Organiser: Goethe-Institut, Czechia and Tartu 2024

Residency partner: ajuokse – community for alternative creatives 

Duration of residency: June 2025, 30 days 

Financial contribution: 1.500 EUR (fixed; this includes living costs for 30 days and IPRs).

Travel costs: up to 400 EUR (one round trip; based on real costs)

Residency partner description:
ajuokse (est. 2019) is a community of alternative creatives. The community's purpose is to uplift one another and create opportunities to showcase the artists' work. They primarily represent artists from Estonia and the Baltic countries but have also collaborated with artists from Finland, Ukraine, Germany, Italy and beyond.
  Their community includes artists whose work is not often seen in traditional gallery spaces: street artists, tattoo artists, lowbrow artists, naivists, illustrators, and many others. As part of their activities, they organize exhibitions, art residencies, concerts, art markets, interdisciplinary festivals, and publish prints, zines and t-shirts.

As a residency partner, ajuokse will offer the artist support in sourcing materials essential for their project. If additional studio space or production collaborators are needed, we can assist through our close partnership with Aparaaditehas cultural factory, which hosts a variety of artists and creative companies across spaces designed for diverse uses.

Accommodation, studio & facilities for creative work: 
The artist will have the opportunity to work in Ajuokse Avangaar and live in a private apartment in Aparaaditehas’ complex.

Ajuokse Avangaar is a small hangar located in a 3-minute walking distance from Aparaditehas, which is used by the ajuokse community members as a studio space and for organizing experimental events. The space provides versatile options for working in various mediums—whether installation, performance, visual arts, or more. It’s designed to accommodate messier projects like building and painting, with no restrictions on noise levels, making it ideal for a wide range of creative activities.

Private studio apartment on the roof of Aparaaditehas cultural factory.  Aparaaditehas is known for its vibrant cultural scene, and they host a variety of events and activities, including concerts, theater performances, film screenings, art exhibitions, and markets. The apartment is modest but has everything necessary for a month-long stay. 
  About the area and cycling culture:
The cycling culture is vibrant and growing, reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainable urban mobility. Many residents of all ages rely on bicycles for their daily commute, benefiting from a compact city layout and a network of bike paths that connect significant areas, such as the university and city centre, with residential neighbourhoods. The city has also implemented bike-sharing systems, enhancing accessibility and convenience.

While Tartu’s bike paths are generally well-maintained, their coverage is limited, particularly in outer districts and some industrial areas, making cycling less appealing for residents in these parts. Additionally, some intersections lack adequate cycling infrastructure, leading to safety concerns where bike paths intersect with vehicle traffic.  

Designated outcome: 
Art and culture can play a vital role in making cycling safer, more inclusive, and even more attractive for residents. Artists' work in residency could creatively address the gaps in cycling infrastructure, particularly around awareness of safe cycling practices. Artists can address and highlight the importance of expanding bike paths to underserved areas and make safety issues at intersections more visible but also concentrate on functional aspects of the cycling experience—like wayfinding signs, designated resting places, or bike storage. Ultimately, the artist's project could spark public dialogue, foster a stronger sense of community, and inspire locals and policymakers to advocate for a more cohesive and safe cycling environment in Tartu.

Events related to the residency:
TBA (I./2025)

Contact
adele.newman@goethe.de