ECHO III: for memory's sake" is an arts and heritage project that aims to bring together artists working in the fields of theatre, music, visual arts, and literature in order to explore tradition and culture through the themes of marriage, arranged marriages and nuclear families in the Balkan context. Specifically, the aim is to explore gender roles and norms through history and how all of the above affect young people and artists living in Europe. "ECHO III" is the continuation of ECHO I & II.

1st phase of ECHO III (Ethnographic Research)

Ethnographic research will be conducted by professionals from 4 Balkan countries (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania) based on the theme of marriage in the Balkans to explore how gender issues affect the new generation.

2nd phase of ECHO III (Presentation of the results)

Research results will be presented to the public through 4 artistic events; a theater performance (Athens), video poems screenings (Bucharest), a concert (Sofia) & a poetry night (Tirana).

3rd phase of ECHO III (Wandering Arts Caravan)

The goal of the Caravan is to keep talking about marriage, forced marriage and gender issues that are deep rooted in the balkan societies, through culture. Thus, the last phase of ECHO III is for the contributors of the artistic events/results to go on a tour to Balkan cities, performing their art together and present the gender roles and norms through.

To make ECHO III come true, we need you!

We are looking for 24 artists, 6 Greek, 6 Romanian, 6 Bulgarian, 6 Albanian, working in the fields of theater, music, visual arts, and literature.

What we offer:

• remuneration package (including the residency, performances and caravan tour)
• Accommodation & travel expenses for people on the move, as well as the expenses of the materials needed for the creation of the artworks (within the limits of the project budget).
• Visibility of your produced artwork and networking opportunities.

The Art Residencies:

The Art Residencies (ARs) are designed in a way that will make artists immerse in the local cultural heritage of the places, immerse in vibrant cultural life and exchange, immerse into creativity and artistic evolution. Each AR will host 3 national and 3 non-national artists. The deadline to apply for the ARs is 25th October 2023.

Athens Art Residency (Theater)

If you get selected, you will be part of a six-member team (coming from Greece, Romania,Bulgaria & Albania) and, according to the director's instructions, you will create a theatre play and give 8 performances in an Athenian theatre.

Bucharest Art Residency (Visual Arts)

If you get selected, you will be part of a six-member team (coming from Greece, Romania,Bulgaria & Albania), you will connect with your inner view on the theme of marriage and translate your reflections into video poems.

Sofia Art Residency (Music)

If you get selected, you will be part of a six-member team (coming from Greece, Romania,Bulgaria & Albania), you will create a mixed music album with tunes from different countries, the music pieces will be recorded in a professional studio and you will present 4 performances in different public places (bars, galleries, parks, cultural or/and education institutions) in Sofia in rotation.

Albania Art Residency (Literature)

If you get selected, you will be part of a six-member team (coming from Greece, Romania,Bulgaria & Albania), assisting researchers to pick up literature which brings up and analyzes gender issues in an artistic way, such as poetic and prose literature of a modern author who talks freely about relations between genders, erotise, physical and spiritual relations and wants to make a gender revolution in terms of emancipation. Inspired by the literature pieces collected residents will create their poetic or prose literature about relations between genders, eroticism, physical and spiritual relations. The artistic output will be a Literature Night, where the residents will recite/perform their poems/prose to the audience individually, in pairs, or as a group.

The Wandering Arts Caravan:

The Wandering Arts Caravan tries to engage the audience and encourage it in exploring new past experiences of their own and other Balkan communities vis-à-vis gender. It is conceptualized in a threefold way, as an open-air traveling exhibition, a participatory performance venue and a public installation, including music, visual arts, performance and literature. Its aim is to reconsider kinship relationships in new socio-cultural discourses, which will be approached through art-based research practices in which the local communities and general public can directly be involved in performative actions. The Caravan will be a traveling venue set in public space, providing performance, meeting, stage and exhibition spaces. It will host public events as screenings and workshops and will offer a modular environment for artists and citizens to interact and foster on-site socially-engaged art forms.

It will invite and host 24 artists in total (the participating artists of all the 4 residencies) and 6 cultural operators from all over Europe.

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