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Introducing the Mewar Mastery Exchange

A development-oriented international artist exchange & residency model from Udaipur, Rajasthan

Sharing and renewing traditional arts & virtuosity with masters from abroad A unique experiment in creative cross-cultural synergy

MME seeks foreign masters for collaborative residencies in the fields of craft, music, design, healing & performance - An Udaipur Hotel Association, West Zone Cultural Centre & BMCT Udaipur Shakti Initiative

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES Why Udaipur?: An arts-blessed Silk Road-related oasis since the 16th century, Udaipur was the last capitol of the princely state of Mewar and is still a talent-rich heritage town with thousands of masters in traditional arts, craftwork, music and other legacy disciplines. The Mewar Mastery Exchange builds upon these foundations to create a novel artist residency paradigm that:

• Pairs local & foreign master craftsmen, artists and musicians for mutual learning and co-creation • Broadens the skill sets, creative horizons and earning opportunities of young local artisans • Celebrates, publicizes and promotes Mewar’s finest exemplars of intangible heritage • Renews respect & demand for traditional workmanship and extends its creative perimeters • Draws more attention, apprentices and revenue streams to these ancient craft communities • Provokes young and old masters to experiment and creatively innovate with their traditional skills • Boosts the region’s name and repute in global cultural, educational and development circles • Enhances the quantity and quality of Udaipur’s international press coverage and tourist flow • Culturally enlivens the town during the beautiful yet oddly underappreciated Aug-Oct season

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS • The MME program consists of 10~12 one- to three-month residencies between August 1st and October 31st in

which foreign masters share, learn, and co-create with local artists & virtuosos from ancient local traditions. • Lodging will be provided by participating Udaipur Hotel Association members on a first-come first-serve basis.

• Joint and private studio/work space will be provided by West Zone Cultural Centre at Shilpgram

• Scheduling will feature a mix of collaborative sessions, free creative time, and workshop classes for local youth.

• The program will be extensively documented to create an ongoing series of educational, archival & PR videos.

• The program will generate traveling multimedia exhibitions to publicize Mewar’s traditions & creativity.

• The program will seek collaborative support from other innovative craft promotion institutions, e.g., INTACH , Kyoto Traditional Arts & Crafts Sponsorship Foundation, American Craft Council, UK Craft Council, etc.

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AREAS OF POTENTIAL COLLABORATION FOR INAUGURAL 2015 RESIDENCY Sample invitation text: Each year, the MME program will award approximately 10~12 fellowships, irrespective of nationality, age, race, gender, or religion, in any of the following disciplines: textiles, ceramics, metal work, bamboo work, wood craft, stone craft, music, visual arts, performance arts, and bodywork/healing craft.

Whether your medium is stone, sound, pigment, metal, fabric, herbs or creative kinesthetics, Udaipur offers equivalent masters to create with and learn from.

Documentary filmmakers are also welcome in exchange for access to their footage to help build, promote and document the project overall. Sample work of local masters

Koftgari inlay/overlay work Low fire ceramics Damascus steel craft

Indigo, print & tie-dye textile crafts Bamboo craft Stone inlay work

Terracotta art Herbal Folk Medicine Folk theater/dance

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FELLOWSHIP TERMS MME Fellows will enjoy free hotel lodgings, studio/work space, and common dining & transport facilities. They are, however, requested to source their own funds for travel to & from Udaipur and their working materials once they arrive. Please confirm their availability before you apply.

Selected candidates will receive: • Collaborative opportunities and work spaces with Rajasthani masters in related fields • Free accommodations (or steeply discounted lodgings if accompanied by a partner) • Free common dining area(s) and residence↔studio inner city transport • Personalized tours to sites and artists related to their talents • High quality video documentation of their projects and tenure • Traveling exhibitions and broadcast presentations of resulting work and interactions

Selected candidates must agree to the following conditions: MME Fellows may spend their creative time in any way they desire, but during their residency all shall agree to conduct workshops 6~8 hours per week for young local artisans, students & other youth interested in their fields.

MME Fellows shall agree to video documentation of their work, practice & teaching sessions for MME utilization.

