OPEN WORLD RESIDENCY INFORMATION

Duration:
Two to three weeks.

Location:
Communities around the United States, usually outside of larger cities. Location for each residency depends on the location of a host organization or a festival venue. In addition, most residencies include a few days in a major cultural center such as New York, Washington DC, or New Orleans. Geography of each residency is finalized before the participants are selected and cannot be altered.

Format:
A structured schedule is developed in advance for each group of visiting artists or arts mangers. Russian participants always travel to the U.S. in groups of four and are accompanied by a facilitator, a young bi-lingual Russian professional who is assigned by the program to assist with travel logistics. Upon arrival, participants are met by the representatives of the host organization who remain with them throughout the program.

Content:
A range of professional and cultural activities as well as free time during which participants can pursue individual interests. Oftentimes, a residency is designed to take place during a major professional gathering, such as a festival or conference.

Each residency strives to foster professional collaborations, contribute to participants’ career advancement and help establish sustainable relationships which will continue beyond the Open World program. Professional activities familiarize Russian participants with current trends in their field in the U.S. and provide them with the opportunity to share their work and experience with American colleagues.

Each residency includes at least one public presentation of participants’ work. Click here for upcoming events.

Although the general outline of each residency is determined before the group is selected, specific activities are fine-tuned based on particular interests of participants expressed in the weeks prior to the beginning of the visit.

Example: A group of four modern dance choreographers spends two weeks at the American Dance Festival (Durham, NC) where they take master classes, attend performances, research the Festival archives and present their work in collaboration with other Festival participants from the US and around the world. The residency closes with two days of professional meetings, sightseeing and a final performance in New York City.

All expenses associated with the program, including travel, accommodation, per diem, cultural allowance, interpretation, and a modest administrative fee to the local host are covered by Open World.

If you are interested in hosting a group, co-presenting a performance or meeting with a group, please see our U.S. Collaborators page.