Call for Applications: Residency Program for Artists from Baden-Württemberg

About the Open Call

Akademie Schloss Solitude, together with the National Art Gallery of Namibia and the Goethe-Institut Namibia, is pleased to announce the continuation of its bilateral residency program, which promotes long-term cultural exchange between Namibia and Baden-Württemberg. The aim is to connect the fellows with the local cultural scenes on site and to strengthen the exchange of knowledge within the artistic communities of both contexts. The residency program supports artists from Baden-Württemberg. It aims to integrate them into new artistic communities and to introduce their work to a wider audience in Namibia. In 2026, the program will organize two six-months fellowships from February to July in Namibia for artists from Baden-Württemberg. The residency will give two artists the opportunity to go to Namibia together and to accompany each other over the course of the fellowship. In exchange, two artists from Namibia will have the opportunity to go to Baden-Württemberg for six months in 2026. These fellowships will be promoted in a separate call. The program will enclose events such as readings, exhibitions, discussions, and workshops as a form of output for audiences and cultural communities in Namibia. Applicants are free to choose the thematic focus of their project. The call is open for artists from all fields of practice, such as visual and performing arts, music/sound, design, literature and art education. The fellowship will especially provide the possibility to engage artistically with different cultural communities in Namibia, to exchange skills for transdisciplinary production, and to create visibility for the artistic results.

What is Offered

A free, furnished living/working studio including electricity, water and heating. A monthly fellowship grant of € 1,300. Travel expenses for arrival and departure (on a one-time basis). Project funding and one-off materials subsidy of € 2,000. Visa costs. Health insurance.

Requirements

Individuals of all ages may apply for the fellowship. Good English skills are necessary. Individuals who are currently in vocational training or studying at university (except for those pursuing a PhD) cannot apply. Open for artists from Baden-Württemberg. Especially welcome applications by Black, Indigenous or People of Color, as well as persons with an international biography, in particular persons of African descent living in Baden-Württemberg.

How to Apply

The application material is submitted online and should include: An A4 motivation letter explaining why you want to go to Namibia (in English, max. 1 Din A4 page) A project description outlining what you aim to realize and how you plan to engage with the artistic communities in Namibia (in English, max. 1 Din A4 page) A short biography and an informative portfolio or documentation of previous artistic work (in English) All documents can be sent in PDF format via e-mail to: s.thieroff@akademie-solitude.de