The project House of Mine examines the different levels, aspects, and variables of the basic concept of home. The whole project will consist of complex research on what home is, what it means, how it can form an individual personality, and how it can influence the development of one’s life and decision-making. The far-reaching concept of the home encompasses many different levels of our existence. From the underlying inner psyche to the physical form of our house, to our behavioral mode in society. Our project, which we would like to implement in the following years 2022 - 2024 will consist of theoretical research, artistic engagement, broad public involvement, and inclusion of vulnerable groups. One of our goals is the development of professional skills and enlarging our possibilities to become more open, and inclusive for wider audiences and participants of our programs in Slovakia. Furthermore, our objective is the collaboration between the partner countries and the exchange of art and know-how. In Eastern Slovakia, we are currently facing severe problems of hate speech, intolerance, racism, and xenophobia. With our innovative programs, we would like to add to the improvement of the situation and build an understanding and democratic society. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has published research in December 2020 on monitoring human rights in Slovakia. According to the study, there have been improvements in some of the discrimination fields, however, they are still detecting hateful speech towards religious, ethnic, or other minority groups, such as the Roma community, Jews, Muslims, or Black people. A lot of people from the Roma population still have to live in settlements under segregation, structural discrimination, and extreme poverty (ECRI REPORT ON THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC - Sixth monitoring cycle). We would like to soften these intolerant manifestations and show that everybody is a valuable part of our society. The project House of Mine obtained a new significant connotation and importance regarding the war in Ukraine, with people fleeing from their homes. Therefore the topic of house and home will be further developed in an exhibition dedicated to artists fleeing from their homes because of political, cultural, or economic circumstances.
We would like to moderate these intolerant expressions and show that everyone is a valuable part of our society. With our innovative programs, we want to contribute to the improvement of the situation and build an understanding and democratic society. Therefore, in cooperation with our colleagues, Norwegian partners, artists, mediators, community workers, and gallery friends, we have prepared a rich program that we believe will bring many new faces to our gallery. Such inclusive projects change the paradigm of an elite institution and make it possible to understand that joint artistic or other activities created by people with different life experiences give us a new view of the world and open new horizons.
Our inclusive approach will be a flexible, creative process that will ensure equal access to the arts for all marginalized groups, including people with physical disabilities, and mental health problems, who will participate whether as spectators, artists, lecturers, or participants. We want to understand what the specific barriers are for specific communities, work in an inclusive way and make sure everyone involved feels welcome.
Activities
🖼️ Series of international exhibitions
Three exhibitions of contemporary artists bring us closer to the themes of home, with different regards to ecology, psychology, psychoanalysis, or institutional criticism. The exhibitions will consist of several site-specific projects located at Alžbetina Street 22 in Košice.
🏠 Housewarming – programs for the public
Housewarming activities will consist of lectures, discussions, and an inclusive workshop for the general public. These programs will help set a long-term strategy and continuity for years to come even after this project ends.
🪑 At My Place – Inclusive activities for children and youth
The main goal of this activity is to motivate children and teenagers of minority groups to leave their comfort zone without any stress and participate in educational activities with majority groups.
☕ Tea at five – activities for seniors
These programs will consist of guided tours and creative workshops for seniors. The project's partner, the artist Lise Wulff, will also participate in the collaboration.
🧑🎨 Specialised residencies
Our residential project will be specialized in the interweaving of contemporary art and other disciplines such as architecture, urban planning, social housing, etc. We want to cooperate with creatives whose activities will help us with the main goals of our project.
✈️ Project meetings - cultural professionals
We believe that mutual communication, cultural exchange, and visits by employees from the cities and countries of our partner organizations are key for
1) trouble-free project management
2) project consultation
3) trouble-free administration
4) study stays, job shadowing, exchange of know-how
5) visiting art studios
6) preparation for further and future cooperation.
Acknowledgment of the support from the EEA Grants
The project House of Mine benefits from a 106 940€ grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The project has been co-financed from the State Budget of the Slovak Republic in the amount of 15 974€. The aim of the project is to build the capacities of partner organisations and support inclusive education, intercultural exchange and audience development.
If you want to know more about programs and projects financed by the EEA Grants in Slovakia, visit www.eeagrants.sk.
The EEA Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe.
There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics.
The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA Grants amount to €1.55 billion. The priorities for this period are:
#1 Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness
#2 Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction
#3 Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy
#4 Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights
#5 Justice and Home Affairs
The EEA Grants are jointly financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, whose contributions are based on their GDP. Eligibility for the Grants mirror the criteria set for the EU Cohesion Fund aimed at member countries where the Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average. All projects are co-financed by the State Budget of the Slovak Republic in the amount of 15%.
Contacts
VSG: Štefánia Ďuricová, duricova@vsg.sk
Coordinator: Zuzana Kupcová, kupcova.zu@gmail.com
NITJA: Monica Holmen, koordinator@nitja.no
LISE WULFF: lise@lisewulff.com
Title of the project: House of Mine
Duration of the project: October 2022 – April 2024
Number of the project: CLT03041
Project grant: 106 490,00 €
Co-financing: 5610 €
Applicant: Východoslovenská galéria
Partner 1: Nitja senter for samtidskunst
Partner 2: Lise Wulff
Duration of the project:
October 2022 – April 2024
#EEAgrants #houseofmine
