Queer Natures Micro-Commissions

Too often, queerness has been described as "unnatural", or a modern invention. In many cases, queer scholars have responded to this by rejecting nature as a space of significance for LGBTQ+ lives. The Queer Natures Project asks: what new knowledge and practices can we discover when we think of queerness and nature together?

As part of the Queer Natures project, Project Lead Dr Ina Linge, Associate Professor of German, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Exeter, investigates how German-speaking artists and scientists in the past have thought about nature and queerness together. She is particularly interested in the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) as a period in German history when queer and trans lives gained new visibility, but were also subjected to scientific scrutiny. Her research has shown that artists, writers and scientists during this period looked at animal bodies and metaphors to inform their understanding of LGBTQ+ lives and identities. For example, some looked at insects to reflect on different models for social organisation that included LGBTQ+ people. Others recommended consuming specific animal products to enhance gendered traits. Sometimes, this led to emancipatory practices that reclaimed the natural world as inherently queer. Other times, attempts at queering nature reinforced problematic ideas about race, nation, able-bodiedness and able-mindedness. The Queer Natures project as a whole seeks to bring this research into dialogue with creative and artistic practice. You can find out more about this research here and here.

We are offering 3 micro-commissions to artists in any discipline and working in either English or German to respond to the research conducted as part of the Queer Natures project. £500 including VAT will be awarded to each successful project, to cover all fees and production costs.

Selected artists will:

• Respond to the research outlined above. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to meet with the Project Lead (online or in person) to find out more about the research.
• Create work that is completely new OR part of an extension of an existing body of work.
• Be expected to spend an appropriate time on developing and producing the work; this is a micro commission with around two days of artist time budgeted and should be light-touch and smaller scale to reflect this.
• Produce a finished work suitable for hosting on the Queer Natures website and project partner websites and on social media. This work can be any media, including writing, sound and music, digital, video or physical media.

Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrates a genuine connection and interest in the research themes.
• Able to provide a novel creative perspective, complementing the other research work.
• Established creative practice, creating work that will connect meaningfully with research audiences.
• Suggested output achievable within a short timeframe.

Note - the selection panel will also be seeking to balance a range of voices, perspectives and artforms across the three selected micro-commissions.

Read the full-callout and download the application form here.