kültüř gemma! promotes the artistic work of migrants* and BI_PoC and awards grants and fellowships to Viennese cultural institutions every year.
Our granties are supported ideally and financially for half a year to realize a project. It is a free working scholarship, the grant holders work independently on their project, but are accompanied by kültüř gemma! through mentoring. It is explicitly not a prerequisite that the projects deal with the topic of migration.
Our fellows are given the opportunity to work at a cultural institution in Vienna for six months. Within this framework, they work on an artistic or cultural mediation project. Our fellows are also accompanied by kültüř gemma! in their work process. Previous fellowships have focused, for example, on the conception of an exhibition or stage production, the curating of film programs, the development of art education formats, or the critical, artistic examination of a collection.
Our goal is to establish migrant positions in the predominantly white*) cultural sector as a matter of course*). Furthermore, kültüř gemma! advocates a critical discourse on the relationship between migration and culture and sees itself as a cultural networking platform.
Mentoring by kültüř gemma! includes curatorial and organizational advice as well as support in applying for and publishing one's own work. At regular meetings attended by all fellows, fellows, and the kültüř gemma! team, experiences are shared and networks are created. Last but not least, kültüř gemma! organizes lectures, workshops or discussions. organizes lectures, workshops and discussions to help shape the discourse on art and migration*).
*) MIGRANT
The call for proposals is aimed specifically at migrants, without any specifications regarding countries of origin, nationalities or residence titles. Invited are artists and cultural workers living in Vienna who define themselves as migrant, Black or Person of Color and thus cannot count on the privileges of the majority in the cultural field. kültüř gemma! understands 'migrant' as a political term and as a self-designation for a productive, potentially subversive location.
*) BLACK/white
As well as ‘migrant’ we understand the term 'Black' exclusively as a self-designation, the word is written capitalized to make clear that being black is not based on skin color, but on connectedness due to shared experiences of racism.
The term ‘white’, like the term ‘black’, does not refer to biological characteristics of a person. The small and italicized notation clarifies the description of a social and political construction that comes with the privileged position within the racist power relationship.
*) DIVERSITY
To see diversity, the multiplicity of people living in Vienna represented in the cultural sector, is one of our declared goals. However, like many people, we are critical of an understanding of diversity that is limited exclusively to the celebration of "colorful diversity", leaving systematic exclusions and structures of discrimination untouched. In this respect, the notion of diversity that we pursue includes an intersectional perspective, critique of power and norms, powersharing and empowerment.
*) PRIVILEGES
Privileges are differently designed advantages that are undeservedly granted to certain groups. For example, privileged positions are enjoyed by white, heterosexual, cis-gendered, male, and rich people. Protection from experiences of discrimination, easier access to opportunities to acquire additional privileges (e.g. education) and, last but not least, potential ignorance of unequal power relations and social disproportions are among these unearned advantages. kültüř gemma! strives to name and dismantle such privileges and actively works towards a fairer distribution of resources.