The Taipei Artist Village (TAV) , a non- government organization in the nation's capital, launched its 2010 Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Taipei Open Call for both international and local artists to submit projects related to art and culture, the creative industry and interdisciplinary and business-art collaboration, according to a TAV press statement released Saturday. Residence projects in three categories are requested for 2010 -- individual artists or teams, the creative industry and interdisciplinary and business-art collaboration -- according to the TAV, which added that applicants must have a minimum of three years' experience or professional practice, while students, as well as AIR grantees from 2007 and 2008, are not eligible to apply. Applications and portfolios including up to a maximum of six pieces of work submitted on a PC-compatible CD-ROM or DVD or VCD from the last two years of the artist's work, or an excerpt from six pieces of work, should be presented in English and sent by post, it added. Other than the international open call for artists of any nationality, the competitive category of international artists-in- residence, will continue the 'New Immigrants Taiwan' project for Southeast Asian artists, as well as the 'Artists from Sister Cities of Taipei, ' which was introduced last year, according to the press release. 'Through these projects, we wish to make art as the bridge connecting Taipei with cities worldwide,' the TAV said. The application deadline for both domestic and international programs is July 31, and decisions on the successful applicants will be announced by October on the TAV Web site at http://www.artistvillage.org. Established in 2001, the TAV sees exchanges between local and international talent as its most important mission and it has taken a leading role in providing a platform for international artists and cultural exchanges. In January 2008, with the aim of offering a greater space for cross- cultural and interdisciplinary dialogue, the AIR Program was expanded to AIR Taipei, encompassing not only the TAV in downtown Taipei but also Grass Mountain Artist Village, located in Yangmingshan National Park. As of August 2008, 200 international artists from 35 countries had stayed at TAV as artists-in-residence, while nearly 80 Taiwanese artists had also participated in AIT programs abroad. 