O—Overgaden presents around eight grand-scale exhibitions a year based on an Open Call.
As a new procedure, artists are explicitly invited to submit an application based on their practice, describing recent and long-term developments, methodologies, and continuous transformations, rather than applying with an already defined exhibition proposal.
Instead of asking for a specific project fitted to the institution, O—Overgaden concentrates on molding the institution to the artistic practice as it develops, adapting to the artistic production’s material changes, conceptual crossroads, unexpected turns, and detours.
In order to secure resources for the changing exhibitions and exhibitors, Overgaden’s Open Call currently centers on solo shows, whether a single artist’s work, artistic duos, or groups of artists working collectively.
Application deadline: 1 March 2022
Please submit your application digitally by email to opencall@overgaden.org
The application must be submitted as one PDF file, maximum size 5 MB.
The application must contain:
Front page: Name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth.
Practice description: Please submit a description of your practice. Maximum length 600 words (approx. 2 pages).
Documentation/portfolio: Please submit image documentation of previous and current artworks and production. O—Overgaden recommends that the portfolio contains a maximum of 20 images. For performance, video, and sound pieces, please submit one or more links. For longer time-based works, we recommend preparing shorter preview clips with a maximum duration of 2–3 minutes.
CV: Please submit a CV of maximum 2 pages.
As a consequence of COVID-19 and a postponed exhibition program, O—Overgaden had to cancel its 2021 Open Call. From 2022, O—Overgaden resumes the two annual deadlines for its Open Call in spring and autumn. The deadline for the current round of applications is 1 March 2022.
Due to an expected high level of interest, it will take around six to seven weeks to process the Open Call applications and reply to all applicants.
The Open Call is overseen by the Director of O—Overgaden. The Director and Curator at O—Overgaden will be processing the applications.
In O—Overgaden’s Open Call programming, emphasis is put on experimental, emerging, and distinctive artistic practices, and on productions of critical and societal relevance. O—Overgaden focuses on offering support and shedding light on new artistic positions or new aspects of an artistic practice, which often coincides with inviting artists early in their professional development. This is, however, not a condition to apply.
Overall, O—Overgaden aims to present a manifold program, spanning a breadth of discourse, voices, and media. The program is devoted to actively working against inequality and discrimination, whether based on gender, ethnicity, background, body, and regional or international kinship.
A solo exhibition typically occupies a larger part of either O—Overgaden’s 1st or 2nd floor.
Artists who are offered an exhibition at O—Overgaden are invited into a collaboration with the organization’s curatorial and technical teams on the grounds of their practice, with the objectives of supporting and contextualizing the development of an exhibition—often including a new, large-scale production—as well as on communicating the show both locally and internationally.
O—Overgaden collaborates with the artists in planning and setting up a budget for the exhibition and supports the artists in their own fundraising efforts.
Overgaden is further offering the invited artists the following:
An exhibition honorarium, 15,000 DKK
Support for the exhibition production, 10,000 DKK
Additional 5,000 DKK set aside for events, performances etc. related to the exhibition or alternatively to support the exhibition production
Technical help (five days) for installing and deinstalling the exhibition
Photo documentation of the exhibition
Printed publication with newly commissioned texts designed by fanfare
Press and communication