The future of artistic residencies will be discussed in Tenerife.

This weekend in Tenerife, the TEA art space will host discussions about the current state and future of art residencies. The event, titled "Mapping, Sensing, Imagining," will take place over two days, Friday and Saturday.

Art historian Marta Rincón will moderate the meeting, which will bring together artists, curators, and directors of various organizations from around the world in the capital of Tenerife. They will discuss the challenges faced by artists, emerging new approaches, and existing contradictions in the contemporary art sphere.

Organizers say that residencies are crucial today for both emerging and established artists. But what exactly is an art residency? What are their similarities and differences? The event aims to discuss whether there is a need to establish common rules and ethical standards for such residencies, especially as they become increasingly prevalent.

The forum will examine interesting projects being implemented in the Canary Islands, as well as discuss experiences from other countries. Discussions will focus on how collaboration between artists and local communities can transform people's lives and the cities themselves. Attention will also be paid to potential risks: the use of these programs for commercial purposes, the conflict between the opportunity to travel the world and environmental responsibility, and the importance of rethinking approaches to art from the perspective of ecology and social justice.

The event will discuss important initiatives in the Canary Islands in comparison to the experiences of other countries.

The event will feature prominent figures such as Alessio Antoniolli (Triangle Network, Rome), Phillipe Gueye (RAW Material Company, Dakar), Fernanda Brenner (Pivô, São Paulo), Sofia Carolina Botelho (Arquipélago, Azores), Laila Hida (LE 18, Marrakech), Belinda Holden (Yinka Shonibare Foundation, UK and Nigeria), Luisa Espino (Matadero Madrid), and Dirk Snauwaert (WIELS, Brussels), among others. Together with representatives of Canarian initiatives such as Vega de Agua (Gran Canaria) and La Limonera (Tenerife), they will create a diverse picture of approaches, allowing for the consideration of important topics such as cultural preservation, identity, and the challenges associated with island life.

Marta Rincón, the event's director, says: "Rethinking residencies is rethinking how we want to live and create together." The "Mapping, Sensing, Imagining" event is an invitation to create a more just and open art world, where self-reflection, dialogue, and shared responsibility are important.