CUTOUT 2025 Festival of Contemporary Collage calls for applications for a collective exhibition of collage in the genre: MINI collage for Ukrainian and International artists. The exhibition with the participation of the open-call winners will take place in Kyiv, Ukraine, in the fall of 2025 at the National Museum “Kyiv Picture Gallery”.
THEME: IDENTITY CODE: Nation, Culture, Politics
CONCEPT:
What is identity? For us, it is something personal, unexplainable, because it manifests itself in our actions and choices. But the war made us think more deeply about how identity is formed and how vulnerable it is to external influences. The consequences of human decisions, cultural confusion, inertia, and infantilism, which have been and continue to be manipulated, have given rise to the problem of cultural identity and identity in general.
Identity rests on three key concepts: identity, continuity, and self-awareness. They seem obvious, but their power depends on knowing one's own culture, accepting it, and being able to consciously translate it outward. However, in today's world, our identity is shaped not only by our own experience, but also by the information environment: social networks, mass culture, trends, and propaganda. To what extent do we realize this influence?
For centuries, Ukrainian culture has been devalued, repressed, and forcibly destroyed. Often, through manipulations and substitutions of concepts, identity was imperceptibly erased. As a result, part of the population lost their roots, historical memory, and understanding of continuity. This opens up space for further manipulation, which is contrary to the interests of the nation and the state as a whole.
The topic of identity is becoming more and more acute, as we feel its loss at every step. This is how the theme of the third CUTOUT Contemporary Collage Festival was born - a platform for artistic reflection on identity, its vulnerability and value. We want to draw attention to how national identity is formed in different countries and ask: is it possible to preserve the identity of a nation in the modern world while remaining apolitical?
We invite artists from all over the world to express their thoughts, ask questions and provide answers through the art of collage. Your works will become a part of the global discussion, and our festival will become a platform for exploring this topic at the international level.
TERMS OF PARTICIPATION:
1. Open call accepts applications in five categories:
- Analog collage MINI (maximum size 14.85 x 21cm - A5, jpg/png file format)
- Digital collage MINI (maximum size 14.85 x 21cm - A5, 300dpi, jpg/png file format)
- Animation collage (horizontal placement 1920x1080px, mp4 format)
- Collage art book (sketchbook/zine/book, maximum size 14.85 x 21cm - A5)
- Installation / Collage sculpture (maximum height and width 20 cm)
* The theme of MINI involves immersing the participants in a small format research. Try to create a collage on a playing card or business card. Experiment!
** A collage can be created by hand on paper, plastic, wood, glass, photos, clippings and other materials; on digital media or as a sculpture, sketchbook, zine or even a book).
*** Tip for animations: place the composition horizontally. It can be in 2D, 3D, frame-by-frame animation and stop-motion. Add a freeze frame to the animation, i.e. a picture that can be used as a preview in social networks).
2. Number of collages: from 1 to 10 works (stick to the specified number).
3. Age of authors: from 18 years old / from 16 years old with the consent of parents/guardians.
4. By filling out the application, the participant agrees to the publication of the personal data provided in it in social networks, on the project website and in print.
5. A separate application is submitted for each category of the competition (filled out and paid separately).
6. Works created during 2014-2025 are accepted.
7. Works created in collaboration are accepted.
APPLICATION DEADLINE - APRIL 15, 2025; 23:59
PREPARE A FOLDER IN GOOGLE DRIVE AND PROVIDE A LINK:
!!! Don't forget to give us access to view.
Each artist must apply by filling out this form and providing a signed link to a Google Drive folder: Last Name First Name_Country.
In the folder, please place the following files:
1. High-quality photos or scans of 300dpi+ collages in jpg/png format, labeled in English Number_Country_Artist_Title_Year (for example: 1_USA_John Meyer_Untitled_2023).
2. Description of works/series: dimensions of works, textual concept (maximum 200 words, in Ukrainian and English).
3. CV of the artist (1 file in PDF format, no more than 10 MB in size)
4. Receipt or screenshot of payment for the application.
INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS whose works will be selected for the exhibition based on the results of the open call:
1. Everyone who has applied will receive an email notification of the results of the open call.
2. The exhibition with the participation of the winners of the open call will be held at the National Museum “Kyiv Picture Gallery”, Kyiv, Ukraine, in the fall of 2025.
3. The participant sends the selected works at his/her own expense.
4. One of the submitted works will be included in the CUTOUT festival collection.
5. The organizers are not responsible for any damage to the works during the mailing.
6. The selected works will be presented at the CUTOUT Contemporary Collage Festival and published in social networks.
7. The works will be arranged and placed in the exhibition by curators or designated persons.
8. Entrance to the Festival is free for participants, and there is a 10% discount on events.
APPLICATION FEE:
Ukrainian Artists – 600 uah.
International Artists – 35 eur.
* Fee for one of the five categories of the contest. Payment for participation in each category is made separately.
** Please attach a screenshot of your payment to your Google Drive folder.
*** The fee is used to cover organizational expenses. The fee is taxable and non-refundable for participants who are not selected by the jury.
APPLICATION DEADLINE - APRIL 15, 2025; 23:59
JURY OF OPEN CALL 2025:
Co-founders and curators of the CUTOUT art project: Annete Sagal and Katya Syta
The international representatives of the institutions hosting the festival will be announced during the open call on the website and in social media.
Festival organizer: CUTOUT COLLAGE Art Project, #MYMinistryofCulture, Kyiv Collage Collective.
Partners: National Museum “Kyiv Picture Gallery” (Kyiv), gallery Le Bonheur est Dans L'instant (Paris), Ukrainian House in Japan (Tokyo).
Curators: Annete Sagal, Katya Syta
Co-curators: Irena Khomenko, Veronika Shchukina (Kyiv), Xavier Gra (Paris)
Media partners: Marie Claire Ukraine, UAgallery