Open call for
the Round 2026.
Stage 1
the Round 2026.
Stage 1
07.01.2026
Open Call for the 2026 Round. Unfolding the Place. Placing the Folds
Stage 1
Introduction from AIR InSILo
This year, we have decided to introduce two innovations in our approach to the open call.
Firstly, we have chosen to structure the call in two stages. The first stage will be open until February 23. At this stage, we do not require a substantial amount of work from applicants. We request that you carefully read the open call concept and the curatorial text, watch a video featuring our co-curator, who designed the call, and write a short motivation letter. In this letter, you should describe the relationship between your practice and the concept of the call, as well as your motivation and the relevance of taking part in the residency. Please also send us your portfolio.
Secondly, we are proposing a small experiment: the possibility of applying anonymously. Even though we, as a residency, declare ourselves a solidarity project, we nonetheless respect the right to anonymity as a tool against bias, and are keen to receive feedback on this option. We are interested in learning how many applicants would prefer this form of interaction. We would also kindly ask you to share your thoughts on what kind of anonymity you would like to see in open calls in general. This idea was inspired by the practice of blind auditions in music, which we are attempting to rethink and adapt for a residency open call.
Stage 2
Applications selected in Stage 1 will receive an invitation to participate in Stage 2. Selected artists will have three weeks to submit the required materials. Preliminary guidelines can be found at the bottom of the page.
Unfolding the Place. Placing the Folds
Curated by Agata Ciastoń
For this edition, AIR InSILo invites artists to take part in a residency curated by Agata Ciastoń. The residency will focus on working with place as a field of relations, encompassing matter and memory, body and landscape, and local and cosmic time. The concept develops from the curator’s ongoing engagement with archives, territories, and landscapes, and proposes an approach that connects artistic practice with methods of critical observation and spatial analysis. Applicants are kindly asked to read the full curatorial text, Unfolding the Place. Placing the Folds.
The residency is conceived as a space for developing or refining ideas rather than producing final works. It builds on research conducted by Ciastoń in Hollabrunn, where she tested various strategies for working with localities and spatial relations. Artists are invited to continue and expand this inquiry, whether by engaging directly with the environment of Hollabrunn or by connecting it to other geographic or conceptual territories. The aim is to examine how different sites, histories, and material traces intersect and inform artistic practice.
The residency will take place in collaboration with Agata Ciastoń, who will accompany participants in the development of their projects through discussion and dialogue. The focus will be on the process itself, including mapping, recontextualising, and unfolding relationships between ground, archive, and imagination.
This call is addressed to artists whose practices engage with site-specific, process-based, or research-oriented approaches; who examine relationships between landscape, infrastructure, memory, and history; who explore archives, walking, or mapping as artistic strategies; who reflect on the entanglement of human and material histories; and who seek to develop new approaches to spatial, historical, or ecological narratives.
Application Information for Stage 1.
Applicants are asked to provide an email address, which may be anonymised; an anonymised portfolio; and a motivation letter of half to one A4 page. Please note that we do not admit proposals from students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate programme (except for PhD). We also kindly ask you to share your thoughts on which aspects of your identity or biography you would prefer not to disclose/ disclose to institutions, and which you believe may be subject to bias.
Stage 1
Introduction from AIR InSILo
This year, we have decided to introduce two innovations in our approach to the open call.
Firstly, we have chosen to structure the call in two stages. The first stage will be open until February 23. At this stage, we do not require a substantial amount of work from applicants. We request that you carefully read the open call concept and the curatorial text, watch a video featuring our co-curator, who designed the call, and write a short motivation letter. In this letter, you should describe the relationship between your practice and the concept of the call, as well as your motivation and the relevance of taking part in the residency. Please also send us your portfolio.
Secondly, we are proposing a small experiment: the possibility of applying anonymously. Even though we, as a residency, declare ourselves a solidarity project, we nonetheless respect the right to anonymity as a tool against bias, and are keen to receive feedback on this option. We are interested in learning how many applicants would prefer this form of interaction. We would also kindly ask you to share your thoughts on what kind of anonymity you would like to see in open calls in general. This idea was inspired by the practice of blind auditions in music, which we are attempting to rethink and adapt for a residency open call.
Stage 2
Applications selected in Stage 1 will receive an invitation to participate in Stage 2. Selected artists will have three weeks to submit the required materials. Preliminary guidelines can be found at the bottom of the page.
