Residency awards for trans and asylum seeker artists in Ireland call for applications • GCN

The We Only Want The Earth (WOWTE) Residency Awards for 2024 have officially been announced, with one specifically catered towards trans artists, and another towards those seeking international protection. The two successful applicants will receive five-month residencies in a Dublin-based studio as well as a monthly stipend of €1,600.

Spearheaded by A4 Sounds, WOWTE is a yearly programme of awards, exhibitions and events that aims to interrogate the goals and strategies of social change. It prompts people to consider the question: “What kind of society do we want and how should we get there?”

As part of the project, it has launched its two Residency Awards for 2024. There will be one awardee for each, and the residencies will both run from January to June 2025. 

The first has been developed in partnership with Create – the national development agency for collaborative arts – and Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI). It invites trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people to apply for the artist residency, to support them in developing their arts practice. 

The second Residency Award has been created together with Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS) and Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland (MASI). It is accepting applications from those who are seeking or have sought international protection in the country, to similarly support them in their practices.

In the open call shared earlier in October, A4 Sounds said that artists can work on any topic of their choosing as long as their proposal responds to the theme ‘We Only Want The Earth’.

“We are seeking bold, ambitious and critical artists to participate in our programme,” the group added. “If that’s you then visit our website to read about our programme and the awards offered.”

The closing date for applications is Friday, November 15, at 5pm. Find more information online here, or by emailing Lisa via [email protected].

Support GCN

GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.

During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.

GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.