Riu d'art 2023

Riu d'art 2023 will be the 6th edition of this artistic residency in the village of Riba-roja d'Ebre. The Riba Rocks association (the organising entity) opens the call for applications from national and international artists and receives over 300 portfolios each year. For the forthcoming edition, we would like to select and invite up to 5 national/international artists to stay in Riba-roja d'Ebre. A green travel bursary will be offered, encouraging 'slow' travel, and more sustainable options including train and bus. Flights will be used a last resort. Travelling artists experience diverse activities and educational workshops. The residency results in the creation of a permanent work of art in the streets of the village.

The Riu d'art project now boasts over 30 works of art, completed since the first edition in 2016. Artworks range from large-scale murals, site-specific installations, sculptures, photography, live performance and digital video projections.

Riu d'art highlights the local artistic talent within the region by showcasing artworks in a curated group exhibition in the space given by the Ajuntament. This exhibition, under a new theme each year, offers local artists the opportunity to display their works and present them and their practice to visiting international artists. Creating cultural and artistic exchange throughout the Riu d'art residency, with an emphasis on local and global synergies.

Within the first week of the Riu d'art residency, members of the Riba Rocks association give guided tours to the visiting artists of local heritage sites including the hydroelectric dam of Riba-roja and its links to the barrio of Santo Domingo, the hermitages of Santa Madrona and Berrús, the Juniper Ovens, the Nature Reserve in Flix, architectural sites of interest, riverside walks and a guided visit to a local off-grid olive farm. This experience leads to artworks which have a strong connection to people and place.

Practical and technical artistic workshops are also organised for visiting artists. These include a ceramic workshop with Adria Cid, an illustration workshop with Roser Gay and a land art and sculptural workshop with Sarah Misselbrook. Also arranged for visiting and local participants is a visit to local wood-turning artisans, a workshop at the local bakery, honey producer and the lace-making association, with a focus on local products, traditional skills and sustainability.

Informal language exchange is a constant thread throughout the project, with an introduction to the Catalan language and socio-cultural identity. During the residency, the international artists present their works and artistic practice to the inhabitants of the village and further afield, using the Zona Liquida co-working centre.

The Riu d'art residency culminates in a Street Art Fest event in Plaça del Forn in the Nucli Antic of Riba-roja d'Ebre. Starting with a guided tour of the new permanent artworks with an artist presentation, followed by digital projections of the Castle. Digital works are submitted at the same time as residency applications and offer artists an opportunity to show digital artworks without the need to travel. A long-lasting legacy of the residency is embodied in the permanent works of art accessible to all in the streets of Riba-roja d’Ebre. With the creation of a map, available at various points around the village in hand-crafted boxes. These maps offer local habitants and visitors alike the opportunity to do a tour of the Riu d’art Open Air Gallery. This currently attracts national and international tourists to the village.