new media & experimental art days
1 - 22 june 2025
bschlabs. tyrol
open
call
The Tyrolean Bschlabertal lies at an altitude of 1400 metres and is one of the most remote places in Austria. Today, fewer than 100 people live there, and ageing and rural exodus are taking their toll on the region. For the third time, the medienfrische will take place there. Artists from all over the world are invited to stay and work in Bschlabs. The medienfrische is a contemporary art and media festival that focuses on current developments in the art world. The landscape conditions and the completely different way of organising everyday life in the valley require new and unconventional ways of thinking and ideas as well as a questioning of conventional working methods.
what we offer
The residence in a secluded high valley encourages people to linger, rethink and experiment. The Bschlabertal serves as a laboratory and workshop. Accommodation and meals (breakfast and dinner) for the duration of the residency are provided by us. Workspaces, mentoring and exhibition venues are also provided. In addition, a varied programme of concerts, lectures, film screenings, readings and much more will take place throughout the three weeks of medienfrische.
who we are
looking for
Media artists as well as scientists, artists, craftspeople and students from all fields (digital media, architecture, music and sound, film, literature, visual and performing arts, land art, etc.) who want to experiment with the theme, the landscapes and the inhabitants of the high mountains are invited to apply. At the end of the residency, an artefact created on site will be presented to the village for safekeeping. Individuals of all nationalities and genders over the age of 18 can apply. We only award places to people who can stay for the entire duration of the residency.
(working) places
The picturesque Bschlab valley with its three villages Bschlabs, Boden and Pfafflar is located in the Tyrolean district of Reutte in Austria. Alpine meadows, empty buildings, a fire station, a football pitch, two churches, living quarters, hay barns, etc. are available for projects there. The work locations and accommodation are allocated in collaboration with the participants and may change during the course of the stay.
subject
THIS DOES NOT FIT HERE
When asked what he thought of the media freshness, one Pfafflar resident replied: "It doesn't fit here."
If something doesn't fit, then something seems to be disruptive, contradictory, skewed, off, not right. Something contradictory, inconsistent does not fit in a certain place, in a certain position. It falls out of the frame, dances out of line, gets out of tune, goes off track. Perhaps it is precisely the perfectly functioning programmes, the smooth procedures, the seamless processes that bring us closer to disaster. If something doesn't seem to fit in a certain place, this disparity, this disruption can also be seen and used as an opportunity to change one's own perception, the situation on the ground and as a socio-political productive force.
We are therefore looking for errors in the system, holes in the net, unheard-of sounds, space-blasting movements, wrong numbers, disproportionate sizes, contradictory images. We ask you for projects, ideas, suggestions that don't seem to fit into the Pfafflar community, but are supposed to appear, emerge and emerge there in order to question the usual course of things in a productive, creative and playful way.
travel / expenses
We recommend the Travelling to Imst. We can cover up to €100 of the travel costs per participant. The onward transport to the valley is organised by the medienfrische. We are happy to help you plan your journey. Travelling with your own vehicle is also possible. We are also happy to help you plan a lift. The Lechtal Card is provided for the duration of your stay, allowing you to use public transport in the valley free of charge.
accommodation
There are around 30 beds available in the valley for the medienfrische. There are a few single rooms, some double rooms and shared rooms. We try to cater for requests, but our options are limited.
time period
1 to 22 June 2025. The length of stay is 3 weeks.
deadline and jury
up to and including 17 February 2025
An independent jury of experts decides on the invitations and, together with the medienfrische-team will make the best possible use of the free spaces in the accommodation.
documents and submission
exclusively via email to
Please send all documents in .pdf format (combined or individually)
Please label all data with surname and file name.
- short artistic curriculum vitae
- Completed calibration form (enclosed or at www.medienfrische.com)
- Short description of the artistic project / motivation (max. 3000 characters)
- three samples of previous work (photo documentation, links, websites, texts, media reports, etc.)
