V2_, Lab for the Unstable Media is an interdisciplinary center for art and media technology in Rotterdam (the Netherlands). V2_ presents, produces, archives and publishes research at the interface of art, technology and society. Founded in 1981, V2_ offers a platform for artists, designers, scientists, researchers, theorists, and developers of software and hardware from various disciplines to discuss their work and share their findings. In V2_’s view, art and design play an essential role in the social embedding of technological developments. V2_ creates a context in which issues regarding the social impact of technology are explored through critical dialogue, artistic reflection and practice-oriented research.

V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media cordially invites upcoming curators, community organisers and cultural practitioners to apply for the newly conceived Alex Adriaansens Residency.
With the Alex Adriaanses Residency, the V2_ team wishes to honour the legacy of co-founder Alex Adriaansens, who, alongside his artistic work, created a new type of cultural institution with V2_. Over its more than 40-year history, V2_ has grown and developed solid structures, first in Den Bosch and, since 1994, in Rotterdam. However, the organisation has always maintained its independence as a place for artistic experimentation with digital media, the debate about the influence of technological change on society, the political engagement with its consequences, and encounters between different communities at local, regional and international levels. In his curatorial work, Alex has always created spaces for this exchange, tested new formats and worked to ensure that V2_ remains a playground for new art forms that have not yet found broad recognition in the canon of contemporary art.

Starting with a new focus in 2025, the Alex Adriaansens Residency will provide an opportunity to ask questions such as: How do independent art and cultural institutions offer a playground for new art forms today, and create spaces for different communities and unexpected encounters? Which curatorial practices are currently opening up the boundaries between art, social space and activism? What are the continuities, and what breaks have there been in the history of self-managed art organisations operating in DIY mode since the 1980s? They are convinced that today, in times of multiple crises, it is more important than ever to preserve and promote places of encounter, emerging artistic practices and critical thinking. Within the framework of the programme, upcoming curators, community organisers and cultural practitioners can explore these and many other questions while further developing their own practice. They will have access to V2_’s extensive archive for research.

The residency is primarily aimed at curators, initiators of festivals, art programmes and events, and community organisers in the fields of media art, digital cultures and related art and cultural fields, who are starting their professional careers. Duos or teams can apply together, but will share the grant.

They understand media art as a historic term with a relevant dimension for our present, and as a cross-disciplinary artistic field – applicants from, for example, the visual arts, film, music, performance, theatre and cultural education are very welcome! There is no thematic requirement for the residency. The focus of the research can be freely chosen.