What is this page about ?

DutchCulture|TransArtists receives a large amount of questions about what we do and about residency programmes. Have a look on this page to see if you can find an answer to your question, or contact us if you have further inquiries!

Please note that we are not related to any of the residency programmes presented in the database. Therefore, don't send any application to us, as we will not forward it to the relevant contact person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

          

Artists

What does the transartists.org database offer? How can I make use of it ?

How do I choose a residency programme ?

How do I apply for a residency ?

How can I contact a residency ?

Some residencies ask for a fee or financial participation of the artist. Where do I find funding for this myself?

I want to share my residency experience with other transartists.org visitors. How do I proceed ?

I have some complaints about the residency I went to. Where can I go to for advice?

Residency hosts

How can I add my residency programme to your database ?

How can I update my existing listing ? How can I publish a current open call ?

I want to start running a residency programme. Can you help me with it ?

Website & database

Where does the information of transartists.org come from?

I found something out-of-date on your website. What can I do about it ?

What can I find in the DIY section ?

TransArtists & others

What is DutchCulture|TransArtists ? Who works there?

What is DutchCulture, Centre for International Cooperation?

Is DutchCulture|TransArtists linked to ResArtis? What is the difference between the two organisations ?

Is DutchCulture|TransArtists linked to the Transart Institute ?

Miscellaneous

How can I participate in an artist-in-residence workshop by DutchCulture|TransArtists?

Can I apply for a job ? for an internship ?

I am in Amsterdam. Can I visit you ?


Artists

What is the TransArtists database ? How can I make use of it ?

The www.transartists.org database lists residency programmes worldwide that are open to artists of any nationality (unless stated otherwise). All kinds of artistic disciplines are listed. There are currently around 1.400 residency programmes in the database.

You can access the database here: www.transartists.org/map. The database is directly searchable by country and discipline. DutchCulture|TransArtists is currently tagging all the residencies listed in the database by themes, which should be searchable soon.

The aim of the database is to present to artists what is "out there", and to present information about residency programmes in a single, standardized way so that it is easier for artists to make use of these opportunities. Note that the database is not completely up-to-date, as this is a fast changing field and we don't have the resources to map all the current changes. More about the database here.

How do I choose a residency programme ? Can TransArtists help me?

DutchCulture|TransArtists has developed some tools to help you choose the residency programme suited to your project. Please read the pages: "What are residencies?" and "the Checklist" to help you make a choice. Read more about our workshops and advice services.

How do I apply for a residency ? Can TransArtists help me with my application ?

Most residential arts centers on the transartists.org website offer an application procedure which is open to artists from all nations, with or without deadlines. Usually artists are requested to send in documentation, a curriculum vitae, a motivation and, if necessary, a project proposal. Each institute has its own policy of application and adjudication, therefore please always check the application guidelines on the residency programme's website. TransArtists is not related to any AiR programme - therefore we cannot be held responsible for the outcomes of an application.

This being said, we do provide you with suggestions and advice. You can have a look at our checklist to know what to keep in mind while applying. Additionally, during workshops, we can also give you some advice regarding your portfolio and your residency wishes.

How can I contact a residency ?

When you visit a residency listing in our database, you will always find contact information on the page. This information is located on the right part of your screen. There should always be a website URL and an email address. However, if you don't get an answer, please visit the residency's website and look for contact information on this website.

If you really don't manage to get in touch with a residency host, please let the TransArtists main editor know!

Some residencies ask for fee/financial participation of the artist. Where do I find funding for this ? Can TransArtists fund my residency stay ?

Some residency programs cover all costs, while other residency programs don't cover any costs at all. Please have a look at the TransArtists checklist for further tips regarding funding. You can also find a list of funding opportunities here.

DutchCulture|TransArtists is not a funding organisation. We cannot provide you with any financial support for your residency stay. However, we provide information on where you can find funding, and we list funding guides for artistic and cultural mobility published by other organisations (On the Move, Asia-Europe Foundation, ...).

I want to share my residency experience with the TransArtists readers. How do I proceed ?

We are eager to include new residency experiences. There is no format to respect, and it is really up to you to let us know what your experience was about. The only request we have is that you give us the rights to publish some pictures to illustrate your story. If you prefer, we can also do an interview with you (via skype or email) to collect your experience. Read more about sharing your experience here.

I have some complaints about the residency I went to. What does DutchCulture | TransArtists do with complaints ? Can you help me?

A residency programme doesn't always go well. Many different things can go wrong, from a bad feeling between the artist and the host to much more serious problems (lack of truth in the residency programme description, last minute cancellation without refund, lack of local support, no accommodation, etc).

We have developed a policy to assess the complaints, in order to proceed systematically with various and sometimes personal complaints. First, we collect your experiences, good and bad. Our first action is to investigate your complaint, by contacting other past residents and the residency host (on our own behalf). This allows us to gain better knowledge about this specific place, and to make a difference between a personal bad experience (which we take seriously but can do little about) and a rightful complaint (which we take seriously and can act upon). If over some time we have received more than three concordant complaints, we engage in a discussion with the host about it, and we remove the host from our database. We are also in touch with several other networks (ResArtis, Alliance of Artists Communities) to share this information.


Residency hosts

How can I add my residency programme to your database ?

To be added onto our database, you can fill in the appropriate webform here. In the form, you will be able to upload up to five pictures as well as an application form (or guidelines to apply). It might take up to a few weeks to have your listing in the database. You will receive an email with the link to your listing as soon as it is up.

Once your residency is added, your residency will automatically appear in the section Deadlines if your open call has a fixed deadline – if you work with an ongoing deadline, we will add your residency to this listing instead. Note that it is free to be listed in the database, and you can ask to be removed at any time.

