Artica Svalbard
Are you interested in a residency at Artica Svalbard?
OCA is a key partner of Artica Svalbard, a leading not-for-profit residency foundation. Based in Longyearbyen, Svalbard is a place for thinking slowly in a fast-changing world.
As key partners, we are responsible for nominating artists for their residency programmes and supporting them curatorially. We also play an active role in other projects as part of Artica Svalbard’s vision. In 2019, OCA co-curated Artica Listens.
Why Svalbard?
Svalbard is a place where some of today’s most pressing questions—climate change, geopolitics, migration, and minority perspectives—are being explored. Artica Svalbard provides a unique environment for artistic research and creative expression, encouraging artists to challenge existing perceptions of the Arctic while engaging in new knowledge and ways of thinking.
Artica Svalbard is a leading non-profit arts and culture organisation, committed to facilitating artistic and cultural activities that inspire change. By offering a platform for discussion and collaboration, we encourage residents to raise awareness of Arctic issues and contribute to global conversations through their work.
Who Can Apply?
Norwegian and Norway-based visual artists with an interest in the polar regions and/or global perspectives, conversations, and issues emanating from the High North are encouraged to apply.
Artist duos are welcome to apply. Please clearly state in your application whether you will need one or two apartments. Please note that the travel and per diem budget must be shared between both applicants (details of this are agreed after selection, as it is based on length of stay). Due to limited apartment size, we are unfortunately not able to host larger groups.
Family can join for the residency. We aim to be as inclusive as possible and support residents with family commitments or specific needs. In some cases, alternative apartment options may be available to ensure a comfortable stay. Please note your situation and any specific requirements in the application.
Residency Duration
The residency has a minimum stay of at least six consecutive weeks, and the dates are determined according to your schedule and Artica’s accommodation schedule.
Funding and Support
Selected residents will receive funding to support travel, accommodation, and a stipend to cover living expenses. Artists will be provided with a workspace and access to Artica Svalbard’s resources, helping them to develop and refine their projects while engaging with the unique environment of Svalbard.
Community Engagement
Artica Svalbard believes that impactful residencies foster meaningful connections. Residents are encouraged to share their work through an artist talk, presentation, debate, lecture, or workshop, contributing to cultural exchange and dialogue with the local community in Longyearbyen.
Art residency program in rural Norway
We are happy to share that we have selected a diverse group coming so far from Canada, Spain, Finland, Norway, Tunisia, France, Egypt, Portugal, Georgia, Germany, and Singapore!
This program is organized by Yellow vs. Blue (www.yellowvsblue.org) in collaboration with Stor-Elvdal Kommune, Folkeakademiet, and Frivillig.
The program offers a “double shot” of impact: it is a dedicated time for your own personal and emotional exploration, while simultaneously providing you with inspiration and methods to transfer these practices back to your work with youth and community initiatives. If you are interested to learn more and apply to join us this summer in Norway.
After checking the info-pack, you can apply from here:
Please note that this is a self-funded opportunity and we have limited spots available, all details are mentioned in the info-pack.
We look forward to receiving your application and hopefully have you as part of this artistic journey in Norway this summer!
Rising sun festival
music, visual art, performance, lifestyle & wellness and wildcard
music
our goal is to create an original soundscape with new and interesting talent. we want to shine a light on diverse underground artists and up-and-comers.
closing date:thursday 6 august
visual art
we are excited to collaborate with all types of visual artists and aspiring artists on installations, exhibitions in the art gallery, lighting, general festival decor and more.
closing date:monday 28 september
performance
performance is the art form that breathes life into the space and we are seeking all weird and wonderful forms including dance, flow art, larp/acting, cabaret, comedy and everything in between!
closing date:monday 28 september
lifestyle & wellness
integration of wellness practices and outside of the box learning into all parts of the festival is important to us. we want to offer and facilitate education and provide a platform to voice new, interesting or fun ideas and thoughts in an interactive way.
