Open Call for Wikimedians-in-Residency
Collected/connected/collective Memories
Open Call for Wikimedians-in-Residency at Timelab, fall 2023
You are looking at the open call for WiR at Timelab, in Ghent from Aug, 1st - Oct, 30st, 2023
Deadline for applications : May 20
The overarching topic of the Fall 2023 residency is Collected/connected/collective Memories
Working within the sphere of commons, understanding contemporary collectivity is crucial.
A sociological perspective of the concept of collected memory entails social manifestation of historical memory. It aims at the collection of individual stories that envision how we remember the past, which is often referred to as collective memory. Understanding the concept of a collective memory starts from the premise that a community is the sum of its members, and that if we interrogate the members, we will understand the collective memory. But who is our respondent and where does the question originate from? History shows how different collective memories of groups can find themselves (dis)connected in a single history.
So, what is the impact if we connect these collective memories to identities of groups?
How does collective memory emerge today through pieces of individuals and groups? Collected, or collectively created stories spread via digital platforms which have the potential to create a collective memory of a generation.
How (much) can collaboratively created content empower and help articulate context within?
We are looking for Wikimedian-in-Residence to initiate and support local communities of wiki practitioners to be supported towards sustainability by Timelab and its peers.
To continue, create a user account on Timelab wiki
The selection team consists of 6 affiliated makers/practitioners and 3 members of Timelab.
We will announce the selection on May 30.
You get a fee of 9.500 euro to cover your costs including travel and food.
This will be provided through 3 monthly invoices.
We never pinpoint our residence to deliver concrete targets because we believe in serendipity in embeddedness. Previous residents honor the positive effect of being present and grab the opportunities that come with interacting with the extensive network of the organization. Therefore the only rule we cherish is that you don’t interrupt your residency. If, along the way you need or prefer to do so, this means that we will end the agreement and payment.
Budget for production purpose we discuss the costs necessary after a proposal is presented to the team.
The team will be supported by Z. Blace for this residency. This means that you can have regular consultation sessions with Z. besides the weekly meetings with the team to connect you to the local network, help with logistics and communications. Our other previous residents are also available for residency related questions or advice on how to make the most out of your residency in Timelab.
As you already understood : Presence is key. You will experience this while living, working, meeting and relaxing in the Timelab building.
Our purpose and essence is spatial resilience. Not only architectural space, but also cultural, social and mental space. Our spatial awareness stimulates our critical voice and self-reflection. Our place breathes the soul of our work and shows the scars of a world in all its complexity.
We see the role of the organization as a dramaturg: making connections in the multi-perspective of cross-sectoral practice, creating an inspiring story. Our space is our anchor, our research ground, our discussion partner.
In our relationships we do not shy away from confrontation and continue to look for connections between the present, past, people and domains. We work on a thorough record of our research and remain inquisitive, amazed and eager to learn about many different perspectives.
On a practice of experienced and sustainable experiments, together with a powerful and broad network of partners, we imagine what we want the world to become.
Our building holds space for these becomings.
Through our learnings, we bundle in the ambition to share experience in a practical and self reflective way.
Timelab is a non profit organization funded by the Flemish department of Culture for the research and development and reflection on the field of architecture and design. With a background in open hackers and makerspaces we look at the urban context and the field of spatial design, ecourbanism and local and open production strategies. What is the role of a cultural organization in an urban context? How do we create commons and self sustainable structures to organize interactions? How do we design flexible and open space, production and culture? We work with a team of 3 people without functions, taking up all the roles necessary to realize our purpose. We aim to create sustainable, often spatial, outcomes to all the research projects we initiate. The result is a building that houses a circular foodlab, waterlab, research lab on the production of bio waste material, a residency studio, co-offices and a makerlab with multiple digital and traditional tools. Besides this, there is a lot of space for events, a edible garden and a shared kitchen.
Check out our wiki here.
Who is
Z. Blace (1976) is Wikimedian and artivist focused on critical and creative practices.
...(in+)consistently working (in-)between fields of contemporary culture and arts, digital technology and media, community sports and activism – by cross-pollinating queer/commoning perspectives and embodied experiences with thinking, doing and organizing methods across different networks and contexts...
Z. Blace is co-founder of Multimedia Institute and net.culture club MaMa in Zagreb, Croatia,
as well as translocal connective ccSPORT informed by queer and feminist work in the field.
As a Timelab artist camp-er, resident, collaborator and sprint-er Z. observed, worked on and advised on projects and transformations of Timelab and its context for almost a decade.
As a Wikimedian Z. is most often engaged in gaps of content, participation and method being a member/organizer in several user groups and/or instigator of initiatives in efforts to create diverse inspiring and empowering collaborations and contributions options.
Evi Swinnen (1977) is passionate about arts and activism. Driven by a critical makers and hackers attitude towards ruling economical and social structures, she founded Timelab in 2008. Timelab hosted the first Fablab in Belgium in a dialogue with an international artists in residency program built upon the shoulders of the (New York) Timefestival, a City Festival founded in 1990 as a city wide collaboration between arts, academic world, social institutions and the City of Ghent. She grew experience in communication, production and financial models in the arts before building the cross domain urban lab of TImelab. Since, she instigates projects and partnerships in experimenting with other models of working towards innovation, empowerment and social justice. She engages in business model innovation, urban projects and policy making and brings her expertise in economical and governance models to the arts world and artists. Educated in architecture, arts studies and management, she believes the most important lessons learned come through experiment and mutual admiration. She is a member of several think tanks and experts groups on policy and arts and has a seat in boards of cultural organizations and commissions. She received the Flanders Cultural award for entrepreneurship in 2017.
