Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists is a work space for artists and artistic development placed in rural and inspiring surroundings on the Danish island Bornholm.

BIRCAS most prominent goal is to ensure the best possible working conditions for performing artists, who want to unfold new ideas and projects. Further, it is to ensure that visiting artists get the opportunity to exchange reflections and experiences with artists from other – national or international – contexts. The rehearsing space and the surroundings of BIRCA is open for meetings across performative forms of expression – circus, theater, performance, dance – as well as for interaction with the local nature and culture.

BIRCA strive to be the ideal setting for artistic development processes; it is a space for workshops and for periods of rehearsals for groups as well as individuals. It is also a perfect retreat for the individual artist who wants to research and/or to write. BIRCA is supporting performers and performance groups that seeks to develope new artistic language and methods.

BIRCA is a place in continuous renewal – it seeks curiously and continually inspiration and new goals through interaction with the surrounding society and it continues its international outreach through cross national as well as cross cultural collaborations. As an internationally embedded organisation BIRCA partake in the development of new theory, new methodologies and new ways of making performance art an instrument to reach democratic debates.

BIRCA is situated in Bækkelund near Klemensker on the Northern part of Bornholm in Denmark.  The old farmhouse buildings has been renovated and modernised in order to provide optimal working and lodging facilities for national and international residencies.

There are two big rehearsal studios the sizes of 160 and 130 sq meters each. The main building is 200 sq m big and contains 3 different rooms for rent. Further, we have a beautiful 130 sq m atelier apartment with a first floor dormitory/studio in the stable building. Ideally, two different performing art groups can work and stay at BIRCA simultaneously.

The farmhouse buildings are situated in the middle of 3,31 hectares of land, beautiful fields with a small stretch of forest nearby. So there is plenty of space to think and unfold your artistic ideas at BIRCA.

Booking

We normally work May to October – but the place can also be visits in winthertime for more research/study purposes. You can book individual times here for 800€ for a week including one of the spaces and 3 rooms for accomodation. We also run some residencyprograms with application but mostly focussed on Danish artists – write to info@birca.org

Community

When you stay at BIRCA, you are part of the community of artists and residents who are present at the same time. This means that you cook and eat together, participate in shopping, cleaning and other practical chores. And then there is ample opportunity to participate in discussions and activities across, in short, get to know new people and become part of international networks. Read more about the practical stuff here.

Leadership and organisation

Foreningen BIRCA Residency lead the residency programs – chaired by Ida Tjalve/puppetier, Bente Larsen/RUC, Kirsten Lauerberg Lund/Turistguide og Tine Nygaard/Director Bornholms Kunstmuseum.

Foreningen BIRCA Residency is behind all supported residencies with support from the Danish Arts Foundation, Creative Europe, Bornholms Regions Kommune and private fundations. We collaborate with the Metropolis Festival and the Passage Festival. The asssociation is a member of Res Artis, IETM and the AREA network.

Director of BIRCA is Susanne Danig, who also owns the place. She also mentors and coach performing artists in her consultancy Danig Performing Arts Service. She can be contacted here susanne@birca.org.

Read and understand the full vision of BIRCA here

BIRCA is supported by:

info@birca.org

Bolbyvej 7

3782 Klemensker

Bornholm, Danmark

20 72 28 29

cvr nr: 39975734