The city:
The city of Oaxaca de Juárez, capital of the state of Oaxaca in southwestern Mexico and a World Heritage Site since 1987, has a remarkable cultural diversity with a legacy from the time of the Zapotecs, the Aztecs and the Spanish conquistadors to the activities of contemporary indigenous communities. Like a fan, the different historical layers and traditions unfold before visitors in a colourful vibrancy, with textile crafts in particular able to reflect the most diverse historical, regional and technical approaches to art and culture. In the Latin American hemisphere, the city is considered the centre – not to say the Mecca – of textile arts and crafts. And at latest since the Mexican artist Francisco Toledo, Oaxaca's most famous son, took over the Centro de las Artes de San Agustín just outside the city, contemporary art has also arrived in the city.

Studio:
The Museo Textil de Oaxaca (MTO) organises the studio in Oaxaca City every year at different locations. In the spacious, beautifully situated Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CaSa) a few kilometres outside the city, the grant holder can work in the spacious communal studio and participate in everyday craft activities. The guest is supervised by both institutions. Accommodation and studio in Oaxaca are based on a bed-and-breakfast model in the Jalatlaco district, while CaSa provides one of its seven guest rooms with bathroom.

Special features:
The small but beautiful and extremely rich Museo Textil de Oaxaca, affiliated to the Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú, has a remarkable collection of textiles from the entire region, documenting the diverse techniques in weaving, hip weaving, hand spinning, natural dyeing techniques, felting, and embroidery, most of which are still used today. It is interesting to note that almost every community in the state of Oaxaca has a different speciality within textile processing – techniques and peculiarities that both the MTO and the CaSa pass on to interested people through courses, workshops, and introductions. Guests can attend all these courses free of charge.

Requirements:
The open call is aimed at designers in the disciplines of Fashion & Textiles who are open to intercultural exchange and who would like to deepen their expertise in the field of textile crafts through research on site and in cooperation with the MTO.

Adress:
Museo Textil de Oaxaca, Hidalgo 917, Centro, Oaxaca 68000, Mexico
www.museotextildeoaxaca.org.mx