Unfolding the Place. Placing the Folds
Curated by Agata Ciastoń
For this edition, AIR InSILo invites artists to take part in a residency curated by Agata Ciastoń. The residency will focus on working with place as a field of relations, encompassing matter and memory, body and landscape, and local and cosmic time. The concept develops from the curator’s ongoing engagement with archives, territories, and landscapes, and proposes an approach that connects artistic practice with methods of critical observation and spatial analysis. Applicants are kindly asked to read the full curatorial text, Unfolding the Place. Placing the Folds.
The residency is conceived as a space for developing or refining ideas rather than producing final works. It builds on research conducted by Ciastoń in Hollabrunn, where she tested various strategies for working with localities and spatial relations. Artists are invited to continue and expand this inquiry, whether by engaging directly with the environment of Hollabrunn or by connecting it to other geographic or conceptual territories. The aim is to examine how different sites, histories, and material traces intersect and inform artistic practice.
The residency will take place in collaboration with Agata Ciastoń, who will accompany participants in the development of their projects through discussion and dialogue. The focus will be on the process itself, including mapping, recontextualising, and unfolding relationships between ground, archive, and imagination.
This call is addressed to artists whose practices engage with site-specific, process-based, or research-oriented approaches; who examine relationships between landscape, infrastructure, memory, and history; who explore archives, walking, or mapping as artistic strategies; who reflect on the entanglement of human and material histories; and who seek to develop new approaches to spatial, historical, or ecological narratives.
Application Information for Stage 1.
Applicants are asked to provide an email address, which may be anonymised; an anonymised portfolio; and a motivation letter of half to one A4 page. Please note that we do not admit proposals from students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate programme (except for PhD). We also kindly ask you to share your thoughts on which aspects of your identity or biography you would prefer not to disclose/ disclose to institutions, and which you believe may be subject to bias.
Deadline February 23
23:00 CET
23:00 CET
All applicants are required to pay a solidarity fee of 7 euros. Exceptions apply to displaced persons, individuals with refugee status, and holders of a humanitarian visa.
GUIDELINES FOR STAGE 2
• A proposal must match the conceptual direction of the new call. Extra consideration will be given to disarming creativity and irrestrainable experimentation.
• AIR InSILo pays significant attention to the principles of inclusivity and diversity. There is no age limit, and our primary focus is on late-emerging/ early mid-career artists, especially coming to the 'critical' threshold – the age of 35 when institutional support is already fading.
• Special attention will be given to:
– working mothers;
– underrepresented artists;
– artists from countries with minimum/ non-existing support for art and culture;
– LGBTIQA+ representatives;
• We do not accept applications from students (except for PhD candidates).
• The selected artist must spend not less than 80% of the time in the residency. Please see our FAQ for additional information.
Unfortunately, the residency is not equipped for wheelchair access and is not considered entirely safe for children under three y.o. But we would like to be as inclusive as possible. Don't hesitate to contact us to clarify the special conditions.
LONG-TERM RESIDENCE
• 2-month residence (Slots in May - August, October - November 2026) in AIR InSILo;
• An honorarium (up to 3400 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of material costs (up to 600 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of travel (up to 400 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of transport costs (up to 280 Euros, to be specified);
• Usage of the facilities and equipment provided by the AIR InSILo;
• Featuring in the InSILo Magazine;
• 5 Mentoring sessions with the curator.
• PR support is provided by digital means of AIR InSILo.
SELECTION PROCESS
• The deadline for Stage 1 of the open call is February 23 (23:00 CET). The deadline for Stage 2 is March 19 (23:00 CET). The shortlist selection will be made by April 1. After the first selection, the applicants will be contacted for further clarification and will be given four days to update the application. The final selection will be made by April 15.
• All applicants will be notified of results no later than
April 20.
• A proposal must match the conceptual direction of the new call. Extra consideration will be given to disarming creativity and irrestrainable experimentation.
• AIR InSILo pays significant attention to the principles of inclusivity and diversity. There is no age limit, and our primary focus is on late-emerging/ early mid-career artists, especially coming to the 'critical' threshold – the age of 35 when institutional support is already fading.
• Special attention will be given to:
– working mothers;
– underrepresented artists;
– artists from countries with minimum/ non-existing support for art and culture;
– LGBTIQA+ representatives;
• We do not accept applications from students (except for PhD candidates).
