OPEN CALL:2-year Academic Program at SOMA Mexico City

SOMA is a non-profit organization funded by artists in Mexico City where reflection and discussions regarding art and contemporary culture are promoted. SOMA offers an Academic Program aimed towards young artists interested in interacting with fellows to discuss and reflect in a horizontal way about various aspects of art production and to participate in the many seminars, workshops and lectures that the program offers. This program has a duration of two years and is conducted in Spanish.

With 8 years of existence, SOMA’s Academic Program (PES) has established itself as an educational alternative by means of its autonomous and experimental course of studies. Through this program, we encourage dialogue between artists from different nationalities and generations, as well as professionals from different disciplines, with courses, workshops, one on one interviews, conferences and public events.

The PES offers an intensive education centered on individual production and criticism. This educative proposal is detached from official postgraduate academic models offered in Mexico. Our structure responds to the dynamism and transformation of interests and practices for our grantees as well as for our professors and program guests.

SOMA searches for artists committed with their endeavor that demonstrate an interest in the discussion to participate and play a part in a community of cross-learning.

In order to apply, it is not essential to have a bachelor’s degree; however, those who are interested should present a portfolio that shows a solid body of work. As part of SOMA’s philosophy, all accepted artists will receive a grant that covers the 90% of the total cost of the program.

Program objectives:
1. Encourage work, discussion, and exchange of ideas to stimulate the artistic production of grantees
2. Advocate research, experimentation, and criticism of various fields and processes of the artistic creation to redefine the practices in contemporary art
3. Bolster the grantees’ commitment to their own education through the implementation of learning methodologies and the program’s contents
4. Expand on the grantees’ sensibility on political and social contexts related to their creative practice
5. Promote dialogue and collaboration between artists, cultural producers and other agents from diverse generations and field studies
6. Support the management and spread the grantees’ artistic projects developed within the PES framework

Operational functioning of the program:
The PES has a duration of two years and is divided into six quarters.
Our activities are divided into various lines of work:
–Education: seminars, workshops, and courses
–Production: editorial projects, final exhibition and project rooms
–Individual backing: tutoring for two years, quarterly mentoring, and individual interviews every two weeks
–Public program: Miércoles de SOMA

All mandatory activities of the Educational Academic Program are carried out from Monday to Friday in a schedule of 4 to 9pm. It is required a minimum assistance of the 80% to maintain scholarship.

SOMA is an institution that promotes cultural diversity, gender equality and ideology diversity, which is why this call is open for any candidate interested in the program. SOMA guarantees that the selection process of all applications is valued on equal terms through a selection committee that alternates annually.

Requirements:
The age range for applicants will be from 23 to 33 years old.
Spanish proficiency (80% spoken and written.)
Foreign applicants can apply.
Apply online
More information about SOMA’s Academic Program

Application deadline: 6/52018.
Results will be announced 5/6/18 on our webpage.
The program begins on 3/9/18.