Open Call: Deconstructing Myths

The Artist-in-Residence program of MeetFactory together with the partners from Slovakia, Poland and Hungary are opening a new call for applications for an artist working in the Czech Republic. The selected artist will be granted a two-month residency at KAIR Košice in 2026 and will be invited to participate in a collective festival and exhibition at aqb Budapest in 2027.

Deconstructing Myths

The project supported by the Visegrad Fund deconstructs and reinterprets the symbolism of national identities in the V4 region within the framework of eight art residencies, exhibitions and one joint event. Participating artists will create artworks or develop performances with the support of curators and experts from the local scenes. The partners of the project are aqb in Budapest, KAIR Košice, Goyki 3 Art Inkubator in Sopot and MeetFactory in Prague.

The project explores how art and culture are used to simplify and politicize traditional symbols, often stripping them of their original meaning and turning them into tools of nationalist messaging. By reinterpreting images and narratives through contemporary, independent art practices, the project aims to challenge new mythologies built on fear, emotion, and false unity, and to offer alternative perspectives rooted in complexity, diversity, context, and artistic freedom.

KAIR Košice

KAIR Košice is a cultural platform based in Košice, Slovakia, dedicated to supporting contemporary art and international exchange. Its residency program is at the core of its activities, offering artists, curators, and researchers time, space, and professional support to develop new projects in dialogue with the local context.

The residency includes:

• accommodation in Košice;
• a separate studio at KAIR;
• one time roundtrip transportation from the place of stay in the Czech Republic to Košice by train;
• a monthly stipend of 1000 EUR / month for expenses related to the residency, dispersed as per diem and artist fee;
• curatorial support and involvement of the resident in cultural activities in Košice, such as exhibitions, open studios, performances, studio visits, etc.;
• expert support relevant to the project theme.

Residency dates:

The residency will take place from 1 March to 1 May 2026.
The residency cannot be completed in several parts. 

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrate professional experience in the practical implementation of artistic strategies for a minimum of 2 years (including completed solo and/or group exhibitions, public presentations, concerts, performances, publications...);
• have completed their studies or not be studying during their stay;
• have a good level of English;
• be free from professional commitments for the duration of the stay.

There is no age limit for the call.

The application, written in English, must include:

• CV;
• a portfolio of no more than 10 pages;
• a motivation letter of no more than 1800 characters with a motivation for the residency, a project proposal and an idea for its implementation, in particular with regard to the above mentioned project.

Selection procedure:

The application will be reviewed by a committee composed of the curators of the MeetFactory residency program, and representatives of KAIR, Goyki 3 and aqb.

The committee reserves the right to reject any project without giving reasons for its decision. The decision of the committee is final and cannot be appealed. The partner institutions reserve the right to suspend, shorten, extend or postpone.

The deadline for applications is 31 January 2026 inclusive. Applications sent after this date will not be accepted for the selection procedure.

The results of the call will be published no later than 16 February 2026 on the MeetFactory website: www.meetfactory.cz and by email.

Applications should be sent to the curators of the MeetFactory residency programme, Tereza Havelková and Kateřina Pencová, with a covering email in English to opencall@meetfactory.cz.

In the subject line please write "OPENCALL V4 2026"