Open Call: Residency in Schaumbad Graz

The International Centre for Contemporary Art MeetFactory together with Schaumbad – Freies Atelierhaus Graz are opening a new call for applications for a two-month residency for an artist based in the Czech Republic at Schaumbad Graz.

 

About Schaumbad – Freies Atelierhaus Graz:

Schaumbad - Freies Atelierhaus Graz is a non-profit organisation based in the industrial area in Graz, founded in 2008, with the aim of running studios, workshops and organising events focused on the production and presentation of contemporary art. This also includes the conception, organisation and realisation of artistic projects (exhibitions, performances, concerts, film screenings, workshops, symposia, etc.), publications and cooperation with domestic and international initiatives and institutions.

Schaumbad has 23 studios and working spaces, including a darkroom and a workshop with access to wood, metal and ceramics for all. They were installed in the 2100 m2 factory hall between 2013 and 2018, equivalent to the construction of three single-family homes. The studios range in size from 20 m2 to 100 m2 and are used by individual artists and collectives in all sectors.

The studios are granted indefinitely after a six-month trial period, with one studio reserved for temporary use (e.g. Artist in Residence). The metal and woodworking workshop is rented to all artists/artists in accordance with availability.

https://schaumbad.mur.at/

 

The theme of the 2026 residency is Love : Violence. 

We are interested in projects that investigate how care, conflict, intimacy, and aggression shape social realities, democratic structures, and the human condition. We focus on artistic explorations that reveal how these forces construct collective identity, influence communal life, and open new perspectives on what it means to live together.

 

The residency includes:

• Accommodation in Graz;
• studio in Schaumbad Graz;
• return transport from the place of residence in the Czech Republic to Graz in economy class;
• a fixed allowance for expenses related to the residency of 2000 euros (1000 euros per month gross). 

 

Residency dates:

The residency will take place from April 1 to May 31 2026. The residency cannot be completed in multiple parts.

 

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• be active on the Czech art scene for at least 2 years;
• have completed their studies;
• have a good knowledge of English;
• knowledge of German is welcome;
• be available for the duration of the residency;
• at the end of the residency, a presentation of the results (open studio / artist talk) is required.

 

The application, written in English, must include:

• CV;
• a portfolio of maximum 10 pages;
• a motivation letter of no more than 1800 characters with a motivation for the residency, or a project proposal and an idea for its implementation (the text should address how the project relates to the residency theme, see above), particularly with regard to how the residency can benefit the applicant's artistic practice.

 

Selection procedure:

The application will be assessed by a committee consisting of the curators of the MeetFactory residency program, and representatives of Schaumbad – Freies Atelierhaus Graz.
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 Call for Applications: Graz Residency.

 

Deadline for applications up to and including 31 December 2025. Applications sent after this date will not be accepted for the selection procedure.

The results of the call will be published no later than 31 January 2026 on the MeetFactory website: www.meetfactory.cz
Applicants will not be contacted by telephone about the results of the procedure. 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.

 

Please put "OPENCALL Graz 2026" in the subject line.