MedSEA – Socially Engaged Arts in the Mediterranean Area is a European cooperation project that operates within a specific sphere: one in which artistic practices engage directly with the communities, regions and social transformations taking place across the Mediterranean.

MedSea stems from the need to create shared working environments, in which art is not limited to producing content, but becomes a tool for fostering relationships, generating processes and contributing to the development of culturally sustainable models over time.

Within this framework, an open call is being launched, aimed at emerging artists and cultural professionals who work, or wish to work, with participatory and socially engaged artistic practices.

The project will select 12 participants who will undertake a programme combining training, an artist residency and fieldwork, carried out in two specific locations: Larnaca (Cyprus) and Sfax (Tunisia).

The heart of the project lies in its practical implementation. It is not simply a matter of taking part in a programme, but of working within real communities, initiating processes of co-creation and contributing to the development of works created in collaboration with local contexts.

The programme unfolds in several phases. It begins with a preparation and capacity-building phase, which includes webinars and workshops dedicated to community-based artistic practices, sustainability and cultural planning. It continues with a four-week residency, during which participants work closely with local communities, supported by the project partners.

The works created will be presented at two festivals: the Mahallart Festival in Larnaca and the Hors-Lits Festival in Sfax, two events that have been exploring the relationship between art and the community for many years.

Taking part in MedSea means becoming part of a process that combines artistic practice, community-based work and international exchange. The value of the project lies not only in its outputs, but in its ability to build relationships, stimulate engagement and develop skills that can be applied over time.

The project is co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.