Architecture at the Edge Issue Open Call For 2024

Date: 13-05-2024

Architecture at the Edge (AATE) is a not-for-profit organisation based in the west of Ireland that explores architecture and design in our social, political and cultural contexts.

The 2024 edition of the festival will include the presentation of ‘In Search of Hy-Brasil – Ireland’s national pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023’. The project examines the relationship between the islands of Ireland and their natural environment and puts our islands’ diverse communities, culture, and experiences right at the centre of the discourse surrounding our shared future.

A supporting programme of cultural events will be organised around the content of the installation. To learn more visit In Search of Hy-brasil

About the Open Call 

AATE seeks to expand on the themes explored via Hy-Brasil and offer a platform for others to open further questions and actions on the potential future with relevance to the broader cultural, material, ecological and environmental challenges that we face.

For its next edition, Architecture at the Edge Festival 2024, we are seeking proposals that that draws connections between the social fabric, cultural landscape and ecology of these islands, and engage with all that is implied in the island, as an environmental, geographical and social construct. 

We invite applications from architects, artists, researchers, filmmakers, activists, designers, and all kinds of creatives whose projects touches on themes including (but not limited to) historic cultures of making; the use of renewable, natural materials; rising sea levels and coastal communities; marine ecosystems; food sovereignty; importation and supply chains; islander identities and cultural connections.

The open call is set with the intention of exploring Islands in topographical and metaphorical senses.  We encourage applicants to interpret the brief as openly as possible. To reach the broadest possible audience, the piece should be accessible and created to provoke dialogue around the theme.

Be inspired by both the aesthetic and construction methods found in the wider landscape of the islands of Ireland resulting from the scarcity of available material, and the potential of waste, re-use and circularity in production.

Selected submissions will be presented during the Architecture at the Edge Festival, 27 September - 06 October, 2024.

The maximum allowance available of €2,500; includes the fee for your time, production costs, contributing to the marketing and evaluation of the festival.

Applications close on Monday 27 May 2024.

Architecture at the Edge: Islands will run from 20 September 2024 – 06 October 2024

We are looking forward to seeing your thoughts and ideas coming from your investigations. We expect the unexpected, and you should too!

To learn more visit www.architectureattheedge.com

The Recipients of the award will be invited to undertake the following work:

• To conceptualise, programme and produce new cultural work for the Architecture at the Edge Festival core programme 2024 responding to this year’s thematic of Islands.
• To coordinate and project manage that work
• To manage monies effectively and within budget for that work.
• To undertake appropriate event management and logistics work
• To develop and produce associated graphics and branding for that work
• To undertake appropriate social media posting and audience engagement for that work
• Document observations to be published via the Architecture at the Edge social media channels;
• Provide a final report outlining main learning outcomes from the project;
• Participate in a public event at the Architecture at the Edge Festival 2024 where the project will be presented;

How to Apply

• CV;
• A selection of your recent work, demonstrating your creative practice: (jpeg/ pdf /word doc files only please)
• A  proposal for the project that you would potentially like to produce responding to the AATE Festival 2024 theme of Islands (max 200 words);
• Statement that outlines your ambitions and use of the award and how it will benefit your creative practice (max 200 words);
• A plan to document the project, e.g. film, sketchbook, audio or video recordings (max 200 words);
• You are asked to provide a outlined budget which must include any technical equipment that you might need.

We also welcome video submissions addressing the sections above. Any video should be no more than 5mins long, clearly structured according to the headings above, and accompanied by a written CV.

Submissions should not exceed 5MB in size and should be emailed to info@architectureattheedge.com with the subject line ‘AATE 2024 Open Call : Islands’ by 16:00 (GMT) on Monday 27th May 2024.

AATE recognises the positive value of a diverse production team reflective of our shared built environment. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all genders, backgrounds and abilities. Applicants need not have gone to university or be professionally qualified. Applicants must have an interest in architecture, urbanism and the built environment.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview (either in person or via video conference) in the week starting 10 June 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 14 June 2024.

Application and Programme Timeline

• Friday 19th April 2024 – AATE Open Call 2024 launched

Applications should be submitted by Monday 27 May 2024 (12 noon GMT)

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview (either in person or via video conference) in the week commencing  10 June 2024.

Successful applicants will be notified by 14 June 2024.

• July & August, September  2024 - Production time
• Friday 27th September  - Sunday 06th October - AATE Festival 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who can apply to the AATE Open Call programme? Anyone with an interest in architecture and the built environment who is based in Ireland.
• Do applicants have to be architecture students or architects? No, applicants do not have to have gone to university or be professionally qualified, and can have training in any discipline
• Are successful applicants paid for their work? The €2,500 programme budget is to be self-directed by the recipients- how this is spent is up to the small team with advanced sanction from Architecture at the Edge. AATE is a volunteer-led organisation, and encourages the recipients to consider using some of their budget to pay themselves a small fee.
• What can the new cultural work for the AATE Festival 2024 Core Programme be? The applicant determine what this cultural work is, with a mixture of creative outputs encouraged, and could include an exhibition, series of in-situ events, performance, written work, an installation - anything related to the built environment!

We are very excited to launch this open call and look forward to receiving your applications.

Thank you! and good luck!