How can I update my existing listing ? How can I publish a current open call ?

Once you have a listing in the database, you can send us updates and open calls that we will publish at the appropriate location (on your listing, on our homepage, calls, and on social media). Don't send us your calls at the very last minute: it takes time for the artists to prepare an application, and it can also take us time to publish your call.

I want to start running a residency programme. Can you help me with it ?

Are you thinking about starting an artist-in-residence program? AiR Platform NL created the AiR organizer Checklist to provide individuals or groups, institutions or municipalities, with a list of facts and finds about getting involved in AIR programming. This will get you started with an overview of the questions and issues at stake while (thinking about) starting an AiR program.

If you are based in the Netherlands, the AiR Platform NL is there for you! Please contact the AiR Platform NL coordinator here for further information. If you are based elsewhere, we advise you to get in touch with your regional or national artist-in-residence network or with ResArtis, the worldwide network of AiR organisations.


Website & database

Where does the information you use on TransArtists come from ?

We have been collecting information about residency programmes since 1997. Our database is built on this information, and we continue expanding and updating our database with the help of direct contact with residency organisers and artists. Additionally, we receive numerous newsletters and we are in contact with cultural mobility and residency networks such as On the Move, ResArtis, Art Motile, the Alliance of Artists Communities, etc.

It is not possible for residencies to list themselves or to update their listings. In order to check the information published on TransArtists.org (except for the Do it Yourself section), we keep a very small number of editors. Unfortunately this means that we also don't always have the time to publish all the information we get.

I found something out-of-date on your website. What can I do about it ?

Please send us an email with the URL of the page on which you found something out-of-date, and, if possible, a link to where the new information can be found. We appreciate it a lot!

What can I find in the DIY section ?

The Do-it-Yourself section is for you to place an advertisement about renting your own studio space when you go on a residency, or about finding a studio abroad for a short period of time (Studio Spaces). The section Call for artists is an unedited section of open calls from other artists, organisations, etc.

DIY is intended to be a sort of "free bulletin board" for all TransArtists visitors. Visit the Do it Yourself page to know how to proceed to add and remove a post.


DutchCulture|TransArtists & others

What is TransArtists ? Who works there ?

DutchCulture|TransArtists is a knowledge centre on artist-in-residence opportunities worldwide. Since 2013, the Trans Artists Foundation merged with SICA and Mediadesk Nederland to form DutchCulture, Centre for International Cooperation. We provide artists with comprehensive information about artist-in-residence programmes through the AiR database, the Antenna, and the workshop programme. Additionally, we conduct and participate in research on the AiR sector worldwide.

The DutchCulture | TransArtists team is composed of five regular, part-time employees - read more about us here.

What is DutchCulture ?

DutchCulture supports the implementation of Dutch international cultural policy and contributes to the foreign agenda and cultural image of the Netherlands. We connect culture, the economy, society and government policy by working together with artists, diplomats, designers, producers, researchers, consumers, promoters, funds and universities. Read more

Is TransArtists linked to ResArtis ? What is the difference between the two organisations ?

DutchCulture|TransArtists is an information and knowledge centre on international AiR opportunities, focusing on the artist's perspective. Our aim is to provide artists from all disciplines with relevant information about AiR programs in order for them to make an informed choice.

ResArtis is a network of AiR organisations worldwide. Its primary focus is to represent and advocate for the interests of the field of art residencies internationally, as well as to provide a platform for sharing insights, experiences, and ideas emerging within the field. Read more about ResArtis here.

DutchCulture|TransArtists used to be a member of ResArtis. Both TransArtists and ResArtis are members of On the Move, cultural mobility information network.

Is TransArtists linked to the Transart Institute ?

DutchCulture|TransArtists and the Transart Institute are not affiliated in any way. The Transart Institute is an organisation which offers an international low-residency MFA and a practice-based PhD program for working artists, both in the USA and in Germany. Other Transart projects (Transart Collective, Transartfest) are also not related to TransArtists in any way. Recently, DutchCulture | TransArtists started providing the TransArtists workshop at Transart Berlin.


Miscellaneous

How can I participate in a TransArtists workshop ? How can I host a TransArtists workshop ?

Our workshops are organised jointly with an host organisation, which can be an Art School or University, an Art Centre, a Residency, a Residency Network, etc. The workshops are therefore open to the target group of the host organisation and promoted through the host's own network. The TransArtists workshops are usually free of charge for the participants, thus this depends on the policy of the host organisation. Have a look on this page to know more about having a TransArtists workshop.

Once a year, we try to organise a "workshop in the house" in Amsterdam (NL). This workshop is promoted on our own website.

Can I apply for a job ? for an internship ?

Please have a look at the DutchCulture website for any open call for job applications. Job openings concerning the DutchCulture | TransArtists team are published on the TransArtists.org homepage and on the DutchCulture website.

We work with interns on a regular basis, as long as there is a mutual interest in the placement (meaning that both parties and you gain something out of the internship). Internship can last up to a maximum of six months. Internships are not paid, however we will support you as much as possible in order to find funding somewhere else for the placement (by writing a letter of invitation, or by supporting your application for a mobility funding programme). Internship are usually part-time (up to a maximum of 30 hours per week). Read more about applying for a voluntary position here.

I am in Amsterdam. Can I visit you ?

Of course! Artists, residency organisers, cultural professionals, researchers... we are always very interested to meet with you. The TransArtists desk of DutchCulture is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Visitors are welcome, however please make an appointment before coming - we are not in the office every day of the week.