Southeast Asian Arts Residency

About the Open Call

Applications for residencies in 2026 are now open for the Southeast Asian Arts Residencies at Rimbun Dahan. The due date for applications is Tuesday 30 September 2025. This opportunity is exclusively for artists in any discipline (visual, performing, and literature) who are both from AND based in ASEAN nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) or Timor Leste. The residencies provide an opportunity to live and engage in artistic work at Rimbun Dahan in Malaysia for 2 months, between 1 March and 30 November 2026. What is provided: Accommodation, including private bathroom and kitchen, and electricity and water. Private studio/workspace (writers will have workspace in their accommodation, also welcome to use shared office/artist lounge). Monthly allowance of MYR1000. Orientation and limited on-site administrative support. Access to office/artist lounge (WiFi equipped), library, tennis court, and swimming pool. Weekly transport to nearby supermarket. One travel stipend, paid upon arrival for the second month of the residency only (MYR1200 for Timor Leste; MYR600 for Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia excluding Jakarta; MYR500 for Thailand; MYR400 for Jakarta; MYR300 for East Malaysia). What is NOT provided: Meals or groceries, art materials or funding for artistic collaborators, flights to Malaysia (other than the stated travel stipend), transfer to/from KL International Airport, any other local transport costs, and travel visas or related fees. Who we are looking for: Mid-career artists (not within 5 years of graduation from initial arts degree/training), professionally trained in their discipline, self-motivated and able to live/work independently, proposing a feasible project, and able to communicate functionally in English. Expectations: Rimbun Dahan should be your primary home and full-time workplace for the residency duration. Resident artists are expected to participate in 1 scheduled open studio day. Visual artists are expected to leave 1 artwork made at Rimbun Dahan for the permanent collection. Artists must acknowledge Rimbun Dahan residency as support in published material/outcomes. Non-Malaysian residents are responsible for their immigration/visa status (non-sequential months may be required for 2-month stay). Eligibility: Applicants must be BOTH citizens of AND residents of a Southeast Asian country (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor Leste). Former resident artists of this specific program are not eligible to apply a second time. Selection Process: Selection is carried out by Rimbun Dahan family members, based on portfolio strength and compatibility. Artistic practices centered around alternative medicine, mystic spirituality, horoscopes, astrology, or the supernatural are not encouraged.

What is Offered

Accommodation including private bathroom and kitchen, electricity and water, private studio/workspace, monthly allowance of MYR1000, orientation and limited on-site administrative support, access to office/artist lounge (WiFi equipped), library, tennis court, swimming pool, weekly transport to nearby supermarket, and a travel stipend (ranging from MYR300 to MYR1200) for the second month of the residency.

Requirements

Applicants must be mid-career artists (not within 5 years of graduation), professionally trained, self-motivated, able to live and work independently, propose a feasible project, and communicate functionally in English. Residents must make Rimbun Dahan their primary home and full-time workplace, participate in one scheduled open studio day, and visual artists must leave one artwork for the permanent collection. Non-Malaysian residents are responsible for their immigration/visa status. Eligibility is restricted to citizens and residents of ASEAN nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and Timor Leste. Previous participants of this specific residency are ineligible. Artistic practices centered on alternative medicine, mystic spirituality, horoscopes, astrology, or the supernatural are not encouraged.

How to Apply

Submit an application by email with the following attachments: the completed application form (PDF or Word format available for download), CV (PDF preferred), and portfolio of previous work (PDF preferred, Word docs okay; performing artists should provide video links, writers should include extensive samples). Send complete applications (total size under 10MB) by email to bhijjas@gmail.com by midnight UTC+8:00 on September 30, 2025. A response is expected within 3 days.