Deniz Villaları 2026 – Ecological Crossings Residency Programme, Mediterranean Region
Institutions: Institut français de Turquie & Goethe-Institut Izmir
Programme Type: International Artistic Residency Programme
Location: Multiple residency sites across Turkey, Greece, and the Mediterranean region
Residency Period: September–October 2026 (5 weeks total)
Application Deadline: May 31, 2026
Results Announcement: June 19, 2026
Preparatory Online Seminar: July 2026
This call has been translated from French. Proficiency in French is likely essential; please contact the organisers if unsure.
Deniz Villaları: Traversées écologiques is a new international residency programme exploring the ecological challenges of the Mediterranean through artistic research, interdisciplinary exchange, and mobility between Turkey and the wider Mediterranean region.
Organised by the Institut français de Turquie and Goethe-Institut Izmir in collaboration with Mediterranean partner organisations, the programme combines land-based residencies with collective time at sea, fostering artistic experimentation connected to environmental, social, and geopolitical transformations across the region.
About the Residency
The residency programme supports artists, curators, writers, and cultural practitioners working across contemporary interdisciplinary practices connected to ecology and Mediterranean contexts.
Selected participants will engage in a five-week programme including a collective maritime residency component, individual research and production residencies, public presentations, and exchanges with local experts, institutions, and communities.
Residency Structure
- Preparatory online seminars focused on ecological and Mediterranean contexts
- One-week collective residency at sea (weather permitting)
- One-month residency at a partner institution near the Mediterranean coast
- Public presentations including exhibitions, performances, or talks
- Meetings and exchanges with researchers, experts, and cultural practitioners
- Optional participation in workshops for emerging artists in late October 2026
Support Provided
- Round-trip travel support up to €450
- Accommodation provided by residency partners
- €1,000 production grant
- €1,000 living allowance or meals provided by host institution
- Access to equipped studio/workspace facilities
- Curatorial, artistic, and logistical support on-site
- Possible participation in mandatory sea-based residency segment
Eligible Disciplines
- Visual arts
- Curatorial practices
- Sound and music
- Dance and performance
- Audiovisual and media practices
- Journalism and writing
- Literature and criticism
- Public space and interdisciplinary practices
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be French, German, Greek, or Turkish nationals, or have resided in one of these countries for at least three years
- Selected applicants must provide proof of civil liability insurance
- Applicants may select up to two preferred residency locations
Application Materials
- CV (maximum 4 pages)
- Portfolio including approximately 10 works with captions (maximum 15 pages)
- Links to media work where relevant (Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.)
- Residency proposal (2–4 pages) outlining research themes, motivations, expectations, and preferred residency sites
Residency Locations
- K2 Urla Breathing Zone (Urla, Turkey)
- Maquis Projects (Izmir, Turkey)
- Studio MAHAL (Çanakkale, Turkey)
- Gümüşlük Festival Centre (Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey)
- Arkadia Residenz Thessaloniki (Greece)
- Friche la Belle de Mai – Résidences Méditerranée (Marseille, France)
Selection Process
- Applications reviewed by an international jury composed of art professionals and residency partners
- Selection based on artistic quality, relevance to ecological and Mediterranean themes, and suitability for residency context
- Only selected candidates will be contacted
Additional Information
- Programme strongly emphasises ecological thinking, mobility, and transnational collaboration
- Residencies combine research, production, and public engagement components
- Several residency sites are located directly on the Mediterranean coastline
- The programme includes both individual and collective experiences
- Applications must be submitted exclusively through the online form
