Dear friends,
The Old School Art Residency together with the Community Centre Zora-1887 and the Gorna Lipnitsa Town Hall is pleased to invite you to participate in Generation “I Create” 2025 edition. For one week, in August, the building of the former school in the village of Gorna Lipnitsa will host young artists with the goal of making art together.
The upcoming event is open to artists aged 30 and under.
Date: 02 – 10 August 2025
Place: Gorna Lipnitsa, Bulgaria
The disciplines for participation in 2025 are:
1. Painting/graphics/drawing
2. Performance
3. Photography
4. Visual arts and installations
5. Land art
6. Music
7. Short films
Тheme: ALIEN REALITIES
“One early summer morning in the area of The Sunshine field, “The Untamed” – men, women and children from Gorna Lipnitsa, welcomed the guests from the alien civilization from the constellation ”’LYRA’. Many of them had fantasized about being part of this great encounter, and some had even dreamed it, but only the Eye of the village Priestess saw exactly what was happening. THIS was something unheard of and unseen – it could not be defined by shape, color, smell or scale. The emotion in all the books and movies describing the encounter with the alien beings was just a light breeze on the wind compared to this tornado of feelings that swept over them. Birth and death in one second. The eruption of a volcano with no indication. Diving into the depths of the crystal clear. The future begins today. WE ARE IN THE FUTURE, dreamt of for hundreds of years.
Thus, on this seemingly most ordinary summer morning with a scent of herbs, Earth and Humans took the most important step on their path…”
From “The Chronicles of Gorna Lipnitsa”, vol. 2, p. 303, published by “I CREATE”, year 2348.
The residency provides:
Food and accommodation for the participants in guesthouses in the village;
Access to art studios in the building of the school, which are comfortable for painting, performances, dance performances and other arts;
Materials for work;
Contact with the local community;
Written materials created by our team which are connected with Bulgarian rituals and practice and the theme of the residency;
Accompanying program related to the theme of the residency;
Visit to historical sites;
Group closing exhibition at the end of the residency in the exhibition space of the residency;
Media coverage of the event;
Presentation of the participants and their works through an online exhibition;
The cost of the trip to Gorna Lipnitsa is at the expense of the participants.
In this edition of the residency, you will have the opportunity to explore and interpret the works of the artists who participated in the editions of the residency from 2010 to 2025 and get acquainted with the concept of the Ritual Art.
Terms of application:
Each candidate should send us:
- Completed application form – download here
- Portfolio or photos of artworks.
Participants’ stay for the entire duration of the residency is desirable.
Selection of participants: Participants will be selected by a jury.
Number of participants: up to 8 Bulgarian artists and 2 foreign artists
Deadline: 17 June 2025
Announcement of results: by 19 June 2025.
Applications are accepted at the following e-mail address: oldschoolresidence@gmail.com
Residency Schedule:
02.08 Saturday – arrival at the residency
03.08 Sunday – opening of the residency;
09.08 Saturday – closing show presenting the artists’ works;
10.08. Sunday – departure from the residency.
