Call for Applications: Zoukak’s Mentorship Program - 5th Edition

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Zoukak’s Mentorship Program and Production Support Grant
5th Edition: Narratives for an alternative present 2

Deadline for applications: 30th of December 2021 before midnight, Beirut time.

Fill in the application form in your preferred language (English or Arabic) and submit it along with the supporting document.

Download the full call: English / Arabic

Zoukak is launching the 5th edition of its “Mentorship Program and Production Support Grant”: Narratives for an alternative present 2.

The program aims to develop the artistic skills of emerging performing artists residing in Lebanon, and to support them in the creation of an original work. Through continuous and thorough follow up on their practice by an assigned mentor, in addition to various capacity building workshops and production support, the selected artists will be guided to present a finished work or a work in progress at the end of the mentorship program.

Supported projects: 

-  This program is targeted at any theatre practitioner wishing to develop a new piece, be it devised theatre, dance theatre, new writing, an adaptation of an existing text... Additionally, this iteration is open to any form of art practice spilling into performance, all-the-while keeping liveness as key. We encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations that aim to lead to hybrid forms of performance making, especially those involving music and architecture.

- The call is open to individuals wishing to work on their own, or to lead collaborations with other practitioners. We also encourage collectives (newly formed or pre-existing) to apply. 

About the program*:

The selected artists will be led by Zoukak mentors to the completion of their desired projects from conception to execution, while sharing their work processes through regular one-on-one sessions. Zoukak will also provide the artists with technical, administrative, communication and production support, and each one will receive a grant to help cover some of the costs of their project.

During the mentorship program, and through regular working sessions over the course of 4 to 6 months, the artists and their collaborators will be provided with the following:

- Artistic mentoring;

- Capacity building workshops;

- Support to the production plan and execution;

- A space for creating and rehearsing their work;

- Support in the design and implementation of the communication strategy;

- Support for the presentation of a work-in-progress or final performance;

- Additionally, participants can attend events organized by Zoukak throughout the year (workshops, talks, performances, etc.) as available;

- A grant ranging between 1500 USD and 2500 USD to support the production.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

- To be an artist working in the performing arts (theatre, dance, performance art, musical theatre, multi-disciplinary…) since at least 2 years;

- To be residing in Lebanon (applicants can be of any nationality or background);

- To have previously realized at least one public performance project is important (whether as a collaborator or a leader); 

- To be willing to share their process and accept guidance and constructive criticism, showing openness and cooperation; 

- To have a concrete idea for a project they wish to realize, and a vision on how they wish to develop their artistic practice as a whole;

- To be flexible and able to adapt their work process in response to emerging crises and restrictions.

*Some parts of the program, especially the access to a space for rehearsals, the capacity building workshops and the final presentations, are subject to changes and adaptations depending on the Covid-19 pandemic, social distancing and restrictions on gathering, and security conditions. 

Previous editions of Zoukak’s Theatre Mentorship Program and Production Support Grant

Fourth edition of the Mentorship Program

2021 - Ongoing

Selected Artists: 

Jana Bou Matar mentored by Lamia Abi Azar, working on “Meaning Making Cocktails” 

Joseph Rouhana mentored by Junaid Sarieddeen, working on “All About Eva” 

Chada Halwani mentored by Omar Abi Azar, working on “Cement is a Memory” 

Alia Hamdan mentored by Omar Abi Azar, working on “Dancers of the 17th of October” 

Karim Chebli and Kathy Younes mentored by Maya Zbib, working on “Flee” 

Third Edition of the Mentorship Program 

September - December 2020.

Selected Artists:

Stephanie Kayal mentored by Junaid Sarieddeen, created “Evidence of Things not Seen”

Rahaf Jammal mentored by Omar Abi Azar, created “Man Fall”

Mada Harb mentored by Maya Zbib, created “Table Manners”

Zayrakoun mentored by Lamia Abi Azar, created “Rehla Ila”

Second Edition of the Mentorship Program 

July 2018 - January 2019.

Selected Artists: 

Hassan al Malla mentored by Maya Zbib, created “The Date”

Anas Younes mentored by Junaid Sarieddeen, created “The Ho-Ha Dance”

First Edition of the Mentorship Program

January - November 2018.

Selected Artists: 

Line Itani mentored by Maya Zbib, created “Ecdysis” 

Lena Osseyran mentored by Omar Abi Azar, created “HamletMachine”