Open Call: The House That Heals the Soul

The House That Heals the Soul - Nick Thurston, Sean Dockray and Benjamin Forster, Publication Studio Glasgow, OOMK, The Book Lovers, The Serving Library, Temporary Services Library, Emily Jacir, Mybookcase, Curandi-Katz and Beatrice Catanzaro

This summer’s exhibition at CCA (22 July– 3 September) focuses on the practice of publishing, and the political and social status of the Library. Programmed in collaboration with artist Nick Thurston, CCA’s exhibition spaces will be opened up to house a selection of library and self-publishing resources and artworks, looking at the radical potential of library collections and collecting.

Public libraries have become one of the last remaining spaces where people can gather without expectation or requirement. With the future and financing of libraries and library buildings becoming increasingly precarious, this exhibition aims to explore the radical potential of libraries as sites of resistance, shelter, sharing and knowledge exchange. The show will support a dialogue around the importance of librarians as interlocutor and curator, as well as giving access to CCA’s spaces for reading and viewing of work.

Alongside library resources, the exhibition will include a series of artworks examining relationships to books, access to libraries and the technologies of reading. Digital projects such as aaaaarg.fail will also have a presence in the space, and there will be series of talks by artists and radical librarians throughout the show exploring alternative sites for knowledge sharing.

Publication Studio Glasgow will also move into the gallery spaces as an open-source resource for self-publishing. CCA and the Publication Studio partners will run a series of workshops and inductions allowing any member of the public to design, print and bind their own book edition.

This exhibition marks the beginning of a series of summer exhibitions in CCA’s main galleries that open the rooms up as spaces for meeting and exchange, providing resources and facilities for more autonomous activity.

We are looking for proposals from anyone who would like to make use of the exhibition and library space during the exhibition. This could be a talk, screenings, or workshops, or simply the use of an empty shelf to share your books. Any public activity led by individuals or groups who would like to contribute a library collection, access any of the resources, host their own event or use the gallery as a space to meet to address the general public or communities would be welcome and supported by the CCA within the limitation of our resources and financial capabilities.

Examples of activities include:
Sharing of books
Film screenings
Workshops
Open discussion groups, debates and reading groups
Public meetings of organisations/agencies
Writing sessions
Performances

CCA can offer content, technical and infrastructural support, and promotion through CCA's channels. There is a small budget available which will be discussed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the need of the proposals.

If you are interested in being involved in any way, we would invite you to submit a simple proposal by Wednesday 31 May. Please outline the following:

A description of your event / idea / proposal
What you would need in terms of practical support from CCA

The final selection will be made by Friday 16 June. Please submit the proposal to Cindy Zhang - cindy@cca-glasgow.com.