II International Sculptor's Encounter
Santa Cruz, Bolivia - Call for Applications

In October 2006 took place the I International Sculptors Encounter in Santa Cruz Bolivia. At that time 7 sculptors from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru worked live during a week at a central plaza and receiving thousands of visitors. The sculptors worked with large wood trunks from a FSC certified tree, donated by a local timber company and had the support of WWF Bolivia.

The International Sculptors Encounter seeks to:

• Create a platform fro exchange among artists from different countries
• Promote Public Art and Sculpture
• Create a network of artists
• Foster connections between the artists and the public.

We are now launching the II International Sculptors Encounter and the call for applications is open. The II Encounter will take place in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, October 11 to 18, 2008

Application

7 sculptors from any region for the world will be invited to participate through a selection process. Please note that the material provided to work will be certified wood, although additional materials may be used, the main body of the work must be done on wood.

Requisites:
Each interested artist must send 6 photos of recent works (no larger than 400 kb and in JPG. format), and a CV

The application material will be accepted until March 15 2008. Afterwards, the application process will be closed and selection of invited artists starts. The organizing committee will communicate its decision to the selected participants.

The artists not selected will receive notification and their material sent will form part of our database of sculptors for future activities.

Please send the application to:
Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte
Email: manzana.uno@gmail.com
Tel: (591 3) 3395792
Contact: Valia Carvalho

Characteristics and conditions

Work Place:
Manzana Uno Plaza. This is a central square located at the heart of the city, in downtown Santa Cruz. It is a place frequently visited. The Plaza is a beautiful space with a view to the city’s Cathedral and right besides the Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte, the cultural centre which organizes the event.

Working material:
Large pieces from different hard tropical woods will be provided.

The organizers will provide:

• Food and lodging during the week that the Encounter takes place.
• Transportation from the airport to the city and from the hotel to the working place
• A honorary of 1000 $ American dollars
• Wood
• Technical assistance
• Adequate infrastructure to work comfortably

The artists must:

• Donate the sculptor to the city
• The sculptures must be planned for public spaces, therefore ephimerous works will not be accepted
• Bring their own working tools
• The artists must have an accident and health insurance

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The organizers

Manzana 1, Espacio de Arte is a non commercial public art centre located in downtown Santa Cruz, at the historical city centre. It occupies a historical patrimonial building from the 19th century owned by the local City Government.
Ejti Stih, Valia Carvalho and Juan Bustillos, are three independent artists who seeing the potential of this beautiful site, signed an agreement with the local City Government to create a cultural space in this location. In May 2005 we started a fundraising campaign and managed to raise 24 thousand dollars from private companies and individuals to restore the building. In September 27, 2005 the art space was open.

Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte has become probably the most visited gallery in the country, with 120000 visitors in 22 exhibitions in the two years since its opening. Manzana 1 exhibits not only visual arts but we include photography, graphic design, fashion design, ethnographic and historical exhibitions, aiming to show the arts in all its varied manifestations.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the capital of the department (state) of Santa Cruz. It is located at the east of Bolivia, in the tropical area of the country. Since 20 years ago Santa Cruz has become the fastest growing city within the country and the major economical centre. The surrounding area is fertile, producing sugar cane, soybeans, cotton, rice, maize, and coffee. It is a hub of transport and trade. Oil and natural gas has led to the city's rapid development.

The city has around 1.500.000 citizens and it counts with many good hotels and varied restaurants, cafes and bars. There is a small historical downtown, which is probably the most picturesque areas of the city. Outside Santa Cruz you may find beautiful natural scenes from hilly areas, valleys, lowlands and tropical forests. The climate is warm and humid. October marks the beginning of the hot season and some tropical rains.

Recommendations

• Bring confortable clothes for warm weather
• People entrying Bolivia must have Yellow Fever Vaccine
• Ask at your local health centres which additional vaccination you might need
• Santa Cruz is not a malaria area, therefore we discouraged to take anti malaria pills since they have very strong side effects.

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