To take part in the project, the Blachère Business Foundation invites artists to fill in a registration form and provide information about their approach and the work they would like to do during the residency.

The call for projects mainly applies to statuary sculpture, but does not necessarily rule out installations.
Artists may choose any materials, but they must think about the durability of the work and the fact it will be used outdoors. If the work needs to be protected, it will be kept inside.
Therefore, the Blachère Foundation shall not reject projects which contain fragile materials such as cardboard, earth, paper, plastic etc.
In Luberon, stone quarries provide an excellent material. The Blachère Illumination company also provides sources of inspiration and the artist can also think about their work in terms of light.
As regards statuary, bronze enlargements can be made from models. The high cost of this operation means that a collaborative study will be required before a decision can be made.

The design workshop must enable new, up-and-coming talents to establish themselves by receiving adequate means of production and critical mentoring from the Blachère Foundation, in order to be able to produce excellent work.

I. About the project owner and the aim of the residency

Jean-Paul Blachère is known throughout the world of African contemporary art as a patron, collector and founding chairman of the eponymous business foundation.
In 2004, the first year of the Foundation was dedicated to sculpture, a medium that Jean-Paul Blachère especially favours and wants to honour again by starting a programme of creative residencies for up-and-coming artists and sculpture.

II. Description of the Blachère Foundation's artists' residencies

1. Special features

The Blachère Foundation is aimed at artists from the African continent and the Diaspora, with no age limit. Its selection committee consists of member of the Blachère Foundation.

2. Length

The length of the artists' residencies is between three weeks and a month-and-a-half from February 2011.

3. Reception conditions

The Blachère Foundation team is on hand to make the artist's stay easier and help them carry out their artistic projects, assisting them with the human, technical and logistical dimensions of their project.

4. Funding

The selected artist will receive the following benefits free of charge during their stay: a return flight to Marseille, travel insurance, individual accommodation on site, a workshop of 100 m2 and a per diem allowance of €30/day for their meals.
The artist who's project is selected receives a residency and acquisition grant of €2500 at the end of their stay.
Each proposal will be studied beforehand and the cost of producing the work will be assessed; production costs will be covered by the Blachère Foundation.


5. Destination of the work

The work produced during the residency enters the collections of the Blachère Foundation, which takes care of storing, promoting and circulating it. The artist can request the work for any exhibitions that may arise.

III. Application

1. Application pack
To be considered, candidates must provide an application pack containing:
1- a covering letter.
2- a statement of intent (1 page maximum) explaining the relevance of their artistic work.
3- at least one project that can be delivered within the timeframe and under the conditions of the residency, accompanied by a sketch.
4- a curriculum vitae.
5- an illustrated portfolio representative of the artist's earlier work. All media are accepted: paper, dvd, cd-rom, computer formats, web.

2. Selection criteria:
The residence is open to all artists from Africa or the Diaspora, with no age limit.

3. Project selection:
The Blachère Foundation will meet in late December to select applicants. The decision will be given by 20 January 2011 at the latest. Residencies may start from February 2011 depending on the calendar of the Blachère Foundation and the artist's availability.

4. Where to send applications:
The application pack must be sent by e-mail to the following address: fondation@blachere-jp.fr or by post in an envelope for the attention of Stéphanie Hugues, Fondation Blachère, 384 avenue des argiles, 84400 Apt - France.

5. Deadline for receipt of application packs:
Monday 20 December 2010 for the 2011 session.


Renseignements / informations:

Contact : Stéphanie Hugues
e-mail : fondation@blachere-jp.fr
téléphone : 00 33 (0)4 32 52 06 15
skype : fondationjpblachere