Deadline: 25-Aug-2025
If you’re a designer, architect, or interdisciplinary creator within the fields of design, architecture, and digital culture, and you’re eager to develop new work in Suriname through research, engagement, and exchange, the Creative Industries Fund offers a unique opportunity. The residency takes place in three diverse locations in Suriname, where you will collaborate with local creators on projects rooted in the cultural, creative, and social context of the country. The focus of the residency is on themes such as connectedness, diversity, and collectivity.
The residency will immerse you in three different settings: the urban dynamics of Paramaribo, the culturally rich and rural Moengo, and the historic plantation village of Frederiksdorp. These environments provide an opportunity to explore Suriname’s multi-layered cultural, historical, and contemporary realities. The residency is inspired by the concept of alakondre, or “a land of many,” and invites residents to reflect on the connections and contrasts between communities, stories, and landscapes.
This program provides a platform for design research and creative work that respects Suriname’s multi-vocality and complex identity. The purpose of the exchange is to be reciprocal, allowing artists to share knowledge, learn from one another’s working methods, and possibly develop new work together. This could result in joint projects, public presentations, or discussions that align with the residency’s theme.
The residency offers two grants of €8,500 each for a three-month working period. You can choose from two possible timeframes: February 1, 2026 – April 30, 2026, or September 15, 2026 – December 15, 2026.
Applications are open to individual designers, makers, and creators working within design, architecture, and digital culture who are based in the Netherlands or one of the Caribbean islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten). However, the fund does not accept applications from duos, collectives, or partnerships. Applicants who are currently receiving or will receive a grant from the Talent Development Scheme in 2026 are not eligible to apply.
The advisory committee will assess applications based on the artistic quality of the work, the proposed project’s quality, and the motivation in relation to the residency’s goals. To apply, you need to submit a completed application form along with a residency plan for Suriname (max. 4 A4 pages, 8MB in PDF), a concise CV (max. 2 A4, 4MB in PDF), relevant visual material or portfolio, a Chamber of Commerce extract (max. 1 year old), and a representative image of the project for communication purposes. The applicant must hold the necessary rights to the image.
For more information, visit Creative Industries Fund.
