Once again, Art City Brande aims to open the doors to an art event where selected international visual artists from Europe are invited to participate in an exciting art event with international networking. The event will be held as a biennial, taking place from September 21st to October 1st, 2023. 

Through a grant from the European Cultural Region’s Micro Fund for project development, the project group had the opportunity to visit the 2022 edition of La Biennale in Venice. It was very rewarding as the visit provided plenty of inspiration and ideas for form and direction – including a shared understanding of how a biennial can be scaled to fit Brande’s context. 

International Art Workshop

After 18 exciting years with International Art Workshop in Brande and another 9 successful years in the village of Gludsted, it was our desire and ambition to rethink the event and challenge the artistic ambitions – now that the workshop returns to Brande. 

We still aim to build upon the fundamental concept of the International Art Workshop, which involves the participation of professionally trained international artists. This year, we will welcome 12 artists from Europe.

Brande – Art | Innovation | Entrepreneurship

Brande is already known for its abundant public art, and since the creation of mural paintings and poet gables back in 1968, art has remained an integral part of the city, enjoying strong local support. 

Events such as Swinging Europe, the International Art Workshop from 1993 to 2010, and the highly visited International Street Art festivals since 2015 have truly put the city on the artistic map. A strong tradition for art has been established in Brande, and today, art is a natural and prominent part of the city scape. Brande’s artworks are displayed in public spaces which annually attract thousands of visitors to the city. 

The area is also known for innovation and entrepreneurship, and the small heathland town has become home to several large and successful international companies within industries such as green energy, textile manufacturing, food ingredients, fish feed, steel production, organic farming, etc. Our long-term ambition is to bring art even closer to these companies by initiating collaborations through the Brande Biennale. 

Why a Biennial?

The reason for choosing a biennial is that we aim for a continuous process where there is sufficient time to evaluate the results of the workshop in terms of the artistic perspective, the impact of collaborations with the business community and the local community. 

By hosting the festival every two years, we can use the intervening period for reflection to ensure a consistently high artistic quality and ongoing development of the workshop.

Motivation

• We want to transform the International Art Workshop into an even larger art event that can resonate around the world for the city of Brande, the region, and Danish art.
• We are curious to obtain an artistic interpretation of the city’s innovative and enterprising high-tech companies, which may provide a different understanding of the respective companies’ business opportunities, etc.
• We want to maintain elements of the original concept from previous workshops, including international networking in a shared artistic workspace.
• Eventually, we aim to connect dynamic international businesses with art because we want to explore what happens when an artist occupies a company’s space and brings creativity into a business-oriented professional environment.
• We believe that in a busy, focused, and innovative daily life, it can be beneficial for both the company and the artist to be “provoked” and inspired by each other. It breaks barriers and may even push the boundaries of innovative thinking – in companies, in the art world, and in society.

Current plans for International Art Workshop | Brande Biennale 2023 

The first workshop as a biennial will take place from September 21st to October 1st, 2023

Twelve artists from Europe will participate, including:
3 young artists (18-25 years old), 3 Danish artists, 3 Nordic artists, and 3 European artists 

The goal is for the workshop to elevate art for local and regional artists and eventually generate new art enthusiasts for art museums and galleries 

The workshop will be held in the unique historic premises of “Pakhuset” an old warehouse, which will serve as an open studio during the workshop. Visitors will have access to watch the artists working on their works of art. On the last day of the workshop, the artworks will be offered for sale. 

After the workshop, we intend to exhibit the unsold artworks in a gallery in Brande. We are currently dialogue about a gallery space at the new development project called “The Breakthrough,” in which RealDania is highly involved.

The Workshop

Twelve artists will work on creating their art in a shared workshop/studio in “Pakhuset” – an old warehouse in Brande. Each artist will work on their individual art alongside artists from other countries and can network and inspire each other during the 10-day workshop.

Public Access

Visitors will have access to a unique art experience where they can witness the artists in action during the biennial. This will benefit both the local population, the art enthusiasts from the rest of Denmark and tourists in the area. We will ensure efficient marketing of Brande’s new art biennial.

Participant Conditions

All participants will have their accommodation, meals, and material expenses covered. They will however be responsible for their own travel expenses. Each artist can participate in the workshop a maximum of two times. 

Workshop Participants

Each artist will have their materials covered up to an amount of DKK 2,000.00.
Like previous participations at International Art Workshop, Brande Biennale will select one artwork from each artist without charge as a form of “payment” for their participation. The artwork will become part of an art collection that can be sold to co-finance future biennials. 

The artists’ works will be put up for sale, and the revenue will go to each individual artist, with a facilitation fee for Brande Biennale.

Accommodation and Meals

All artists will be accommodated in suitable premises that previously housed the old hospital. Today, it serves as a charming hostel. Each artist gets their own room and bathroom and access to a cozy common area where they can network with each other. 

The daily meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Additionally, there will be various social and art events during the workshop to inspire the artists and help them bond.