Opportunities: Urban Frictions – Research Festival (Essen, Germany) Deadline – 02/19/2018

As the focal point of this chapter, the city will become a setting for artistic, social and political activity in which the clash of different infrastructures, needs and living realities gives rise to complexity and productive friction. Over the course of the festival period, forums, project presentations, open laboratory visits and cooperative field studies will introduce participants to new perspectives and offer them time and space in which to explore their own ideas. 1/2/8 – URBAN FRICTIONS brings together people concerned with studying, changing or escaping the complex structure of the city and its effects.

Over the course of several weeks, the edition invites participants from the fields of art, science, journalism, urbanism, architecture and other broader disciplines, to engage in individual research as well as joint encounters, exchanges and experiments during symposia, open labs, talks, lectures, gatherings and presentations.

At certain stages, participants will also have the opportunity to invite visiting dialogue partners to inform both their own research and that of the other residents in the form of lectures or discussions. Travel and accommodation for visiting dialogue partners as well as an expense allowance will be covered by PACT.

A residency can incorporate the following:

• Studio space (from 69 to 173 sq. m.)
• Local accommodation (max. 6 people)
• Weekly grant allowance of 500 € for all of the residency project participants (max. 6 people)
• Travel costs covering one journey only per participant to and from PACT Zollverein (subject to prior agreement)
• Technical equipment (by arrangement and subject to availability)
• Possible lectures, workshops, exhibitions or performances (at short notice and subject to agreement)