Apply here for April residency before February 16, 2025, for the summer period – February 28, 2025
Baltic Analog Lab is thrilled to announce its 2025 international open call for the artist-in-residence program.
Apart from our focus on analog, photochemical practices, this year, we are expanding our residency in collaboration with Skaņu Mežs (Latvia’s pioneering festival of avant-garde music and experimental arts) and Erica Synths (innovators in modular synthesizers and analog sound tools) to encourage new, interdisciplinary collaborations within the field of analog media art. We are inviting sound artists to join filmmakers, photographers, and researchers working with analog and photochemical film.
For residents focused on photochemical film, we offer access to our fully-equipped analog film lab, complete with darkroom facilities and dedicated tools for working with photochemical materials. For those working with sound, we provide a small studio featuring analog synthesizers and other music gear for experimentation and production.
The residency is located in Riga, Latvia, at the artist-run film lab Baltic Analog Lab, and we are offering a month or two-month-long stay at our newly renovated apartment upstairs from our lab. The space is 200m2 large, has 4 bedrooms and a shared living/working room with a shared desk. Downstairs we offer 2 darkrooms, working spaces and a dark screening space with a screen, projectors and sound system.
The aim of the residency is to provide a space for working on individual projects in a friendly environment together with other artists and members of the BAL lab. We are providing access to our space that can be used for the creative process as well as public presentations, workshops, screenings, etc.
Our artist-in-residence program will be running this year with the support of the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia.
Participation fee
The residency fee is 500 EUR per month for the residency space.
We do not offer any financial support; however, we can offer invitation letters for the residents to apply for funding in their own country.
The participant is responsible for their own travel, living, and material costs during the residency.
We can consider discounts for people coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Please take into account that our residency space is created and run by members of our collective, and therefore, it is a non-profit space that values engagement, care, and mutual collaboration.
Who can apply?
We are looking for artists and researchers working with analog media – photochemical film and photography, as well as sound artists interested in exchanging ideas with other artists and the local community.
The applicants should be already practicing artists or researchers needing time for creative work away from their homes.
Artists willing to use our darkroom should have skills and should be self-sufficient. Training can be provided with a separate agreement and cost. Lab assistance is available for 25 EUR per hour.
Duration of the residency:
We offer our residency for 1-2 months.
What we offer:
– Bedroom in a large 4-bedroom apartment with a 100m2 common office area and Wi-Fi. The apartment has 4 isolated bedrooms, a large shared living/working room, a kitchen, a dining room, and one shared bathroom.
For artists working with photochemical film:
– access to the BAL facilities: 2 darkrooms, one working room, one dark screening room with a screen and sound system, lomo tanks, photo enlargers, steenbeck etc.
– rental of film equipment (Bolex cameras with lenses, tripods, photo cameras, projectors etc)
– we can mix the chemistry you need. We offer all BW processes, colour processes – ECN, E6 and other processes on special request.The cost is 30-50 EUR per 2 L kit.
– Possibility for presentation or workshop at our lab’s screening room
For artists working with sound:
With kind support of Erica Synths, the residency apartment features studio equipment for working with analog synthesizers that will be shared amongst other residing artists.
Available instruments: MU System, Custom Eurorack System, Yocto Rhythm Machine, Nightverb + Echolocator Effects, Steampipe Synthesizer, a collection of boutique Eurorack modules, DIY synths, midi keyboard etc
- Possibility to present a public performance at BAL LAB or elsewhere.
- Possibility of visiting Erica Synths headquarters
We will be happy to provide you with information on the local places to go and explore, as well as connect you with the local artistic community. Since we are very connected within the local underground music scene, we will be glad to connect you with local sound artists.
– Unfortunately, no pets are allowed.
Location of the residency
Baltic Analog Lab is an artist-run film lab that is collectively run and who has been providing education and various multidisciplinary events for analog, audio-visual arts both in Latvia, as well as internationally. The lab and the residency is located in the historically working class area, but nowadays, a culturally youthful and vibrant neighborhood of Grīziņkalns known for its wooden architecture and authentic spirit.
There are other venues and bars we collaborate with in the neighbourhood and we will be glad to introduce you to the area.
What we expect:
– The resident should do their creative work during the residency and be open to sharing their project with our local community at a small public presentation; however, we do not require the work to be completed during the residency.
- We will prioritize applicants who can also offer a workshop or a public screening, but that is not mandatory.
Residency schedule:
– Residency period: April, June, July, August 2025
– Deadline for April residency is February 16, 2025
– Deadline for summer period is February 28, 2025
– We will also consider applications after the deadline in case all the rooms are not fully booked.
Applications:
Apply by filling out the application form.
For any questions, write: residency@balticanaloglab.com
