Secondary Archive Open Call

The Katarzyna Kozyra Foundation and its partners invite female-identifying visual artists aged 35 and under from Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine to apply to Secondary Archive.

Secondary Archive is an online archive dedicated to the work, perspectives and voices of women artists from Central and Eastern Europe. The Open Call invites a new generation of artists to become part of the platform and contribute their perspectives to the archive.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The Open Call is addressed to:

  • female-identifying artists aged 35 or under;
  • artists working in any visual arts discipline;
  • artists who are citizens or residents of one of the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Artists at different stages of their careers are welcome to apply, including emerging and early-career artists.

WHAT DOES PARTICIPATION INVOLVE?

Selected artists will join Secondary Archive and work with the project’s curators to develop a personal artist statement.

The statement will be created in two formats:

  • written artist statement
  • video artist statement

The final statements will be published on the Secondary Archive website and become part of the online archive. The video artist statements will also be presented as part of a group exhibition in Warsaw on March 8, 2027.

The process is developed in collaboration with the project curators, who support the selected artists in shaping and presenting their work and artistic practice.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Artists interested in participating are required to submit the following documents in English and in their mother tongue:

  1. Brief biography — up to 550 characters.
  2. Short letter of motivation — maximum 2,000 characters in each language. The letter should introduce your artistic practice and explain why you would like to join Secondary Archive. If selected, your final artist statement will be developed based on this letter in collaboration with the project curators. More information about artist statements is available at Secondary Archive.
  3. Portfolio — up to 10 works. Video works are welcome; please provide links and passwords where required.
  4. CV — optional.

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

The following questions may help you develop your motivation letter and, if selected, your future artist statement:

  1. How do you see yourself within the contemporary art scene in your home country and internationally?
  2. What personal, political, social or ecological topics are explored in your artistic practice?
  3. What experiences or subjects have shaped your artistic practice and research? You may consider topics such as identity, belonging, upbringing and personal experience.

These questions are intended as guidelines for reflection, rather than a questionnaire. You do not need to answer them one by one.

GRANTS

As part of the Open Call, additional financial support will be available for selected artists from specific countries.

One €500 grant will be awarded to an artist from Belarus, one to an artist from Moldova and one to an artist from Ukraine.

An additional €500 grant will be awarded to an artist from the Visegrád Four countries and previous Balkan partner countries.

The grants are intended to support the selected artists in the development of their artistic practice.

APPLICATION

📩 Send your application to:
hello@secondaryarchive.org

Subject line:
Secondary Archive Open Call – [please indicate your country]

Please make sure that all required materials are included in your email and that both language versions are submitted.

The Open Call runs from September 15 to November 15.

Selected artists will be contacted after the application process.

FUNDING

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the Fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

Additional support for the project in Ukraine is provided by the European Cultural Foundation, and in Moldova by the Ministry of Culture of Moldova.