#Residency #Research #Creation
This Call for Applications is part of Event 25 – Living trails, led by M28 – Terres de culture.
Winners of the call for applications
The artist selection panel for the SANA “Vivid Memories” research and creation residency, supported by M28 – Terres de culture and SPL Le Grau-du-Roi Development, met on 5 February 2025 to examine the applications received for this year’s event.
Of the 74 applications received, 3 artists were selected on the basis of the criteria set out in the call for applications.
After a rigorous selection process, the jury has chosen the three winning artists for the “Vivid Memories” research and creation residency at the SANA:
Myrtille Bouvret
Visual art, Sculpture
The pulsations of our territories (working title)
“An investigation into the pulsations of our territories, questioning what lives, what changes, what disappears and the beauty of what remains.”
Elodie Cabos
Visual art, Art installations
New breath
“A wild kiosk emerges from the landscape, and anyone who climbs aboard embarks on a unique journey”
Delphine Tourte
Writing, Poetry, Graphics
Between oneself and the waters (working title)
“An exploration of the links between water and humans, with writing as a gesture of care and as a way of conversing with the territory of the Petite Camargue.”
We warmly congratulate the winners on their selection and their artistic commitment. These projects illustrate the diversity of approaches and the wealth of ideas around the theme of life, in relation to contemporary issues and local areas.
The 3 prizewinners will be able to develop a territorial project in their respective disciplines for 8 weeks in the heart of a natural space on the seafront, as part of the conversion of the SANA, an emblematic site on the Mediterranean coast, into a third-place. A public presentation of their work will be organised as part of Event 25 – Living trails, which will take place from 26 September to 5 October 2025.
The M28 team would like to thank all the artists who took part in this call for entries for the high quality of their proposals, as well as the members of the jury – Jean-Marie Boizeau, Director of the École des Beaux-Arts de Sète, Céline Pévrier, Publisher and founder of Maison Sun/Sun, Robert Gourdel, Councillor for Culture and Events at Le Grau-du-Roi, Maud Hubidos, Director of SPL Le Grau du Roi Development, Frédéric Alcacer, Head of Projects at SPL Le Grau du Roi Development,, Sophie Léron, President of M28 and Nicolas Dubourg, Artistic Director of M28.
Preamble to the call for applications
In line with their respective initiatives to development and anchoring, and as part of the joint Event 25 – Living trails, SPL Le Grau du Roi Développement and the Montpellier 2028 – Terres de culture association are launching the “Vivid Memories” call for residencies. This call is supported by the SPL’s projects department, and in particular by the SANA project team.
The town of Grau du Roi has launched an ambitious rehabilitation and development project on the site of the former sanatorium in Grau du Roi, entrusting SPL Le Grau du Roi Développement with the management of the SANA project. The site is unique in that it is steeped in history, which has left its mark on several generations of local residents. It occupies a central place in local history for what it has been: a place of care and economic and social development, and for what it will continue to be: a place for meetings and dialogue. Now under construction, the SANA will become a third-place centre for businesses linked to the blue water economy, as well as a venue for conferences, artists and the local community. The SANA is designed to be a bridge where culture and science can help educate the general public about climate change and support the necessary adaptation of our practices.
The Montpellier 2028 Association was set up by Montpellier, Sète and a number of local authorities to work together on a bid to become the European Capital of Culture, using culture as a lever for an ambitious policy to transform the region. This first phase was the driving force behind a long-term strategy that led to the co-construction of a regional project involving numerous partners, economic, educational and social players.
As a continuation of the momentum that has been built up, and in view of the challenges ahead, Montpellier 2028 now aims to capitalise on the momentum established during the bid to pursue joint actions on the territory and :
- Animate a common framework going beyond existing administrative structures and aiming to transform, through culture, the territory defined in the continuity of the candidacy of Montpellier and its partners to become European Capital of Culture,
- To create a space for experimentation with new artistic forms and collaborations around the day-to-day problems of local residents and the major issues affecting the area,
- Take an experimental and cross-sectoral approach,
- Support joint projects, document them and give them shared visibility.
