How to apply?

Q: Can I apply if I will not have the acceptance letter from the host organization by the deadline?

A: The acceptance letter issued by the host organizations is a compulsory attachment to applications for the Performing Arts residency program and the Visual and Sound Arts residency program. Without an acceptance letter, the submitted application will not be considered eligible.

For the other residency programs (Literary Residency, Visual Artists Residencies in New York, Fashion Residency Program in Milan), an acceptance letter is not required.

Q: Where and how can I submit my application?

A: Applications are submitted in our online system (http://my.visegradfund.org) by the given deadline (The deadline usually falls to the 15th of October of each year. Please visit the relevant sections of our website for more information). The system opens 30 days prior to the deadline. Once you register, you have to remember your assigned ID (application number), since it will be used in all future communication with you, and a password which will enable you to access your application form in the future.

You must fill out all the required fields and upload all requested documents. PDF is the recommended file format for uploaded attachments. If a document has more than a single page, please convert it into a multi-page PDF file or a compressed zip folder.

Q: Can I submit several application forms for one deadline?

A: No, each applicant can submit one application only, to one host institution at a time (within a single deadline). Parallel application for the Visual and Sound Arts and either the Visual Arts in New York residency or the Fashion Residency in Milano programs (one of the two) is.

Q: If I have already completed a Visegrad Artists Residency, can I apply again?

A: Yes, you can, if your previous residency was completed in a different country than where you are currently applying.

Q: Can I submit my application after the deadline?

A: There is no possibility of submitting the application past the deadline. The deadline is strict, and the Fund will accept no application past it.

Q: What documents should I send by post?

A: You do not need to send us any documents or printed copies by post. All documents must be uploaded to our online system electronically by the deadline.

Who can apply?

Q: Which artistic disciplines are supported within the residency programs?

A: The artistic discipline that you are working in determines which residency program you can apply for. The following disciplines are eligible within each program:

  • Performing Arts: new drama, contemporary dance, new circus, physical theatre, visual theatre, alternative theatre, performance art;
  • Visual and Sound Arts: visual arts (including performance art, textile art and architecture), design (fashion, costume, jewellery, ceramics and furniture design, visual communication), music/sound (interpretation, sound installation, sound performance, composition) and video/film/new media/mixed media (including video installation);
  • Visual Arts in New York: visual arts and interdisciplinary practices;
  • Fashion Residency in Milan: fashion, costume design, digital art;
  • Literary Residency: available for writers of fiction and non-fiction, poets, essayists, critics as well as literary translators, publicists, and journalists.

Q: Who can apply for the Visegrad Artists Residency Programs?

A:

  • The applicant must be a citizen of a V4 country (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) over the age of 18.
  • The destination country of the residency must be different from the applicant’s citizenship and country of permanent residence.
  • Applicants for group residencies (only applicable for the Performing Arts Residency Program; a group consists of 3 artists or more) may come from different V4 countries. Group members, however, must come from V4 countries other than the destination country.

Q: Is there an age limit for applying?

A: Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of applying.

Finding a host organization

Q: What is the role of the host organization?

A: The primary responsibility of the host organization is to create adequate conditions for the implementation of the approved residency project in terms of space and technical requirements. We advise applicants to consult the host organization regarding the space and technical support that they can provide in advance. The host organization is also responsible for providing the artist with the necessary support in terms of contacts with the local art scene, presentation and networking opportunities, etc. In some cases, the host organization is also responsible for arranging and covering the accommodation of the artist in residence (this is applicable to each residency program except for the Visual Arts Residency in New York and the Fashion Residency in Milan).

Q: Which institutions are eligible host organizations?

A: For Performing Arts and Visual and Sound Arts residencies, any cultural institution registered in the respective country is eligible as the potential host.

The other residency programs work with permanent partners as host organizations receiving residents:

Q: Does the Visegrad Fund help me with finding a host institution?

A: Applicants can use the Visegrad Fund's Mobility Finder to look for potential host organizations. The Fund does not provide further help; it is the applicant’s responsibility to find and reach out to the potential host organization and secure an acceptance letter if applicable.

Starting and implementing a residency

Q: My application got approved. What should I do now?

A: You should take the following steps:

  • Inform your host organization about the Fund’s decision to support your residency and set the possible date of your arrival.
  • Check your email inbox for the instructions sent by our project managers.
  • Confirm your personal data and provide your bank account information, following the instructions detailed in the e-mail you received from us.

Q: What is the length of the residency?

A: The length of a residency varies according to the type of residency:

  • Visual and Sound Arts: 2 months;
  • Performing Arts: 1 month;
  • Visual Arts in New York: 2 months;
  • Fashion Residency in Milan: 2 months;
  • Literary Residency: 6 weeks (Compact Spring Edition) or 3 months (Regular Autumn Edition).

