The In Ex(ile) Lab has come to an end

During the last two years, the lab supported the work of 12 artists in exile:

Eisa Baddour, Emmanuel Ndefo, Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti, Irkalla, Keyla Brasil, Letícia Simões, Liryc Dela Cruz, Maryam Malmir, Mo, Nina Itova, Pinky Htut Aung and Polina Chebanu were selected through an open call, which allowed In Ex(ile) Lab to closely examine their artistic practices through the sharing of their research in individual discussions, public presentations, and lectures organized in Cyprus, France, Italy and Portugal.

An important part of the dialogue revolved around what cultural institutions need to provide for the development of these works and, more broadly, what role cultural organizations play in creating space for artists in exile. We came to understand their concerns—both social and political—and how we might begin to address them. In the In Ex(ile) Lab Toolkit, you can read more about these insights, and in the Digital Catalogue, learn more about each artist and their respective projects from this edition.

We also highlight that from the In Ex(ile) Lab emerged an artistic collaboration between Alkantara and Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti, who will premiere 52blue at Teatro do Bairro Alto on 23 November, as part of the Alkantara Festival 2024. The Brazilian coreographer, now residing in Portugal, is simultaneously developing CANTAR alongside 52blue. These performances function as a diptych, with CANTAR continuing the exploration of themes of displacement, exile, survival, and resistance present in 52blue. CANTAR is set to premiere in 2025 at the Alkantara Festival. Both performances are produced by Alkantara.

In Ex(ile) Lab is a two-year laboratory that aims to support artists in exile who have recently relocated and are looking to build a career in their host country, by providing opportunities to create a performance, build a professional network, be artistically advised by established artists based in Europe and reach new audiences within the European space. By doing so, the project will provide a framework for cultural organisations to rethink their practices and adapt their tools to the needs of artists in exile. The project is led by atelier des artistes en exile, developed and implemented with Alkantara, Visual Voices and Santarcangelo Festival.