What’s Next: Residency open call for Artists and Cultural Professionals

The residents will be encouraged to explore possible interrelations between those two seemingly distant topics. The residencies will be dedicated to experimenting, collaborating, exchanging, and exploring what kind of micro-utopian interaction may art propose in reaching solidarity. How solidarity looks in culture and what is its future in the face of continuing crises affecting the world. Is supporting the mental well-being of arts professionals can become a driving force for the future of solidarity in culture?

Six artists and one curator or researcher or cultural manager will be invited to spend time in Berlin between February and April 2024. Since not all the artists will meet during the residency, the curator/ researcher/ culture manager will team up with invited local curator to interconnect and build a bridge between residencies.

About Programme

• During the residencies artists and cultural professionals will be asked to work on their reflection’s diaries on the residency topic. The form of diary will be free of choice e.g., notes, sketches, short videoart, sound recording etc. Other than that, the residents will be expected to prepare two small-scale meetings/ events for a community of artists, culture managers, researchers and friends gathered around AiR zusa programme, zusa and MitOst networks. The form of the meetings will be decided by residents together. The content of events will depend on the residents’ concept but it will be connected to the topics of residencies and overall “What’s next?” idea. The residents will receive coordination support from the zusa team.
• The residents will be offered with networking opportunities with Berlin local culture scene as well as external mental health support in forms of individual sessions and group circles which are a fixed component of the residency programme in zusa organisation. There will be a possibility to slow down, take a break in nature in Brandeburg.

What do they Offer?

• monthly stipend of 1000 EUR, accommodation (in an individual room) in Berlin and travel costs reimbursement up to 200 EUR;
• a safer and supportive environment, where they can work without fear of discrimination or harassment;
• access to the network (Berlin & international);
• there is a possibility to come to residency with family. The resident will be responsible for covering the family members’ travel costs. The additional fellowship will be offered (1 child= 200 EUR, 2 children=300 EUR)
• The residents will be welcomed to join “What’s next?” residency for:
  • 1 month- artists
  • 2 months- curator/ researcher/ cultural manager

Eligibility Criteria

• The residency is dedicated to artists and cultural professionals based in European countries but with focus on Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Austria, and Germany.
• The priority will be given to the following disciplines: visual arts, architecture, music, literature. However, we allow for the possibility of extending the group to other disciplines.
• Zusa welcomes applications from all interested people, regardless of their age, religion, gender and sexual identity.

For more information, visit Zusa.