Q: Can I leave my host organization during the scholarship period?

A: The Visegrad Artists Residency covers on-site residencies. Artists are expected to be present in person in the location of the host organization during the residency. Taking days of absence is permitted, but they cannot exceed approximately 15 % of the residency period.

Q: Can the residency period be split?

A: For Performing Arts and Visual and Sound Arts residencies, the residency period can be split into maximum two parts upon an agreement between the artist and the host organization. Such division must be communicated towards the Fund’s representatives in advance and requires the Fund’s approval. The whole residency period must be implemented within the same calendar year.

For other residency programs, the residency period is set by the host organization, and it cannot be split.

Q: Do I have to organize a public showcase of the project I am working on during the residency?

A: Residencies within the Visegrad Fund’s programs are not conceived as production residencies. It is not a requirement of the programs to hold premieres or exhibitions within the residency period. Work-in-progress presentations, whether open to the public or just to a professional audience, are encouraged. Please note that host organizations might have their own conditions related to public presentations. It is advisable to discuss these in advance.

Q: Do I have to acknowledge the Fund’s support anywhere?

A: Please remember to acknowledge the Fund’s support in any documentation related to your residency and at any public event where you present the results and outcomes of your residency. You should also use our logo to visually acknowledge the Visegrad Artists Residency Program’s contribution to your work.

Q: How can I contact the relevant V4 embassy and cultural institute (Czech Centre, Hungarian Cultural Institute, Polish Institute or Slovak Institute) about public events or presentations to fulfil my contractual obligations?

A: We recommend that the host organization contacts the relevant cultural institute or embassy at their general institutional email address to inform them about the hosted artist(s)-in-residence and the public presentations that they will have. The institutes should be informed as early as possible when the dates of the residency are set.

Q: When and where will I receive the contract for signing?

A: The contract will be sent to your host organization before the start of your residency. You should sign it upon your arrival and send one copy back to the Visegrad Fund’s address. For the Visual Arts Residency in New York and the Fashion Residency in Milan, the contract will be sent directly to your (the resident’s) correspondence address before you leave for the residency.

Financial support

Q: Should the scholarship be taxed in my home country?

A: Scholarships are often exempt from taxation, but different rules apply in each country. You should check your home country’s tax legislation for the specific conditions applicable to you or consult a tax advisor.

Q: How is the money paid?

A:

  • Visual and Sound Arts & Performing Arts: 90% of the support is paid at the beginning of the residency period, after the Fund has received the contract signed by the artist and the host organization. The remaining 10% of the support is paid after the residency period has finished, after the Fund has received and approved the final report written by the artist and the host organization. By default, the whole amount (lump-sum + scholarship) is transferred to the bank account of the host organization, who is obliged to transfer the scholarship to the artist without delay. If the host organization is not entitled to disburse scholarships, the Fund can pay the lump-sum and the scholarship separately. This should be requested in advance by email and requires the Fund’s approval.
  • Visual Arts in New York: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the artist after the signed contract is delivered to the Fund.
  • Fashion Residency in Milan: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the artist after the signed contract is delivered to the Fund.
  • Literary Residency: The scholarship is transferred to the bank account of the resident stated in the contract. In the case of the 6-week residency (Compact Spring Edition), the scholarship is paid in one instalment, after the Fund receives the contract signed by the resident. In the case of the 3-month residency (Regular Autumn Edition), the scholarship is paid in two equal instalments. The first instalment is transferred when the Fund receives the contract signed by the resident. The second instalment is transferred after the first month of the residency is completed.

Q: When will I receive the money?

A: If the scholarship is paid in one tranche, the artist receives it at the beginning of the residency period, after signing the contract. If the scholarship is paid in two tranches, the first tranche will be paid once the Fund receives the signed contract. The second tranche is paid after the final report is received and approved by the Fund.

For standard literary residencies (3 months), the second tranche is paid after the completion of the first month of the residency.

Q: What does the scholarship cover?

A: The scholarship can be used to cover any direct expenses connected with the residency. The artist does not have to submit a financial settlement to report how the scholarship was spent.

Reporting a residency

Q: What format should the final report have? Is there a specific form to be filled out?

A: Both the artist and the host institution are obliged to submit a narrative final report summarizing the results of the residency. The final report is only submitted electronically, by email to the Fund’s assigned project manager. You will receive the final report questionnaire from the Fund’s project manager before the beginning of the residency. A financial report does not have to be submitted.

Q: What documents do I have to submit at the end of my residency?

A: You and your host organization must submit a final report no later than 30 days after the end of the residency period. The final report should also include pictures or video materials documenting the residency.