foundation and the stay in Poznań for the project presentation
• Coverage of materials and production costs for the artworks created as part of the programme
• Coverage of exhibition production and public presentation costs
• Documentation and promotion of the resulting projects
• Certificates confirming completion of the educational programme
Each of the five selected participants will receive the support needed to complete the entire creative process — from concept development and work with mentors to the production of a new art project and its professional public presentation.
Who are we looking for?
We invite applicants who:
• Are Belarusian artists aged 18–35
• Are developing their own contemporary art practices
• Are interested in performance, multimedia art, video, installation, interdisciplinary approaches, or experimental artistic forms
• Want to develop their own project as part of the programme
• Are interested in working with mentors and exchanging experiences with other participants
• Can regularly attend online meetings and travel to Poland for the residency from 11 to 18 April 2027
We do not expect applicants to have completed projects. What matters most to us is an engaging artistic practice, openness to experimentation, a willingness to work intensively, and motivation for further development.
How to apply
To apply for the programme, please send the following materials to performingthepresent@gmail.com:
1. Portfolio — PDF, maximum 15 pages
The portfolio should include a selection of previous works in any medium, accompanied by brief descriptions. For video, performance, online projects, and other time-based works, you may include active links to documentation.
2. Motivation letter — maximum 1,200 characters, including spaces
Please briefly explain:
• Why you want to participate in Performing the Present
• What you hope to gain from the programme
• Which aspect of your artistic practice you would like to develop
Participant selection
The selection process will consist of two stages.
In the first stage, the selection committee will review the submitted portfolios and motivation letters.
The main selection criteria are:
• The quality and potential of the applicant’s artistic practice
• Motivation to participate in the programme
• The relevance of the applicant’s interests and practice to the programme’s focus
Selected applicants will be invited to a short online interview.