Marieke Maertens (1995) fires up in a hands-on, people oriented environment where she guides her team into action and realization. She releases all her passion in developing escape rooms in her co-founded company Krono. Marieke started her engagement with Timelab in running the co-creation project RSL op Post in her hometown Roeselare. After 3 years she returned to the base of Timelab in Ghent and turned the peer learning project of School of Commons into a collaborative fun game that became the base of a spin-off in consulting organizations in their transformation towards commons. Her natural collaborative and playful flair instigates the enthusiasm of many people around. She is a creative game developer with a background in industrial design. Graduated as industrial engineer, industrial design, she has a technical background that supports her creative ideas.
Veronique De Mey (1987) has a background as a researcher in the agricultural sector. "Don't let anything go to waste" is a slogan that suits her down to the ground. This is as much about valuing agricultural harvest residues, as it is about preserving the very last vegetable from the vegetable garden at home. Principles like local, seasonality, reusability and foresight are important to her. She is rather calm by nature, but does not shy away from a challenge, she is imaginative, but purposeful!
The core team, Evi, Marieke and Veronique is joined by regular volunteers, Jan, Bart, Helena and Jeffrey. The coworkers Matthias, Lieven, Dennis and Dries are also attending Timelab on a regular basis. And last but not least, Kioko, our Canadian-born German shepherd completes the team.
We can firmly claim we can answer almost any request or question because our main strength is a crossdomain and large network of people. looking for knowledge, practical support or feedback, no question stays unaddressed.
Living and working together in Timelab, looks like what?
To create some rhythm in work and life, we hold on to the following habits. We expect our residents to join us in these as much as possible, and feasible. Having this routine is probably one of the biggest ambitions and one of the hardest to fulfill. By expressing them we also hope to be supported in keeping the rhythm for the benefit of us all. Besides habits, we like to share with you noticeable spatial elements to make you feel welcome.
- Every working day before 9:00 am we post our stand up in the Slack platform. This gives us the opportunity to ask for help or be aware of issues that occur. A stand up answers these questions: what did I do the previous day? What is my plan for today? Do I need something from someone? What is my challenge?
- You will get access to the slack. Here you can also communicate in group or private with other people in the space. Even outside of the 9 to 5 working time, you will have quick and easy communication with everyone.
- On Monday is our team meeting day, so we will be all present, but probably not very available. But we all gather at 9 am at the physical stand up to check in and kickstart the week. If there are any urgencies after the weekend, you can use this moment to share them.
- On Thursday our team is deep diving into concentrated work. Same here, we will be present, but isolated. You will definitely notice this on the way we seek for a place in the space to not be disturbed. We communicate the topics of the deep dives in slack, so if you like to join, you are very welcome.
- During periods of AiR we organize a weekly check in with our residents. These meetings are prepared and initiated by you. The team is there to support, help, give feedback and if needed, to connect you with other people.
- We love to be called to action when it comes down to sports and physical activities during breaks. Swimming, walking the dog, yoga, meditation, etc. So don’t hesitate to grab us by the arm.
- You will probably notice the beautiful library we have. You can easily check online for titles. But please, we ask all library users to treasure and take care of the books as if they were your own books. Don’t take them outside of the building, thus we make sure we don’t lose any copy, and put them back in place, or in the box for returning books. Jan, our library-man can help you when he is around.
- Your warm and cozy studio-apartment is located on the 2nd floor of the building which has a private access. This built-in duplex is part of a 200 sqm open space that has a floor heating. Everything was fully renovated in spring 2023. You have a private bathroom and small kitchen. The studio can be closed off from the bigger space when this space is used for yoga or other quiet activities.
- And finally, we all love food!
Every month we have a potluck lunch together with everyone in the space, but we also invite partners and neighbors. These Friday Lunches are also a great opportunity to use ingredients from our garden to make salads or other dishes..
Introduction days are there to be prepared
Within the period of selection and starting the residency we organize an introduction for 2 days. Preferably in Ghent.
In these two days we dive deeper into your needs to feel safe and welcome in the space, clear expectations and other practicalities. We will also organize a workshop based on your submitted application and current projects. This can be a self development, communication or technical workshop.
How to get there ?
Kogelstraat 34, 9000 Gent
By Train / public transport
You should arrive at Gent-Dampoort
From Brussels: different trains (e.g. direction of Brugge, Poperinge, …) are possible, but they should have a stop at Gent-Sint-Pieters station → switch trains (quickly!) to arrive at station Gent-Dampoort (different directions are possible: e.g. Eeklo, Antwerp)
From Antwerp: different trains (e.g. direction of Oostende, Poperinge, Gent-Sint-Pieters), all having a stop at Gent-Dampoort
Go to the back of the station (through under the train bridge), and go to Antwerpsesteenweg. Kogelstraat is a side street
https://goo.gl/maps/AcZiUuDKoPt
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How to apply
https://timelab.miraheze.org/
You can share them on the wiki in your user page space or if you have some special sensitive and private information, then to hello@timelab.org, just add Confidential in the subject line.
For this call we are looking for Wikimedians with technical skills, open content work and organizing experience. To apply we ask you to give us some of your reflections, ideas and insights on the following matrix of potential directions for engagement and sustainability you would be most interested and experienced to work:
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You can share your reflections on the wiki in your user page spaceor if you have some special sensitive and private information, then to team@timelab.org, just add Confidential in the subject line.