
Onassis AiR
Onassis AiR is an international artistic research residency program based in Athens, Greece, that was established by the Onassis Foundation in 2019.
Founded on the principles of learning and doing with others, Onassis AiR grounds its mission in supporting the artistic process by offering space and dedicated time to arts professionals from various backgrounds and disciplines to delve deeper into their practice without any requirement to present a final work. By practising peer-to-peer methodologies, they aim to establish a different culture of being and working together where the participants set their own work conditions. Therefore, since 2019, their programs constantly evolve based on the discussions they have and the feedback they receive from their peers and programme participants. Read more about their principles and ethos here.
The Tailor-made Residency, running between September 2023 and July 2024, is a programme of individual residencies, each lasting for a maximum of three months. Each residency stems from the participants’ needs. This program is for anyone in need of support who is yearning for space, focused time, and stimulating conversations that can help to kick off, further develop, or finalize a project and who is interested in engaging with the locale of Athens. All participants are invited to use the Οnassis AiR space and resources to develop their thinking and practices without the expectation of presenting a final work. Rather, residents are encouraged to engage with the Onassis AiR Community through an offering, in the form of a workshop, an in-progress presentation, a lecture or screening, or any other format they wish to propose. Additionally, the programme offers professional development activities including mentoring sessions, presentations and peer-to-peer feedback sessions, organized site visits to local art spaces and other institutions, and opportunities to meet and connect with local artists and arts professionals.
Functioning as a space that is meant to be shared and used collectively by all current and previous participants, Οnassis AiR does not offer individual artist studios, but instead it is a modular space that transforms according to the needs of those using it each time. It offers two large co-working spaces equipped with projectors and sound system, a shared office and events space, a rehearsal studio that can be used upon availability (pre-booking required), a fully equipped kitchenette for preparation of light meals, a library, storage spaces, a beautiful patio that can be used for open-air screenings and events, a small vegetable garden in our terrace with seasonal herbs and vegetables that can be used for our lunches. Additionally, based on their research needs, participants can benefit from access to other rehearsal spaces, a recording studio, and other resources of the Onassis Foundation. All spaces are wheelchair accessible.
Shared apartment (3 bedrooms) for those not living in Athens.