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Open Call for Art Residency Disappearing Landscape Program

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Deadline: 21-Jun-2026

The Disappearing Landscape Art Residency invites artists and creative practitioners to explore environmental change, disappearing landscapes, and community resilience in the High Tatras region of Slovakia. The residency focuses on landscape degradation, overdevelopment, wildlife habitat loss, youth culture, environmental activism, alternative music, and rebuilding independent cultural spaces. Selected participants will receive accommodation, meals, workspace access, production support, travel support, and an artist fee of up to €1,300 per selected project.

Overview

The Disappearing Landscape Art Residency supports artists and creative practitioners working at the intersection of environmental awareness, culture, community, and activism.

The residency takes place in the High Tatras region of Slovakia, a mountain landscape facing rapid transformation through construction, tourism pressure, habitat disruption, and environmental change.

The programme encourages creative responses to disappearing Carpathian landscapes, wildlife corridors, authentic mountain life, and the role of alternative cultural spaces in community rebuilding.

Purpose of the Residency

The purpose of the residency is to connect environmental change with artistic practice, youth culture, music, visual storytelling, and community engagement.

The programme invites artists to reflect on the tension between natural beauty and landscape degradation.

It also supports creative work related to regeneration and resilience, especially in connection with the former Kolaj 22 space, which was destroyed by fire in 2025.

Key Focus Areas

The residency focuses on disappearing landscapes, environmental change, uncontrolled construction, overdevelopment in the High Tatras, wildlife habitat loss, migration corridors, mountain landscape transformation, tourism and nature protection, environmental activism, alternative culture, youth culture, music, visual storytelling, regeneration, resilience, community rebuilding, refugee engagement, and independent cultural spaces.

What the Residency Supports

The residency supports artistic projects that respond to environmental, cultural, and community challenges in the High Tatras region.

Supported project forms may include:

Projects should be suitable for public presentation during the residency.

Residency Theme

The central theme of the residency is the disappearance and transformation of landscapes.

Artists are encouraged to explore how mountain environments are affected by construction, tourism, habitat loss, climate pressures, and changing social conditions.

Projects should address the contrast between the beauty of nature and the visible degradation or transformation of the landscape.

Environmental Focus

The residency highlights urgent environmental concerns in the High Tatras and Carpathian region.

Key environmental concerns include:

Artists are encouraged to respond creatively to these challenges through research, collaboration, and public presentation.

Regeneration and Kolaj 22

The residency also supports projects connected to regeneration, resilience, and rebuilding independent cultural spaces.

A special focus is placed on the former Kolaj 22 space, which was destroyed by fire in 2025.

Projects of particular interest include:

Community Engagement

Community engagement is an important part of the programme.

Selected artists are encouraged to collaborate with:

Community-based activities may include workshops, artist talks, open studios, walks, discussions, performances, and public events.

Residency Dates and Participation Format

International artists are expected to participate in person from 14 to 22 August 2026.

Artists and creative groups based in Slovakia may arrange a more flexible participation format in agreement with the organisers.

Applicants should ensure that their proposed project can be developed and publicly presented within the residency structure.

Who Can Apply?

Applications are open to artists and creative practitioners from different disciplines.

Eligible applicants include:

Both individual artists and collectives may apply.

Expected Artistic Outcomes

Selected artists are expected to create a public artistic outcome connected to the residency theme.

The outcome should reflect the programme’s focus on disappearing landscapes, environmental awareness, community rebuilding, or alternative culture.

Artists must also participate in at least one public or community activity during the residency.

Participant Benefits

Selected participants will receive practical and professional support during the residency.

Benefits include:

These benefits are designed to support creative development, collaboration, and public sharing.

Financial Support

The residency provides financial support for selected participants.

Support includes:

The artist fee applies to both individual artists and collectives.

Artists are responsible for paying taxes in their country of residence.

Number of Participants

The 2026 edition aims to support:

This structure encourages both local and international exchange around environmental, artistic, and community issues.

Why It Matters

The High Tatras region is facing rapid environmental and cultural change.

As construction, tourism, and habitat loss reshape mountain landscapes, artists can help communities reflect on what is being lost and what can still be protected.

This residency matters because it connects environmental awareness with youth culture, music, alternative spaces, and community rebuilding. It gives artists a platform to create work that responds to landscape loss while supporting dialogue, resilience, and collective imagination.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a clear proposal that explains the artistic idea, environmental connection, community relevance, and public outcome.

Step 1: Choose a Project Theme

Applicants should select a theme connected to the residency focus.

Possible themes include:

Step 2: Define the Artistic Format

The proposal should explain the form of the project.

Projects may take the form of visual art, photography, film, video, music, sound art, audiovisual collaboration, sculpture, land art, or performance.

Step 3: Explain the Environmental Relevance

Applicants should describe how the project responds to environmental change or landscape transformation.

The proposal should show how the work connects to the High Tatras, Carpathian landscapes, wildlife habitats, or the conflict between tourism and nature protection.

Step 4: Include Community Engagement

Applicants should explain how they will engage communities or youth audiences.

This may include workshops, public talks, walks, discussions, performances, open studios, or collaborative activities with local communities, refugees, volunteers, or young people.

Step 5: Plan the Public Outcome

Applicants should describe the public artistic outcome they will create during the residency.

The outcome should be suitable for presentation during the residency period and clearly linked to the programme theme.

Step 6: Prepare the Budget

Applicants should consider production and material needs.

Production and material support of up to €300 is available, and the artist fee is up to €1,300 per selected project.

International artists may also receive travel support of up to €300.

Step 7: Confirm Availability

International applicants should confirm that they can participate in person from 14 to 22 August 2026.

Artists based in Slovakia may discuss a flexible format with the organisers.

Step 8: Submit the Application

Applicants should submit a complete application with the project proposal, artistic approach, community engagement plan, expected outcome, and participation details.

A strong application should clearly connect artistic practice with environmental awareness, community participation, and public presentation.

Selection Considerations

Applications are likely to be assessed based on artistic quality, thematic relevance, feasibility, and community value.

Key assessment areas may include:

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants should:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Common mistakes include:

FAQ

1. What is the Disappearing Landscape Art Residency?

It is an art residency in Slovakia that invites artists and creative practitioners to explore environmental change, disappearing landscapes, community resilience, and alternative culture in the High Tatras region.

2. When will the residency take place?

International artists are expected to participate in person from 14 to 22 August 2026.

3. Who can apply?

Visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, collectives, small creative teams, sound artists, performance artists, and other creative practitioners may apply.

4. What types of projects are eligible?

Eligible projects may include visual art, photography, film and video, music, sound art, audiovisual collaborations, sculpture, land art, performance, and community-based creative work.

5. What support is provided?

Selected participants receive accommodation, meals, workspace access, partner venue access, organisational support, networking opportunities, public presentation opportunities, and excursions in the High Tatras region.

6. What financial support is available?

International artists may receive travel support of up to €300. Production and material support of up to €300 is available, along with an artist fee of up to €1,300 per selected project.

7. How many artists will be selected?

The residency aims to support four artists or music groups based in Slovakia and six international artists for the 2026 edition.

Conclusion

The Disappearing Landscape Art Residency offers artists and creative practitioners a unique opportunity to respond to environmental change, disappearing mountain landscapes, and community resilience in Slovakia’s High Tatras region. Through public artistic outcomes, community engagement, youth culture, alternative music, and creative reflection on landscape loss, the residency supports meaningful dialogue between art, activism, and local experience. Applicants should propose clear, feasible projects that connect environmental awareness with public presentation, community participation, and the urgent transformation of Carpathian landscapes.

For more information, visit Machaon International.

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