closing date:monday 28 september
wildcard
categories are stooopid. we don't always fit into boxes, so if your idea or passion doesn't belong anywhere else, here's your very special spot! we'd love to hear what you're cooking up. the wilder and wackier the better! if you have an idea, we'd love to hear it.
closing date:monday 28 september
media
capturing the action and vibe of this experience is so important, so our community can truly live in the moment. we are always seeking new and different talent and ideas to help share our journey.
closing date:monday 28 september
Scent + Art Festival 2027
The festival focuses on promoting experimentation that integrates scent into contemporary art, music, dance, performance, literature, science, and technology. It explores how smell interacts with other senses—sound, image, text, and movement—through cross-modal artistic practices.
A key emphasis of the festival 2027 is accessibility and inclusion, with a strong focus on creating multisensory experiences that are meaningful to visually impaired audiences. By prioritizing scent, sound, touch, and spatial perception over visual dominance, the festival opens alternative ways of experiencing, understanding, and engaging with art. We encourage stories that are about, or relevant to, visually impaired people.
The program investigates how sensory combinations—both harmonious and contrasting—can expand perception and deepen engagement. It also explores collective memory and identity as multisensory experiences shaped through scent and storytelling.
The festival invites artists, musicians, dancers, performance artists, writers, scientists, technologists, curators, galleries, and institutions to participate in the festival in person, remotely in Riga, or by organizing satellite events in your country.
The festival is not covering artistic fees or travel/accommodation costs, but it provides space and/or time for your contribution, and support letters for your local funding agencies. The Scent + Art Festival 2026 brought together more than 100 participants from 32 countries.
Key dates:
1. Application deadline: July 15, 2026
2. Online seminar/lecture on how to create meaningful experiences for visually impaired persons: August 16, 2026, 18:00 CET
Siirtymä 2026
We are looking for:
Sound artists and musicians: Live performances, sound works, and experimental sound art.
Visual artists: Light installations, video art, and spatial works.
Interdisciplinary creators: Applied art, workshops, or participatory interventions engaging the public.
In 2026, our goal is to build a program that strengthens diversity and creates space for multiple voices. In addition to musical performances, we are looking for new ways of encountering one another and the urban environment around us. We welcome proposals and experiences that reinforce the feeling that urban space belongs to all of us, and that its users can discover something new within it.
We offer:
Please fill out the attached form by June 30, 2026.
MENT 2027
17-20 February 2027
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Deadline: August 14th 2026
MENT Ljubljana is inviting artists, bands, solo performers, live acts and DJs with live experience and publicly accessible audio and video material to perform at its 13th edition.
MENT 2026 AFTERMOVIE
“MENT remains a rarity: a showcase festival curated so that whichever path you choose, every discovery feels like a win.” Antonio Poscic, The Wire
“Doesn’t feel like a typical showcase festival. It just feels like a real music lovers' festival. I think that’s the main thing with MENT. It’s about creating a healthy ecosystem with like minded people.” Bob Van Heur, Le Guess Who?
"There are festivals you attend, and there are those you organize your life around. MENT Ljubljana has belonged to the latter category for me for years."
Marija Todorović, Oblakoder
"MENT isn’t just a festival, it’s infrastructure for the future of independent culture."
Darek Mazzone, KEXP
MENT Ljubljana is a music discovery festival facilitating, in symbiosis with the conference, the presentation of music performers from all over Europe and beyond in front of international music professionals and audiences. The festival serves as a meeting point for artists, music professionals and music lovers.
IMPORTANT NOTES
We value thoughtful applications over sheer volume. Take a moment to explore MENT’s past and current programme, and ask yourself if your music resonates with the festival’s identity and audience.
We offer all performing artists a fee (based on a range of factors), as well as accommodation for foreign artists, basic backline, and festival catering.
The following questions help us get a clearer picture of your project and whether it fits MENT #13. Thanks for taking the time.
All applicants will be notified of the results via e-mail (check Spam folder) by December 18th 2026 the latest. But mainly in the September-December period.
Any questions or issues: manage@ment.si