Organizer Information
CACiS – Centre for Contemporary Art and Sustainability “El Forn de la Calç” is a cultural institution located in Calders, Moianès, Catalonia, Spain, adjacent to Artés (Bages). The centre is housed in a restored heritage site featuring former lime kilns and related buildings, combining artistic creation, ecological research, and community engagement. CACiS operates across three pillars:
- Artistic research and creation through national and international artist residencies.
- Education and mediation via programs for schools, universities, and the public.
- Preservation and dissemination of natural, cultural, and industrial heritage.
The centre has been recognised for its contribution to industrial heritage, including listing by the Calders City Council and recognition by MNACTEC as one of Catalonia’s most significant industrial heritage sites. CACiS’s programming integrates art, ecological research, and community-based projects, emphasising sustainability, heritage preservation, and social impact.
Title & Description
Geographies of Extractivism Residency in Central Catalonia – Open Call for Research, Residency, and Artistic Production (2026)
CACiS invites visual, sound-based, and interdisciplinary artists, researchers, and curators to participate in a research and residency program investigating extractivism in central Catalonia. This initiative examines the historical and contemporary impact of mineral, energy, agricultural, forestry, and industrial extractive processes, alongside ecological, social, and cultural forms of resistance.
The selected participant(s) will undertake a structured program combining research, fieldwork, and artistic production in Catalonia. Activities may include archival research, territorial observation, engagement with local communities, and development of site-specific artworks, installations, or multimedia projects. The program emphasises transdisciplinary approaches, integrating anthropology, environmental history, and contemporary artistic practices.
The final outcome will include a public exhibition at CACiS and an open-access print and digital publication. The residency fosters critical reflection on ecological, social, and cultural dynamics while encouraging experimental, sustainable, and community-based practices.
Thematic areas include:
- Mining, quarries, and natural resource extraction
- Agroindustry, forestry exploitation, and landscape transformation
- Energy infrastructures and green extractivism
- Labour, community, and ecological memory
- Socio-environmental conflicts and resistance
- Colonialism, extractive capitalism, and territorial dynamics
Categories
- Visual Art
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Multimedia
- Sound/Music
- Installation
- Curatorial
- Research
Eligibility
- Open to visual, sound-based, and interdisciplinary artists, researchers, and curators.
- Hybrid practices combining art, research, activism, and mediation are encouraged.
- Applicants of any nationality may apply; fluency in Catalan, Spanish, or English is required for proposals.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected project receives:
- Artist fee: €1,000 gross
- Production budget: Up to €2,000
- Residency at CACiS: Valued at €1,000, including access to studio and technical resources
- Curatorial support and mentorship from the CACiS team
- Communication and dissemination support
- Per diem: €250 at the start of residency
Participants will also gain opportunities for community engagement, fieldwork, and public presentation of their work in a high-profile exhibition and publication.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Submit a single PDF (max. 10 MB) including:
- Personal and contact information
- CV or biography (max. 1 page)
- Portfolio or selection of previous works
- Project proposal including:
- Title and conceptual description (max. 3 pages)
- Relation to extractivism theme (1 page)
- Methodology and territorial engagement (2 pages)
- Technical requirements and timeline aligned with the call schedule
Proposals may be in Catalan, Spanish, or English.
How to Apply?
- Email submission: info@cacis.cat
- Subject line: Call – Geographies of Extractivism
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 20 March 2026
- Selection announcement: 30 March 2026
- Residency start: June 2026
- Exhibition and publication period: July–September 2026
Location
Calders, Moianès, Catalonia, Spain
Additional Details
- This call promotes situated, collaborative, and experimental research.
- Applicants are encouraged to develop work that engages local communities and addresses social, ecological, and territorial dynamics.
- The jury will evaluate conceptual quality, innovation, relevance to extractivism, connection to Catalonia, community engagement, and feasibility.
- Participation implies full acceptance of the call terms.