We are excited to announce an Open Call for artists based in or actively working in Charlois and
Feijenoord, Rotterdam, across diverse media including painting, photography, screen printing,
woodcuts, and graphic design.
The Rotterdam Saints Sticker Album project celebrates everyday heroes (“saints”) in some of
Rotterdam’s most vibrant yet stigmatized neighbourhoods: Charlois and Feijenoord. These “saints”
are people who make a positive difference in their communities through acts of kindness,
compassion, and generosity.
What we’re looking for: We are seeking 10 artists to participate in this community-driven project.
Each artist will conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Charlois and Feijenoord (e.g., interviews,
observations) to identify local “saints”.
The goal is to create a minimum of 2-3 portraits per artist, capturing a personal interpretation of these
individuals. Each portrait should be accompanied by a brief narrative introducing the “saint” and their
story, crafted from conversations and reviewed with the individual before publication.
Our reference points for this project include religious iconography and pop art, both chosen for their
powerful visual language and symbolic resonance. These styles also connect to the forerunner project
Metropolitan Iconography: Urban Saints of Charlois (2017). Artists are encouraged to express their
creativity, yet we ask that certain reference elements from these and/or other iconographic styles be
incorporated into each portrait to maintain some consistency across the works.
Please consider the following guidelines:
● The portraits should feature the “saint” in a forward-facing, frontal view.
● There should be a halo, aura, totems, or other religious marker around the individual.
● The person’s name should be discernible in the artwork.
● Their story should be creatively conveyed through the background using symbolic objects,
abstraction, signs, and color.
The completed portraits will be converted into sticker format to be featured in a free sticker album,
available at local cultural spots like museums, libraries, community centres, but also cafés and local
businesses. The idea is to encourage cultural participation and social exchange by offering two free
stickers each time someone visits a collection point. With a dozen or so visits, locals can complete the
entire sticker album, fostering ongoing engagement with the arts, culture, and social life.
Application:
The application should include a one-page (A4) document with a brief motivation (250-
300 words), a link to your website and social media (if available), and one or two images of your
artworks or links where we can view them.
Each artist will receive a fee of €300. We recognize this fee is modest, but we are awaiting further
funding decisions, which could potentially increase the fee.
The deadline is December 30, 2024. Selected artists will be informed in the first week of January.
Additional Opportunities:
● Pitch interactive elements for the sticker album (e.g., story pages for children, mandalas).
● Meeting & Info: Those interested are invited to a collective meeting and project briefing,
where we’ll discuss the timeline and introduce the initiative’s predecessor, Urban Saints of
Charlois (2017). Artists who prefer can also receive an individual briefing, either in person or
via video call.
Contact us: For more information, reach out to
● Despina Papachristoudi: Photographer & Curator
d.papachristoudi@gmail.com
● Merit Zimmermann: PhD Candidate in Digital Heritage (Erasmus University Rotterdam),
Curator & Writer
hello@meritzimmermann.com
● Instagram: @metropolitaniconographies
Please submit applications to the email addresses provided above.