LIVE ART & PERFORMANCE RESIDENCY
The fist edition of Stomping Ground! took place between the 2nd and 8th September 2019. The selected participants were: Claire Chapman (Australia), Helen Davison (UK), Thomas Jancis (UK), Riocárd Ó hOdail (UK/Ireland), Catarina Pinto Soromenho (Portugal), Julene Robinson (Jamaica), and Mary Ann Vargas (Peru). They were joined by Barbaro Miyares Bravo (Cuba) as the audiovisual artist documenting the work and collaborating with the performance-makers and live artists. Their creative interests were as varied as their nationalities: darkness as a concept, voice as a cleansing tool/instrument, the mythology of different cultures, the preservation of natural spaces, drag culture, the figure of the healer-woman, the symbolic language of objects, or words that do not have a translation into English. With the support of Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Galera.
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...Stomping Ground! in the media:
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Stomping Ground!2nd - 8th September 2019
Galera, Spain Nothing is more precious to an artist than to escape the everyday... To take time... To ground oneself...
To reconnect.... To find inspiration... To be playful... To explore new ways of working and making... To interrogate one's practice... To discover new spaces... To encounter new contexts and fellow artists... To exchange ideas, stimuli and approaches... To create in a fun and carefree manner... To share work with supportive peers, and with a completely new audience. Stomping Ground! is a residency for up to eight live artists and performance makers, looking to fulfill these needs. It is aimed at those hungry for new experiences, discovering new stimuli, sharing ways of working, and cross-pollinating with fellow artists. Stomping Ground! is a nurturing and creative breeding ground for new ideas, to test and break the ground on a new project, or simply to re-energise your practice. In the spirit of sharing (because sharing is caring), Stomping Ground! welcomes, and indeed encourages, participants from diverse backgrounds, ages, and levels of experience. Application form: here. Please find all information below. |
Full board!
Stomping Ground! will take place in and around the picturesque and sleepy town of Galera (Spain).
You will be hosted in one of Galera's idiosyncratic cave-houses; which has been respectfully renovated to the highest standard, whilst maintaining the unique local character. Sleeping deep within the solid, stock-still and protective earth, which maintains a cool temperature even in the hottest summer, is a near-spiritual experience. You'll rest like never before! Double and twin bedrooms are available, and room/bed sharing (among same-gender participants) is possible/necessary; bathroom facilities will be shared between max. 4 people. Stomping Ground! is about shutting out the internet's hubbub, and creatively re-connecting with one's practice from the ground up. So, luckily, there's no Wi-Fi! And mobile data is only accessible on certain spots (though not in your bedroom, since it'll be deep within the rock!). Mealtimes will be communal, social occasions to bond, exchange ideas, and discuss the work. All meals provided, will be home-cooked (by Pablo's mum), following a seasonal menu, using the best local produce. There will be vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available (meat or fish). Local vineyards laid by the Romans, to this day, produce an excellent artisan wine, which will be served at mealtimes (freshly made lemonade will also be available). Other booze is up to each participant. |
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Our stomping ground....
Galera is situated 900 metres above sea level, at the heart of Granada's high plateau.
During Stomping Ground!, we will make the most of this gorgeous setting by conducting much of our work outdoors:
It's worth noting Galera's rich heritage and history. Around 1800 B.C., it was the Stomping Ground! of Bronce Age cultures; with Argaric people settling at the Castellon Alto. Later, the area was settled by Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans; who left copious remains at the Necropolis of Tutugi. Galera was also the backdrop to dramatic episodes during the Catholic conquest of Al-Andalus; changing hands among the advancing forces and their Islamic enemies. In 1568, the people of Galera participated in the Morisco Revolt; which led to one final and bloody act in this clash between civilisations. |
What is included....
Over seven days, and involving a small group of up to eight artists, Stomping Ground! will include:
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Costs...
Even though you'll be sleeping within the rock, Stomping Ground! won't cost you the Earth.
The full residency has been costed at a dirt cheap €25,70 per person, per day, for full-board accommodation (including basic creative stationary and materials); coming to just €180 per person. Participants will have to make their own travel arrangements to Alicante Airport (224km, just 2 hours 25 minutes by car from Galera), or the new Region de Murcia International Airport (172km, just 1 hour 57 minutes from Galera by car). Transport by car from/to the airport and around the local area will come to under €100 per vehicle (plus deposit and petrol). Check out DoYouSpain. Car-pooling among participants will be arranged prior to the residency. If you are planning to seek funding to ensure your participation in Stomping Ground!, we can provide a letter of invitation to support your application (see below on how to apply). If you're looking for funding, a great opportunity might be i-Portunus (deadline, 15th May 2019). To meet their criteria, and if you are successful with obtaining this funding, we could extend your Stomping Ground! stay to 15 days. Once you've received your invitation to Stomping Ground! (by the 22nd June), you will need to make a reservation payment of €80 to book your place. Payment will be taken to a UK bank account via BACs transfer, by July 15th 2019 (payment in British pounds is possible too). If you need to cancel, as long as it before August 1st, this reservation payment would be refunded in full. Final payment will be during the residence itself. |
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How...
Stomping Ground! is based on the ethos of:
Stomping Ground! is a sharing space. It will enable and facilitate the exchange of stimuli, techniques, and approaches to making live art and performance work. The residency will be hosted and facilitated by Pablo Pakula, who has been a practitioner-academic hybrid since 2006. He has thirteen years' experience in making contemporary performance and live art; teaching practice and facilitating practice in Higher Education (University of Birmingham, University of Kent, Central School of Speech and Drama, Canterbury Christchurch University, Institut del Teatre Barcelona); as well as producing & hosting events and platforms for sharing practice. |