Imaginative Crossroads
Art Residency at FLORÌDA
September 2025.
Florìda invites artists to apply for a residency during September 2025 in the fascinating cultural scene of Genoa, Italy, with the aim of carrying out artistic research and creation.
Imaginative Crossroads is a research-based residency led by curator Carlotta Pezzolo, and hosted at Florìda, an independent cultural space, dedicated to the promotion and creation of contemporary art.
All applications must be submitted using this form by 11 am CET on July 16, 2025.
Arthur C. Clarke's third and most famous law states that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. For the anthropologist Ernesto De Martino, magic plays a decisive anthropological role: it enables human beings to regain control over the world during times of significant uncertainty.
Nowadays, opportunities to use imagination to transcend the drama of the present are becoming increasingly scarce. Yet art and technology are historically linked to magic: the ability to make us "see" or "do" that which exceeds perceptual limits opens up unseen worlds, offering new possibilities for action on reality. They do not explain reality, they dilate it, opening up unexpected scenarios.
Crossroads always represented liminal and powerful zones: places of choice outside the inhabited world, place of exchange, theft and error, protected by Hermes, the messenger and god of borders, travel and thieves. Today, those nodes have been enveloped by the reassuring disciplinary machine of digital platforms, as well the outsider unknown has been absorbed by the reassuring urban centres. Nevertheless the oracle still filters through our devices and the voice assistant becomes "the faceless woman," as an obscure presence not to be named lest her power be evoked.
In this scenario, what opportunities arise for imagination and artistic expression? How can the convergence of intelligence and beliefs help us overcome the drama of the present?
We invite artists to perform an act of imagination: to reinterpret technologies and devices as talismans, perceptive amplifiers, mediums and creative tools capable of hacking the conventional view of reality and generating new worlds.
DEADLINE APPLICATION
July 16, 2025, at 11:00 p.m. CET.
WHO CAN APPLY
Florìda welcomes applications all over the age of 18, of all nationalities and at different career stages, with a focus on experimental art practices employing new media.
Please note that a working knowledge of Italian or English, sufficient for communication during the residency, is required.
FEES AND FUNDING
The application is free. Florìda offers accommodation for the duration of the residency and a production fee/stipend of €1000. The production fee will be transferred to the artist in the first week of residency. Transportation and daily maintenance costs are the artist's responsibility.
We are happy to assist artists seeking grants or additional funding in their home country/institution by providing letters of recommendation once the candidature is accepted.
Transportation costs and planning, visa-related costs and processes are the responsibility of the artist.
HOW TO APPLY & EVALUATION CRITERIA
You can apply for the Imaginative Crossroads Art Residence through the official form on the Florìda website until September 16, 2025, at 11:00 p.m. CET.
All materials and documents must be submitted in English or Italian. Language proficiency will not be considered in the project evaluation.
The application must contain:
CV + (one PDF file)
Short bio + artistic portfolio showcasing at least five recent projects (one PDF file, max 10 MB)
Motivational letter or Project Proposal: A 1500-characters proposal that addresses the concept of Imaginative Crossroads and describes the direction of the proposed work, your practice and why a residency here in Genoa is important to you or your project. (one PDF file, max 10 MB)
Proposals will be reviewed by an independent jury drawn from the Florìda team and its cultural partners, guaranteeing both quality and impartiality. After an initial screening, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a video-call interview held between 17 and 25 July. The final participant’s name will then be announced on Florìda’s website and social-media channels.
Both brand-new proposals and ongoing research projects are welcome.
EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS THE ARTIST
This residency fosters a collaborative environment through a tailored program that encourages interdisciplinary exploration and meaningful engagement with the local area and community. The selected artist will receive personalized support by connecting with local experts, archives, and cultural institutions. The residency includes at least two public events to share the results, which will be discussed individually with the artist (such as: open studio, talk, workshop, exhibition, etc.). The selected participant must agree to reside in Genoa for the duration of the residency and ensure arrival on the agreed-upon dates. (We strongly recommend using environmentally friendly transportation whenever possible to reach Genoa).
STUDIO / WORKSPACE
The studio space includes working and exhibition areas, a design lab, a workshop, office space, a kitchen, and a restroom. It is designed as a flexible environment that can be adapted to the needs of different guests, offering opportunities to reimagine and personalize the space for various types of projects and practices. The studio and its equipment, including tools and utensils, are available to the artists free of charge and accessible 24/7. Members of the host association will be present throughout the residency, sharing the workspace. In addition to the curator, they will provide support to the artists as needed, including assistance with administrative and logistical matters.
ACCOMODATION
The artist will stay in an apartment provided by local neighborhood residents, located less than 50 meters from Florìda. Depending on availability, accommodation may be in a shared house with a private room and bathroom, or in a single apartment. All facilities hold significant value for Florìda, as they are managed by local families who share or re-let their spaces to support sustainable land development, rather than mass tourism. The selected accommodations were chosen for their proximity to the studio, the beauty of the spaces, and, most importantly, the opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in the neighborhood, enriching it with their presence. These criteria make the facilities an essential part of Florìda's project.
ABOUT FLORÌDA
Florìda is a cultural space active since December 2022 in the old Jewish Ghetto in the historic centre of Genoa. It is an experimental project that aims to enhance the territory through the tools of art, co-creation and international artistic mobility. The main objective is to promote new lifestyles and innovative ways of enjoying the area, countering the phenomenon of abandonment of the historic centre, with special attention to young people. The association hosts artists-in-residence, organizes exhibitions and facilitates artistic collaborations to strengthen the local social and creative network. Florìda considers artistic practice an opportunity for cultural contamination and mutual enrichment for all parties involved.