SPECULATIVE ECOLOGIES

2026 OPEN CALL

C-PLATFORM, as a partner of the Green Art Lab Alliance (GALA), is commissioned by LABVERDE (Brazil) to jointly release the open call for the “Speculative Ecologies” residency. We warmly invite Chinese artists to apply and take part in expanding the possibilities of translocal ecological art practices.

Speculative Ecologies is a multidisciplinary program created for the development of critical thinking about nature and ecology. Artists, activists, indigenous, scientists and other agents of knowledge come together to recognize and narrate nature, in an attempt to create new ways of existing and interacting with the natural environment, as well as to speculate on possible futures for the Amazon.

LIFE EXPERIENCE AND THEORY WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO 10 DAYS OF INTENSIVE ACTIVITIES IN THE FOREST. A SCHEDULE OF EXPEDITIONS, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS AND SEMINARS WILL ENHANCE CREATIVITY, HAVING NATURE AS A COMMON GROUND.

· LOCATION

The journey will take place in different locations enabling different scales and perspectives of the Amazon rainforest. Program will be developed near the city of Manaus, exploring ecological reserves, communities, different ecosystems and dystopian landscapes by catastrophes. Part of the residency will be held inside of the rainforest in research scientific headquarter and part will be held in a Regional Boat, to access coastal communities and aquatic ecosystems.

· APPLICATION DEADLINE

Sunday, March 29, 2026

· PARTICIPATION PERIOD

October–November 2026

· HOW TO APPLY

Please click  2026 LABVERDE  go to the residency’s details page

Please read the full “Speculative Ecology” project information prior to applying for the residency, then prepare your application materials and complete the online application form.

· LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

English/ Spanish/ Portuguese

· APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR ONLINE SUBMISSION

Portfolio

(Formats accepted: PDF, audio, documents, drawings, images, presentations, or video. Maximum size: 100 MB)

Mini Bio

(Max 300 words）

Description of a Creative Project Idea

(Max 300 words）

· RESIDENCY FEE AND GRANTS

USD 4,600 (approx. RMB 30,000) for international artists. The fee includes field activities, lectures, accommodation, meals, and transportation.

This open call is intended for international artists. The participation fee contributes to strengthening the economic ecosystem and to the sustainability of the initiative, which is non-profit, while also enabling our inclusion policy through the Labverde Grant, aimed at democratizing access to the program. Only artists from the Global South who are active in their respective territories are eligible to apply.

(Applicants for scholarships are required to submit a motivation letter as part of their application. For more details, please refer to the “Speculative Ecologies” application form page.)

About LABVERDE

Created in 2013, LABVERDE is a trans-disciplinary platform based in the Brazilian Amazon. Its main focus is the development of environment-related artistic languages, working in the production and democratization of knowledge through residencies, lectures, exhibitions, festivals, workshops and publications.

Artists, indigenous people, scientists and other knowledge agents come together to recognize and narrate nature, in an attempt to create new ways of existence and interaction with environment; and to co-imagine new approaches to current ecosystems.

Created by a women’s collective in partnership with the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA), the platform is led by Lilian Fraiji, who is the artistic curator, produced by Tammy Cavalcante and is under the guidance of the environmentalist Flávia Santana. For each project brings together a plural network of professionals and institutions, both local and international wise, who believe in the preservation of socio-biodiversity.

Our work is grounded in the understanding that culture is a central axis in addressing socio-environmental challenges. We advocate for the Creative Economy as a fundamental instrument for preserving a living, plural, and inclusive Amazon. We understand art both as a symbolic force capable of generating empathy, strengthening identities, and mobilizing social transformation, and as a driver of economic development, promoting income generation and the distribution of opportunities.

Official Website

Labverde.com

Editing and Layout Design

Zhuona