About the Open Call

Skateholders is a cultural project in České Budějovice and the South Bohemian region, part of the European Capital of Culture 2028 program, supporting skateboarding development through community activities and public space activation. It involves expanding skateboarding infrastructure via architectural interventions, international networking, education, and youth activation, including the Skateholders Forum festival with performances, workshops, exhibitions, talks, and screenings. The project also aims to collaborate with educational institutions and NGOs to create an inclusive skate school. Previous achievements include two successful Skateholders Forum editions (2024, 2025). The next forum (first week of July 2026) will feature an interdisciplinary program exploring DIY skateboarding as craft, art, urbanism, community, and resistance, including a documentary premiere by Javier Varillas, an exhibition (photography, visual art, artifacts), and the construction of a new skate spot in České Budějovice with Czech DIY collectives. During the residency, artists will be integrated into the České Budějovice skate community, introduced to its history, key places, and members. Connections will be made with Javier Varillas and a local Czech artist working on a video about the local skate scene, providing deeper insights into local and national DIY culture and enriching artistic research. Travel costs within CreArt network cities are covered, along with accommodation for the full residency period. A material budget of 1,000 EUR and an artist fee of 1,000 EUR (including food expenses) are provided. A working space will be arranged individually based on the artist's medium and needs.

What is Offered

Travel costs within CreArt network cities, accommodation for the full residency period, material budget: 1,000 EUR, artist fee: 1,000 EUR (including food expenses), working space arranged individually based on medium/needs. Introduction to České Budějovice skate community, its history, key places, and active members. Connections with Javier Varillas and a local Czech artist developing artistic video work about the skate scene in České Budějovice.

Requirements

We are seeking one artist (born, resident or domiciled) from one of the cities of the CreArt 3.0 network: Kaunas (Lithuania), Liepaja (Latvia), Skopje (Northern Macedonia), Aveiro (Portugal), Valladolid (Spain), Venice (Italy), Clermont-Ferrand and Rouen (France), České Budějovice (Czech Republic), Lublin (Poland), Oulu (Finland), Regensburg (Germany), members of HDLU (Croatian Association of Visual Artists), Ukrainian artists through collaboration with Dialog from Lviv. The artist should have a background in skateboarding, DIY culture, street culture, urban practices or adjacent fields; be interested in exploring DIY skateboarding as craft, art form, philosophy, lifestyle, grassroots urbanism, or civic resistance; and be available for an approx. 5-week residency in České Budějovice in summer 2026, with mandatory presence during the Skateholders Forum (first week of July 2026).

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the CreArt platform. Required documents include: Portfolio (optional but strongly recommended) relevant to the project focus, CV (curriculum vitae), and a Motivation letter (max. 1000 words) describing the artistic concept for the residency, planned materials/media, connection to skateboarding, DIY practice, or street culture, and reasons for wanting to work in České Budějovice and engage with skate communities. For inquiries, contact project coordinator martin.kalensky@budejovice2028.cz.