Bagri Foundation | Change/ce open call for animation proposals

Bagri Foundation is pleased to announce Change/ce, An Open Call for Animations. 

The Foundation is seeking three new commissions by worldwide-based artists from Asia and the diaspora to premiere online in Summer 2021. They might be narrated, typographic, filmed, collaged, hand-drawn, stop motion, Claymation, augmented photography or digitally created – the options are endless.

The selected artists will receive an honorarium of £3000 each (inclusive of taxes and expenses) for the preparation and delivery of the digital contribution. 

Chang/ce. An open call for Animations 

Inspired by the Chinese classic, the I Ching or ‘Book of Changes’, the Bagri Foundation is excited to release an open call that invites submissions from illustrators and animators focussing on the idea of ‘Change’.  

The I Ching also, for some, represents randomness, fate or prophecy. Therefore, it can be interpreted in many ways, depending on one’s inspiration. Change and prophecy can represent a scary or uncertain future, but it can also mean an exciting new path, a chance for renewal or a challenge that must be undertaken. As 2021 kicks off, the world forges ahead towards surprise, disappointment or perhaps inspiration. Is this a time of major change for you? Do you believe in fate or prophecies? Do you utilise randomness in your work to create new ways of thinking and making?  

Ultimately the outcome would be a new animation that can be shown digitally. This might be narrated, written, filmed, collaged, hand-drawn, stop motion, Claymation, photography, digitally designed – the options are endless, and the Foundation is open to something exciting and unique, which inspires us to look at the future together. 

Who is eligible to apply? 

We welcome proposals from artists, illustrators, designers, and animators in which the opportunity to experiment and receive resources from a major arts organisation would be impactful. We encourage anyone who considers themselves an emerging artist to apply.  

Proposals can be submitted by single artists or artist collectives that meet the criteria (see guidelines in full)

 – Applicants must have experience conceiving and executing works or projects 

– This is a global discourse, so applicants from anywhere in Asia and the diaspora are welcome, although, we will be prioritising the voices of those who live in Asia. 

What do we mean when we say Asia? 

The Foundation supports work by artists from all of Asia and its diaspora in its broadest sense. This includes Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.  

Alka Bagri, Trustee says “After our first Open Call in April 2020, which was a great success, we are keen to continue to support artists directly to make new work. With the tumultuous year we’ve just had, we are excited to see how artists embrace the idea of ‘change’ in 2021 through the beautiful art form of animation.”

Chelsea Pettitt, Head of Arts says “We enter 2021 with a renewed sense of opportunity and look forward to creating three new commissions inspired by ideas of manifestation, renewal and chance. Change could be interpreted as positive or negative, and to encourage voices from a non-Western perspective, we would especially like to hear from artists who are currently living and working in an Asian country.”

The submissions are due on Monday 15 February 2021 at 10am UK time and will be reviewed by the Bagri Foundation team and an international panel of guest selectors:  Olivia Ahmad (House of Illustration, London), Intan Paramaditha (Novelist, Sydney), Sahej  Rahal (Artist, Mumbai) and  Reaksmey Yean (Phnom Penh International Institute of the Art, Cambodia).