From March 15th to May 20th, 2022, the Open Call for the presentation of projects for the 4th edition of the International Biennial of Contemporary Art organised by the UNTREF will take place.

The General and Artistic Direction of BIENALSUR -International Biennial of Contemporary Art of the South organised by the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF), an Argentine public university- announces a call for artists, curators and curatorial research projects to be included in the program of its fourth edition, to be held in 2023 in different venues -museums, cultural centres, universities and non-traditional spaces- in large cities and small towns of different countries.

The International Call for BIENALSUR 2023 will be open from March 15th to May 20th, 2022. Applications will be submitted online, through a specially designed form available in Spanish and English.

During this period, projects that fall within the scope of contemporary theories of art and culture will be eligible for consideration in an attempt to contribute to reflecting upon, problematizing or providing other views and approaches to the multiplicity of life experiences of our time.

This new Call to participate in BIENALSUR is open to artists and curators of any nationality, regardless of gender, age or other category, who may present their work individually or collectively. 

One of the purposes of BIENALSUR is to contribute to the creation of a cultural citizenship from the south of the world. Its particular format and collaborative approach seek to integrate the art of each region into the international scene not just as a mere diversity quota, but on an equal footing based on its singularities and relative positions. Therefore, one of the objectives of this project is the creation of a space that contributes to the development of critical thinking beyond the major canonical narratives. It also aims to promote the emergence of alternative practices within the world of art and culture, both in the production of ideas and works and in their exhibition, circulation and consumption modalities.

How does the Open Call work?

The submission of artwork and/or curatorial research projects for BIENALSUR 2023 will be made via an online platform. The entire application process is free of charge.

Upon registration applicants will have the possibility to register in 4 (four) different categories: individual artist, group artist, individual curator and group curator. A single submission can be made for each of these categories. 

In order to complete the application procedure correctly, you can access a step-by-step instruction guide that will assist in uploading the required information. The platform is dynamic and functional, allowing applicants to save and correct their submissions as many times as necessary before submitting them.

Once the application period is closed, the International Curatorial Council of BIENALSUR will assess the proposals. The projects that go through to the second stage of evaluation will result from these evaluations. We will then contact the authors of the projects that pass from the first to the second stage to request more information about each proposal. Going through to the second stage of the Call does not automatically imply participation in BIENALSUR 2023 but reflects the Council’s interest in the proposal submitted and the possibility of accessing the second part of the evaluation, which defines the projects that will be part of the fourth edition of BIENALSUR.

Additionally, on the basis of all the projects submitted, the International Curatorial Council of BIENALSUR will analyse and look for common patterns to define the Curatorial Axes that will shape the next edition of BIENALSUR. We are not looking for projects that conform to pre-established topics, as these will emerge from a recurrence of topics within the total set of proposals. This will give rise to an international cartography in line with the concerns and experiences currently addressed by artists and curators. All the projects submitted will be considered for the drafting of the Axes, regardless of whether they are selected or not, so we wish to thank you for joining the BIENALSUR Community through this application. 

The following are some of the Curatorial Axes of past editions: Ecological Awareness, Ways of Inhabiting, Art Politics, Transits and Migrations, Fluid Constellations, Gender Issues, Memories and Oblivions and Ways of Seeing. The fact that these topics have emerged from the international open calls of previous editions does not preclude them from reappearing, with varying intensities, if so revealed by the proposals received towards BIENALSUR 2023.

*For more information, to access the Application Instructions and apply to the Open Call towards BIENALSUR 2023: bienalsur.org/en