OPEN CALL – Change Maker in Residence

This is an invitation for social entrepreneurs and change makers in Europe to apply for a residency with the social enterprise Röstånga Utvecklings AB (Röstånga Development CO, RUAB) in the South of Sweden.

We invite you to spend time in the village of Röstånga, a place acclaimed both for its scenic setting and its progressive rural community development. Bring your knowledge, passion, experience and ideas. Share, learn and develop your change making skills with us. lnspired by the format of Artist in Residence, this concept is being developed as a collaboration between the Goethe-Institut Schweden, Röstånga Utvecklings AB and the Social Innovation Skåne platform .

– THE CONTEXT –
Röstånga is a village of 900 inhabitants, placed in the rural part of southern Sweden,and located right in the vicinity of the scenic Söderåsens National Park.
Ten years ago, when our local school was about to close due to a lack of pupils, we started a process of “community turn-over ” by both social and financial mobilization. Thanks to grass roats engagement, skills, endurance and guts we now run a community company with more than 400 shareholder s. Together we own seven buildings including a small Museum of Modern Art, a local brewery, a restaurant, office, flats and houses. The company also supports programs in housing, gardening and redesign for asylum seekers providing platforms for integration, language, social bridging and job creat ion.

The residency will be hosted by the Community lnterest Company RUAB (svb) hut will also work in close collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Schweden and the Social Innovation Skåne-platform including the possibility to both network and impact across sectors (academic, public, grassroots) on a regional, national and international scale and network within the growing field of social entrepreneurship and social innovation.

– THE FORMAT –
The residency is open to applicants from all disciplines. For us there are many ways how to be passionate about and create social change – you could be anything from a cook to an activist, a football trainer , social entrepreneur, photographer, artist or a finance expert. Or something else…
Depending on your personal circumstances and work commitments we invite you to design the actual format of your residency in collaboration with us. For a long or short time, by yourself or as a group, starting from a pre-defined idea or methodology, or as a totally open process. You know what you can offer, what you want and what you need to do it.

`WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR…BUT IT MIGHT BE YOU!´

As weconcentrate on innovation andentrepreneurship, please answer the call by stating your skills, your ideas to bring, your network or whatever is relevant for us to get to know you and your idea. And do Jet us know what it is that attracts you to us. We will provide food, accommodation, trave! and material costs. Please send your one page application in English no later than 20 February 2017. The residency will implement in spring/summer of 2017.

We are looking forward to receiving your application.
Questions and applications (by mail) to:
Nils Phillips, Röstånga, Sweden.
Phone: 0046-736447738
E-mail: info@ruab.org