OPEN CALL Varp 2027
Šumiac, Slovakia
EKAiR invites artists from Czechia, Hungary and Poland to apply for a residency in Šumiac, central Slovakia, as part of the Visegrad Artist Residency Programme (VARP) of the International Visegrad Fund.
EKAiR works with the concept of “re-cre-zident”, bringing together repetition, recreation, creation and residency. We consider productive and unproductive time equally important parts of artistic practice and offer residents space to work, research, experiment, rest and engage with their surroundings without the pressure of producing a finished work.
Residents are offered the entire traditional wooden cottage in Šumiac, situated at the foot of the Low Tatras. The house functions simultaneously as accommodation and an informal working environment, providing space and independence for developing a project or simply allowing a practice to unfold in response to the place, landscape and local community.
Residency period: 12 April – 31 October 2027
EKAiR internal deadline: 10 October 2026
EKAiR acceptance letter: by 12 October 2026
Visegrad Fund deadline: 15 October 2026, 12:00 noon
Who can apply?
Artists aged 18+ who are citizens/residents of Czechia, Hungary or Poland. Under VARP rules, the residency must take place in a V4 country other than the applicant’s country of citizenship/residence.
Visual & Sound Arts – 2 months
Visual art, sound, music, design, film/video, new media, mixed media, textile, architecture and related practices.
If the application is successful, the Visegrad Fund provides €3,000 directly to the resident for the two-month residency.
Performing Arts – 1 month
Performance, contemporary dance, new drama, physical and visual theatre, new circus and experimental performing arts.
For an individual residency, the Visegrad Fund provides €2,500 to the resident.
How to apply
Send us:
portfolio + CV + short project/residency outline
to ekair.sumiac@gmail.com by 10 October 2026.
Selected artists will receive an acceptance letter from EKAiR by 12 October and will then submit their own application directly to the International Visegrad Fund by 15 October. An acceptance letter from the host organisation is mandatory for Visual & Sound and Performing Arts applications.
Come spend some time with us in Šumiac, where creation and recreation are allowed to coexist.
