The Ministry of Culture announced Monday the launch of the second edition of the “Art Residency Program | Al Balad” that will take place in the historical district of Jeddah. The program includes a series of fully-funded residencies which provide time, space and collaboration opportunities for visual art professionals to support their creative development. The Ministry of Culture is now inviting candidates interested in participating in the First Cycle of the Second Edition of the program to apply through the dedicated link: (https://engage.moc.gov.sa/artresidency), during the registration period from Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, until Jan. 10, 2022. The residences will be located in the historical building Rubat Al Khunji, in the heart of the old district of Jeddah. The building, which was built in 1813 AD, is recognized as one of the historical buildings in Saudi Arabia. In the past, it was used as a guesthouse for widows and single women under the umbrella of a long-term charitable initiative. Its use was then discontinued until it underwent a major renovation commissioned by the Ministry of Culture. Recently it started hosting a number of cultural events. The participants will be selected through an evaluation process that will be carried out by a committee composed of experts and specialists in the field of the visual arts. The program will start in 2022 and includes four residency cycles, each of which lasts six weeks. The first cycle will take place from March 3 to April 14; the second cycle will take place from May 15 to June 23; the third cycle will take place from July 21 to Sept 1; the fourth cycle will take place from Sept. 18 to Oct. 30. Each residency cycle will include six residents from Saudi Arabia and three international residents. This art residency provides support to artists and art professionals who aim to develop their creative research projects by giving them the chance to work alongside peers, other professionals, experts and the local communities. In doing so, it creates a dynamic environment for critical, technical, and professional growth within a collaborative exchange model. The program is intended for local and international emerging and mid-career artists, curators, writers (critics, art historians) in the field of visual arts, who are driven to explore ways in which their work can be applied to the local context. Along with studio space, the residency includes a stipend to cover living expenses, accommodation in a shared flat -at a limited distance from the working studios-, and travel costs. Additionally, the program allows artists to apply for a production grant to cover art supplies and other costs connected to the realization of their project. Grants’ requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the actual needs of the artists’ projects. When applying, the aspiring residents must provide clear information about their past professional experiences, interests and creative practices. All applicants must also demonstrate they have been carrying out recent artistic practice by providing a full description of their projects, exhibitions, and/or texts, publications, and research they have developed or participated in. They must also state the motivation for applying for the Art Residency Program. Further details on the submission requirements and the eligibility criteria can be found on the website. "The Art Residency | Al Balad" is a program of the Ministry of Culture as part of the “Art Residency” initiative; it is sponsored by the Quality-of-Life Program included in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Its second edition follows the success of the Ministry of Culture in organizing the program’s first edition in 2020 when a group of creatives was provided with full support to develop their passion and artistic practice. — SPA