• The selected artist must spend not less than 80% of the time in the residency. Please see our FAQ for additional information.
Unfortunately, the residency is not equipped for wheelchair access and is not considered entirely safe for children under three y.o. But we would like to be as inclusive as possible. Don't hesitate to contact us to clarify the special conditions.
LONG-TERM RESIDENCE
• 2-month residence (Slots in May - August, October - November 2026) in AIR InSILo;
• An honorarium (up to 3400 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of material costs (up to 600 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of travel (up to 400 Euros, to be specified);
• A coverage of transport costs (up to 280 Euros, to be specified);
• Usage of the facilities and equipment provided by the AIR InSILo;
• Featuring in the InSILo Magazine;
• 5 Mentoring sessions with the curator.
• PR support is provided by digital means of AIR InSILo.
SELECTION PROCESS
• The deadline for Stage 1 of the open call is February 23 (23:00 CET). The deadline for Stage 2 is March 19 (23:00 CET). The shortlist selection will be made by April 1. After the first selection, the applicants will be contacted for further clarification and will be given four days to update the application. The final selection will be made by April 15.
• All applicants will be notified of results no later than
April 20.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR STAGE 2
One can choose only a single time slot. The dates are fixed and cannot be discussed.
A submission proposal should be put in one PDF file (10 MB).
It should contain:
• A proposal letter with a conceptual direction and envision of a suggested proposal. It should be submitted in two versions: a short abstract – up to 1000 characters (with spaces), and a full version – up to 4000-5000 characters;
• A presentation of the main proposal. This part may consist of the following parts: abstract, research questions, objectives, working methods, working plan, timetable, illustrations, drafts, sketches, links, etc., in case you already have them.
• BIO – up to 1000 characters (with spaces);
• Portrait* – b/w, vertical, 1500 px on a longer side, with ©;
• An image illustrating your proposal - 1500 px on a longer side;
• CV – 3 pages maximum;
The working language of the residency is English.
Additionally, we communicate in German and Russian.
A solidarity fee should be paid before filling in the form.
DISCLAIMER
• Please thoroughly study all the premises of the InSILo residency before submitting the proposal. If you have questions which our website or social media can't answer, please attend our Q&A session on February 27 at 19:00 CEST.
HARDSHIP PROGRAMME
Is an opportunity to stay in the residence for three months if your situation requires such an option. The honorarium sum will remain the same. If you apply for this option, you don't need to pay a solidarity fee.
SOLIDARITY FEE
To support the AIR InSILo Emergency programme, we decided to implement a solidarity fee of 7 Euros. All the funds will be donated to the Hardship Programme of AIR InSILo. One should pay the fee (via PayPal or other means stated on the Hardship Programme page) before filling in the form.
One can choose only a single time slot. The dates are fixed and cannot be discussed.
A submission proposal should be put in one PDF file (10 MB).
It should contain:
• A proposal letter with a conceptual direction and envision of a suggested proposal. It should be submitted in two versions: a short abstract – up to 1000 characters (with spaces), and a full version – up to 4000-5000 characters;
• A presentation of the main proposal. This part may consist of the following parts: abstract, research questions, objectives, working methods, working plan, timetable, illustrations, drafts, sketches, links, etc., in case you already have them.
• BIO – up to 1000 characters (with spaces);
• Portrait* – b/w, vertical, 1500 px on a longer side, with ©;
• An image illustrating your proposal - 1500 px on a longer side;
• CV – 3 pages maximum;
The working language of the residency is English.
Additionally, we communicate in German and Russian.
A solidarity fee should be paid before filling in the form.
DISCLAIMER
• Please thoroughly study all the premises of the InSILo residency before submitting the proposal. If you have questions which our website or social media can't answer, please attend our Q&A session on February 27 at 19:00 CEST.
HARDSHIP PROGRAMME
Is an opportunity to stay in the residence for three months if your situation requires such an option. The honorarium sum will remain the same. If you apply for this option, you don't need to pay a solidarity fee.
SOLIDARITY FEE
To support the AIR InSILo Emergency programme, we decided to implement a solidarity fee of 7 Euros. All the funds will be donated to the Hardship Programme of AIR InSILo. One should pay the fee (via PayPal or other means stated on the Hardship Programme page) before filling in the form.