What is Tanfis?
Tanfis is a continuation of the work we began last fall with our first Tanfis event, which focused on artists from the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region. Led by the notion of Tanfis, an Arabic word that translates to a cathartic liberation of the soul, we introduce a new artist residency focused on collaboratively exploring themes of misrepresentation, underrepresentation, and the erasure of histories.
For this second iteration, thanks to grants received from the National Endowment for the Arts and Brooklyn Arts Council, Remix ⟷ Culture is taking its mission of co-creating spaces of belonging and mutual support by collaboratively documenting and remixing traditional musicians and their communities' stories to communities with whom we have long wished to collaborate: Palestinian, Syrian, Lebanese, and Iraqi diaspora communities in New York.
For this project, we will unite traditional musicians, remix artists, DJs, and storytellers from these communities and together we will:
Record and film stunning audio and video of traditional music
Collect and record stories from the communities
Remix and collaborate to creatively edit, mashup, riff on, and visualize the music and the stories, creating something wholly new while honoring the spirit of the source.
Facilitate regular meetings to ensure that all of the various elements remain in conversation with one another.
The culmination of this process will be an evening-length immersive experience co-designed by the participating artists. It will seamlessly blend acoustic traditional music performance with electronic remixes, dance, and storytelling. It is meant to be a re-imagined/remixed version of a collective healing/trance ceremony, that will take our audience on a cathartic journey, or Tanfis.
To apply, visit bit.ly/Tanfis-Apply
I’m interested in applying, but I have some apprehensions.
Should I still apply if:
I am not available for the dates listed on the application page?
Yes! The dates on the landing page are proposed dates, far from being set in stone. Rather, once we assemble our all-star team of Palestinian, Syrian, Iraqi, and Lebanese artists, we will collectively create a schedule that works for everyone.
My craft doesn't fit neatly into the four artist categories listed on the application (Traditional musicians, Remix Artists, DJs, Storytellers)?
Categories can be limiting, so we encourage artists to apply even if they don't use one of these labels to define their craft.
I am not from/do not identify with one of the four communities listed (Palestinian, Iraqi, Syrian, and Lebanese)? And why is it only those four?
For this residency, we are only seeking artists from those four communities. Though there will be many other opportunities in the future!
Remix ⟷ Culture is committed to uplifting under-represented and mis-represented communities through traditional music, remixing, and storytelling.
We have long felt deeply that the Palestinian people are among the most mis-represented. This project is an opportunity to set the record straight and to proudly celebrate a people and culture that has faced and continues to face brutal occupation, apartheid, and genocide.
The people of Lebanon and Syria have also suffered from the same occupation. Our initial proposal was focused on this particular region.
We had initially hoped to run a separate project focused on Iraq, but in the interest of funding, we decided to combine the two, as Iraq has also suffered from brutal foreign repression (sanctions, war, occupation, etc.).
Having said that, this is not a journalism project. This is an art project. Our goal is to transmit the stories and the humanity of these communities in a deeply moving, powerful, beautiful, artistic way.
Proposed Timeline/Format and Logistics
What is the current proposed timeline/format?
The short answer is that it's all still flexible, as we would like to best accommodate the selected artist’s availability and preferences.
We're currently exploring 2 options for the program:
Option 1 (preferred) – Focused/Condensed Time Frame
Our preferred schedule is to carve out a 2-4 week residency period during which all artists can attend, and all of the creative work can be done. We would then present the premiere live event in Brooklyn some time after, before the end of 2023.
Option 2 – Alternative Time Frame
If we're not able to schedule the 2-4 week residency with selected artists due to conflicts, we will opt to spread out the events described in the Call for Artists guidelines over a longer, multi-week period (these include a 2-day intro residency, several independent and group activities, and a 1-week residency to put all the pieces together before the premiere live event before the end of 2023). We have not confirmed a location or dates for the fall residency, as we are waiting to confirm artists’ availability first.
Can I still participate in the project if I am not able to commit to the entire duration of either of these two proposed residencies?
Possibly! If you are a traditional musician or part of a band that we will be recording and filming, we may be able to reduce your participation to just a handful of days (recording/filming session + rehearsals + live event).
How many hours/days should I be expected to commit per each option above over the duration of the residency?
During the 4-week residency, we will strike balances between work and play, individual time and group time. You can expect that 5 out of 7 days will involve 4-8 hours of work, leaving 2 days for rest/personal time. But the definition of 'work' and 'play' can be fluid.
Imagine you are walking down a tree-lined path to get some fresh air, and you hear a oud being played in the distance. You follow the sound, and when you meet it, you begin singing along. Two other musicians show up and a full spontaneous jam is happening for an hour. Maybe that was just fun, healing, and/or maybe some magic was created then that might make it into the live event.
Compensation and Content Release
What does compensation look like for this project?
The residency includes:
Paid accommodation (outside of NYC) and meals during all residency days attended.
$250/day stipend
For those staying a full week or more, 2 days of personal time per week during residency period - access to nature, etc.
NOTE: For those who can commit to the full 4-week period, that amounts to a guaranteed income of $5,000 for that month. And since accommodation is taken care of, subletting your home can bring additional income.
Participation in a collaborative adventure in possibility.
We strongly believe in the power of deeply listening to one another, which can only happen when there's enough time and space. When we combine these, the real magic happens.
Various skills sharing, e.g.:
Learning how to better record audio/video
Expanding your toolbox to new performance techniques (like live video remixing)
Exploring new avenues for storytelling as a result of collaborating with traditional musicians, remix artists, and DJs.
Post-Residency:
If additional rehearsals or other activities are required outside the residency period, $250/day stipend
$250 per artist for each live event, as well as revenue shares from livestream contributions (livestream videos will remain indefinitely up after the events)
In Spring '24, we will release the professional audio and video recordings of the traditional music, remixes, and stories, as well as the videos of the live events. All net proceeds derived from those materials will be shared fairly with the contributing artists according to our fair trade model.
Our YouTube channel has around 55,000 subscribers and 12.5 million views.
(TBD) Potential opportunity to tour with the Tanfis project, thanks to RC's new board of directors and decade-long connections to the international music industry.
Throughout:
New connections, friendships, and deep and meaningful cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaborations, leading to mutual artistic and personal growth.
An opportunity to express your voice and amplify the voices of your community(ies) in new and powerful ways, helping to correct the predominant misperceptions about your roots/your history while remaining relevant to the present and ever-changing future.
Is the compensation award of $250/day negotiable?
Unfortunately, no.
What does Remix ⟷ Culture’s content release process look like?
While the release process for Tanfis will tailored to the project and the participating artists’ wants and needs, you can see our standard release process in the video below.
Will I receive any compensation from the release of content by Remix ⟷ Culture?
Yes – we have a fair trade model, which is explained here:
Other Questions
What was the experience of the artists who participated in last year’s interation of Tanfis?
What they've personally shared with us is that it was the highlight of their year, that they learned and grew from it, and that they felt it was more than just an event, but an inspiring inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration.
Can I make suggestions to the Remix ⟷ Culture methodology described in the guidelines?
Of course – in fact, our methodology is ever evolving because it is based on a collaborative approach, e.g. the methodology we came up with when working with Amazigh musicians in the Sahara desert was different from when working with Afro-Indigenous communities in Brazil, etc. We take listening to each other very seriously and welcome all suggestions and feedback.
I have additional questions about the project; who can I contact?
Please direct all further questions to our Community Liaison, Waad El Hadidy, at waad@remix-culture.org.