A major cultural event, “Living trails”, will be held from 26 September to 5 October 2025, at the end of a year of residencies and experiments.
The “Vivid Memories” residency offered by the SANA project team in Le Grau du Roi is an opportunity for an artist to develop a territorial project in the heart of a natural space on the seafront, as part of the conversion of an emblematic site on the Mediterranean coast into a third-place. The former sanatorium, inaugurated in 1933, was largely demolished in 2016, with the exception of a single building that became the SANA.
This residency is seen as a powerful lever for encouraging artists to circulate and meet local residents. The artist is invited to produce a work that relates to the emblematic SANA site, which is at once a social, emotional and economic heritage site. The artist will be highlighting this historical, identity-building and natural crossroads that has forged the local community.
Set between ponds and the sea, the Sana is divided into two areas: a built-up area (the former sanatorium administration building) and a natural area, a vast expanse of grass and sand, planted with trees and bordered by a footpath leading directly to the beach.
The artist will be accompanied by the venue’s project team (the manager, his assistant and the CSR manager) and a Montpellier 2028 – Terres de culture reference person.
General conditions of the residency
Expected artistic disciplines
– writing, particularly poetry, literature, theatre, graphic novels and experimental writing,
– visual art, in particular painting, sculpture, graphic design, street art and art installations.
The research part of the residency will include periods of amateur artistic practice with intermediate meetings. The creative part of the residency will necessarily involve a performance during Event 25 – Living trails.
Duration and hosting conditions
Eight weeks of experimentation and creation, with access to the site and support from the SANA project team. Accommodation – when necessary – is provided by SPL le Grau du Roi Développement as follows: mobile home at the Espiguette campsite in Le Grau du Roi. In addition, the SANA project team will facilitate travel on site, particularly between the SANA site and the accommodation. A working room will be made available to the artist according to a schedule defined by them and subject to booking (workshop space at the Espiguette lighthouse, meeting rooms at the campsite and the tourist office).
Grant
The residency is endowed with a grant of 7,000 euros per artist. This includes the artist’s remuneration, per diems and transport.
An agreement will be drawn up between the Montpellier 2028 association and the artist.
Duration
As part of Event 25 – Living trails, the SANA team is offering a residency to one, two or three artists for eight weeks from March to October 2025, with the exception of the period from 15 June to 15 September.
Terms and conditions
The call for applications is open to artists of any age and any location. The artist is invited to experiment and create, in keeping with the context of the place of residency and within the framework of Event 25 – Living trails.
Artists may apply either individually (one artist) or as a group (two or three artists). The artists selected, whether they have applied together or separately, must combine their proposals for a joint presentation of their work at Event 25 – Living trails.
The selected artist commits to being on site for eight weeks during the period set out above. The residency will be punctuated by time spent working together with the other artists, themselves selected as part of this call for applications. The artist’s application will include intermediary meetings with the public, with a section on amateur artistic practices, and a major performance during Event 25, which will take place from 26 September to 5 October 2025.
Alongside the residents of Grau du Roi, the residents of the Espiguette campsite (600 year-round residents) could provide a breeding ground for amateur practices. If necessary, the SPL project team will facilitate the link between the artist and the residents.
Feedback
The SANA, with the support of the Montpellier 2028 – Terres de Culture association, will organise the rendition sessions, meaning the intermediate meetings and the presentation during Event 25 – Living trails.
Application
Applications must include:
- an up-to-date portfolio and biography;
- a statement of intent setting out the artist’s motivations for this residency, with particular attention paid to the specifics set out in this call for applications.
- Dossier and note of intent, not exceeding 20Mb, must be uploaded in PDF format with the following headings: ‘NOM_E25_SANA_PORTFOLIO’ and ‘NOM_E25_SANA_NOTE’, to the following two addresses: lesana@letsgrau.com and contact@montpellier2028.eu
- Deadline for applications: 20 January 2025 included
Download the Call for applications
The jury will deliberate on Wednesday 05 February 2025.