ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV is the mentorship program for emerging artists in Romania, the organic continuation of the ACCELERATOR program, started in February 2022 by Asociația Culturală Eastwards Prospectus (ACEP).

During the three months of mentoring, ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV proposes concrete activities in the theoretical and practical spheres, complementing traditional academic university training, mainly focused on learning artistic techniques.

ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV provides the ten artists who will be selected in the program with knowledge shared by mentors, resources for producing new works, and the context for their exhibition in a group show at the Museum of Art Brasov.

During the three months of mentoring, ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV proposes concrete activities in the theoretical and practical spheres, complementing traditional academic university training, mainly focused on learning artistic techniques.

The submission period is 8 – 27 August 2023, 23:59. During this period, emerging artists are expected to submit their applications.

“It was only natural to extend the series of programs conceived under the ACCELERATOR label, after almost two years of complex and varied activities dedicated to emerging artists, but also to the general public through the first Accelerator program, which is coming to an end. Genuine and tangible support, anchored in the concerns and challenges of emerging artists, is my main concern in this educational context. This is why I created the Eastwards Prospectus Cultural Association, to respond through systematic and complex programs to these needs, which are very familiar to me as a cultural manager. ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV is a new project, a new step, which naturally continues the previous mentoring program. It aims to provide emerging artists with the framework to explore a strategic approach to their careers that complement training in traditional learning environments.” – says Andrei Breahnă, president of Asociația Culturală Eastwards Prospectus and project manager.

“Muzeul de Artă Brașov represents a bridge between the public and the universe of creation, a space where every visitor can become a curious traveler in classical and contemporary art. A key objective of the management plan we have proposed to consolidate the museum as a reference point in the local and national cultural landscape is to stimulate the artistic community through projects that integrate collaboration between art galleries, artists, and non-governmental organizations. The ACCELERATOR BRAȘOV project, developed together with Asociația Culturală Eastwards Prospectus, is in line with this direction, encouraging creative diversity and dynamism in the local artistic environment.” – adds Bianca-Maria Bălșan, manager of Muzeul de Artă Brașov.

The mentorship Sessions will take place in Brasov from 18 to 21 September, and the group exhibition will be open on 10 November until February 2024. Emerging artists from Brașov who meet the eligibility criteria and artists from other Romanian cities can apply for the program.

Eligibility

The program accepts applications from artists who are:

• Emerging* artists
• 21+, no art degree requirement
• Have continuous experience of maximum ten years in the visual arts field
• Romanian citizens
• Available to participate in the workshops in Brasov (18-21 September 2023)
• Available to participate in the meetings organized by the curator of the group exhibition to produce new works (11 – 31 October 2023) and to panel the group exhibition (6 – 9 November), which will be presented and opened at the Museum of Art Brașov on 10 November 2023. The exhibition will be open from 10 November 2023 to 25 February 2024.
• Willing to be involved in an extended mentoring program over 3 months (September 2023 – November 2023) through physical and online participation in all activities carried out within the program, depending on how each stage is carried out

Emerging artists should have at most ten years of professional experience. We opted for the term “emerging” instead of “young” because the project also welcomes applications from those who have made a career change or have recently decided to prioritize their art above everything else at any age.
All the application procedure and content information, including the time slots allocated per activity, are available on the ACCELERATOR website: Open Call – Accelerator Brașov.

The jury that will evaluate the applications received consists of Andrei Breahnă – cultural manager and ACCELERATOR project manager, Bianca BĂLȘAN – cultural manager and museum director, Ioana CHIRA – communicator and PR specialist; and Georgia ȚIDORESCU – independent curator and project coordinator.

Key dates

Registrations: until 27 August 2023, 23:59
Selection announcement: 9 September 2023
Workshops and physical meetings (in Brașov): 18 – 21 September 2023
One-to-one mentoring sessions (online): 22 September 2023 – 10 October 2023
Production of the newly commissioned artworks: 11 October – 5 November 2023
Exhibition production: 6 – 9 November 2023
Group exhibition opening: 10 November 2023

The project partners are Gaep Gallery, based in Bucharest, and Muzeul de Artă Brașov.

The project is funded from the budget of Primăria Municipiuli Brașov and implemented by Asociația Culturală Eastwards Prospectus.

More details on accelerator-mentorat.ro