COLLABORATING PARTNER INFORMATION ABOUT West Zone Cultural Centre Established in 1986 with its headquarters in Udaipur, West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC) is one of India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development 7 Zonal Cultural Centres. WXCC was set up to provide facilities for the creative development of folk, traditional and tribal visual/performing arts in India’s culturally diverse Western region comprising the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli. Over the years WZCC has formed collaborative relationships with over 500 folk art masters and sponsored a wide array of innovative workshops, seminars and festivals to expose their talents and serve their needs. Its annual late December Shilpgram Utsav celebration has emerged as India’s premier folk arts festival and now attracts over 300,000 visitors.

ABOUT Hotel Association Udaipur Founded in 1972, the Hotel Association Udaipur (HAU) now includes 96 members spanning the entire B&B↔5-star gamut of hospitality facilities. HAU is dedicated to improving Udaipur’s tourist climate, the international visibility of the region’s unparalleled cultural & ecological heritage, and convivial working conditions for all its members.

ABOUT Big Medicine Charitable Trust Udaipur’s BMCT is an arts & ecology-focused NGO devoted to preserving and enriching distinctive local cultural, environmental and healing traditions. The founder and background team have nearly 30 years experience in international arts exchange programs, PR campaigns, and conference/workshop organizing. Recent relevant accomplishments include:

• Introducing Japanese Cultural Envoy & taiko master Leonard Eto and Nepali esraj master Suraj Nepal as Shilpgram Utsav’s first foreign performers (2013)

• Organizing biannual world dance teaching/performance residencies for four international Vanaver Caravan artist/choreographers in local schools and civic organizations (2012-2014)

• Co-founding the Shakti Caravan dance exchange program that took gifted young Udaipur dancers to the Lincoln Center stage and other prestigious New York venues for the month of August. (2014)

• Kickstarting the Shakti Sunday eco-festival series and the “Udaipur’s Got Talent!” competitions (2014) • Inviting eminent Kyoto academic delegation to forge “Creative Economy” ties with Udaipur schools (2015)

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MME PROGRAM CONDITIONS (information for foreign applicants)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The following documents, which must be submitted in English, will be required. Please note that we cannot process application materials submitted in any other language. (1) A completed application form. (2) Two letters of reference. (3) A short-form curriculum vitae. (4) A one-page description of the project(s) that the applicant would like to pursue during her/his stay (5) Work samples that have been performed, exhibited or otherwise publicly presented during the last 5 years. (6) A $30 application fee, payable by credit/debit card at the end of the application process. FELLOWS’ PARTNERS/COLLABORATORS MME Fellows may be accompanied by their spouses/partners during their stay but will have to bear whatever extra expenses are incurred. Spouses/partners who would like to pursue their own projects in the program, and who wish to be designated as MME Fellows, must submit separate applications. Although the program accepts collaborative Fellowships in principle, applicants must submit separate applications and be prepared to share living quarters and/or studio space during their tenure. RESTRICTIONS

• Children, pets, and overnight visits by friends or family members are not encouraged. • Reapplications: There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can apply for a MME Fellowship;

however, previous recipients are advised to wait a year or two before reapplying. • Accepted Fellows are requested to not defer their residencies. Fellows unable to attend sessions in

which they were admitted must reapply to be considered for another session. • Individuals with food allergies, other dietary restrictions, or mobility problems should contact us at

info@bigmed.org before submitting an application.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES Transportation costs to/from our Udaipur facilities are the responsibility of Fellows & accompanying partners; as are all project materials & equipment, and any personal expenses incurred during the fellowship period, including medical expenses. DEADLINES Applications for the 2018 session(s) must be received by March 1, 2018 SELECTION PROCESS Applications will be reviewed by an eminent local jury and the MME steering committee in consultation with collaborating local masters; and responses will be issued no later than May 1, 2018. APPLICATIONS (For application forms, please visit mewar-mastery.blogspot.in Mail applications to Big Medicine Charitable Trust, 1 Sajjangarh Rd, Azad Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India 313001 or email to info@bigmed.org Phone queries: +91-869-684-0315 MME news blog: greeningindia.net/index.php/mme