Welcome to the CONVERGENCE 2017
Artist’s Checklist
We are thrilled that you may be joining us in March-April 2017 for this exciting art residency in Tetouan, Morocco! We want to make sure that you are well prepared and informed as you approach your departure date, so this page is where you will find all the crucial info you’ll need to get ready. Please take some time right now to familiarize yourself with the details. You might want to “bookmark” this page now so you can find it quickly again.
Response Form – your important next step!
When you fill out and submit the CONVERGENCE 2017 C17 Artist Response Form, we will know that you intend to participate in this residency. This form will give us the necessary information to make sure we are prepared to take good care of you during that month.
After we receive your completed C17 Artist Response Form, we will send you an email with instructions for securely paying an advanced deposit to secure your place in the residency. The form will also help Green Olive Art’s Director of Hospitality, Peter Herron (peter@greenolivearts.com), begin to set up housing and other details. Please don’t hesitate to contact him if you have any questions.
We recommend you respond in the next few days!
Advance Deposit
As explained in the application process, the advanced deposit for Convergence 2017 is $1000 USD, due within 30 days of receiving your acceptance letter. When we receive the above form from you, we’ll email you instructions for paying the deposit.
If you apply for the additional 1-2 weeks post-Convergence self-directed residency, you will also need to make a deposit of $200 to secure that separate residency time and the associated housing.
Please let us know if you have concerns about paying a deposit on time.
Additional self-directed residency after Convergence 2017
If you indicated on your Artist Response Form that you would like to stay on after Convergence 2017 so that you can continue to accomplish your creative goals, then you need to complete this application for additional residency so that we can understand your goals and project proposal for that time. If the Selection Panel approves your additional self-directed residency proposal and timing, you will have until October 25 to pay a deposit to secure your place.
The reduced cost of this additional residency time is as follows: Private studio space ($324/week Residency Fee) if available … and Shared studio space ($216/week Residency Fee). Artists are responsible for all the costs related to this self-directed residency, including but not limited to the Residency Fee, costs of travel, housing, meals, tours and supplies.
The deadline to submit an application for the additional self-directed residency time is October 11, 2016
Apply for Additional Residency Time
Send us an image of your passport
Part of our responsibility as your hosts is to make sure the authorities here have all the information they need to make our experience safe and “official”. So we need you to email us a color image (a clear readable photo or a scanned copy) of your passport as soon as you can. Please send it to hospitality(at)greenolivearts.com or share it with us securely via jumpshare.com (use the address arthouse(at)greenolivearts.com)
Send us a high-res image for promotional use
We will be printing a CONVERGENCE 2017 program booklet, as well as promoting both the residency and you as an artist in print and social media, so please send us a high-resolution headshot (or two) of yourself (800×800 pixels), which we can use for these purposes.
Book Your Travel – soon!
The arrival date for the CONVERGENCE 2017 residency is Thursday March 9, 2017. You are responsible for booking your own travel to and from Morocco. We will be arranging your pick-up at either the Tangier (TNG) airport or the Tetouan (TTU) airport on March 9th only, at no additional cost. You may also arrive by train, bus, or taxi into Tangier or Tetouan and we will pick you up on the 9th. If you come by ferry from Spain, we can pick you up at “Tanger Ville” port only. (Tangier MED port will be an additional cost). Other pickup arrangements and dates are possible, but will require an additional cost not included in the overall price of the residency. If you cannot arrange an arrival on the 9th, please contact us as soon as you know your plans. An earlier date is preferable to a later one, and you can book your own hotel until the residency begins. Here are some tips to help you make your plans:
- The closest international airport is Tangier (TNG) … it is about 1 hour from our studios and accommodates most airlines coming in from Europe
- Tangier’s airport is also serviced by budget airlines from Europe, such as Ryan Air and EasyJet. These airlines do not show up on typical travel search engines (such as Expedia and Travelocity), but can be viewed on itineraries through www.skyscanner.net.
- If you fly through Casablanca (CMN) there are occasionally flights directly to Tetouan (TTU) on Royal Air Maroc … this airport in Tetouan is 15 minutes from the studios! (The down side to this route is that you may need to wait at CMN most of a day until the Tetouan flight).
- We will arrange your transportation to and from the Tangier (TNG) or Tetouan (TTU) airports only on March 9 and April 5.
- We do need to know if you are interested in continuing your residency in Tetouan for 1 or 2 weeks beyond the dates of the CONVERGENCE 2017 residency. This is an option, of course, but you will need to communicate with us about additional studio/housing time by the application for additional residency time.
Email us your full travel itinerary
We need to have your travel itinerary in hand to set up all the airport transportation necessary to get all 10 artists to the Residency. Please email the itinerary that the airline or travel agent gives you to hospitality(at)greenolivearts.com
Travel cash – Inform your bank of your travel plans!
The best way to get cash here is by ATM withdrawal. However, to use you bank debit card here, you must call and let your bank know of your travel plans. Otherwise your card may be blocked. This applies to credit cards you may want to use here as well. Check with your bank to make sure they don’t charge a high foreign transaction fee.
FYI – If you plan to exchange your country’s currency for Moroccan dirhams, be sure that the the currency you bring with you is practically NEW. We have had artists attempt an exchange and be denied because the currency they brought had pen marks, folds, tape or other marks that made it look used … most exchange offices here won’t accept it. You will probably get a better exchange rate from your bank using the ATMs here … but some banks also charge an overseas ATM fee.
Travel Insurance – recommended
We all know that plans change due to circumstances beyond our control, so it is highly recommended that you secure your own travel insurance with this or another reputable company. You can also refer to the CDC website for information on recommended immunizations or other health concerns.
Pre-Trip Reading
Please read the Resource Booklet. (Required) You will receive a physical copy of a special edition Convergence 2017 booklet (linked below) when you arrive, but we have found that it is best if you read it ahead of time. Besides, it will help you get oriented to some of the basics of life and travel in Morocco. As we get closer to your arrival, a new version will be available with all the artist bios, calendar, schedule, maps and contact info.
We also recommend Orin Hargraves’ Culture Shock Morocco as an excellent reading on etiquette and customs as well as some helpful chapters on food, holidays and negotiating.
- Culture Shock Morocco by Orin Hargraves