Rijksmuseum artist-in-residence fellowship

The Rijksmuseum will launch an annual Artist in Residence programme for one artist in 2025. This programme includes a stipend and a budget to produce one or more artworks. Additionally, there is room for artistic research, experimentation, and the creation of new work.

Program

Both Dutch artists and non-Dutch artists who are well-embedded in the Dutch art world are eligible to apply for this residency.

If you are the successful candidate you will have access to their collections, library, archive, laboratories and expertise. You will also have the opportunity to join workshops and excursions to foster exchanges of knowledge.

The Rijksmuseum invites outstanding candidates to submit a proposal for an artistic project, preferably one that is research-based and that reflects on, responds to, and interacts with the Rijksmuseum collections or its history, activities and function as an institution. They expect from the selected artist that they create an artwork or artistic intervention for presentation in the museum.

Research proces

The Rijksmuseum welcomes independent proposals that offer new perspectives on the Rijksmuseum’s collections, history and activities, and that perform research on them. As the successful candidate you will be free to work according to your own artistic process and method. There are no restrictions on your artwork in terms of its genre, medium, subject or format, provided that the work you produce does not conflict with the policies and ethical principles, or compromise the safety of the collections, building, visitors and/or staff.

The Artist in Residence programme offers the selected artist the opportunity to conduct some of their artistic activities within the Rijksmuseum itself, and encourages them to connect with the research programme. For this reason, they are particularly keen to receive applications from talented artists for whom research is an essential part of their practice.

Dates of the residency

The first residency in this annual programme runs from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. (Please note that it is not possible to extend the duration of this residency beyond 31 December 2025).

Provided by the host

If you are the successful candidate, they will provide you with a standard workstation at the museum, with a desk, computer and access to Rijksmuseum working facilities. If you need studio space, they will make efforts to meet your needs either at the museum or elsewhere. The Rijksmuseum expects to present the artwork(s) you produce in the context of the museum building, collections, gardens or online environment.

Expectations

You have a proven, high-quality track record as an exhibiting artist and have worked on large-scale commissions and with public institutions, providing you with the experience and skills necessary to navigate the critical environment of the Rijksmuseum.        

• You are a mid-career Dutch artist or non-Dutch artist who has lived and worked in the Netherlands for at least two years and is well-acquainted with the Dutch art world;
• You don’t need to have had a formal education, but a completed BA and/or MA degree would be an advantage;
• You have demonstrable experience with a research-based practice.

Artists working in any discipline are welcome to apply.

Finances

• A total stipend of € 45,000 paid monthly (in 2025);
• A maximum budget of € 60,000 for the production of the artwork(s);
• A travel budget of € 5,000;
• An additional monthly allowance if you do not have access to a studio.

Important note: If you are self-employed, all sums of money specified here are inclusive of VAT.

How to apply

• Description of your proposal, explaining its relevance and relationship to the Rijksmuseum and/or its collections (maximum 4 A4 pages);
• Portfolio of previous work by the artist with visual documentation relevant to this residency and the proposal (maximum 5 images in one document or links to work);
• Motivation letter of 250-300 words in which you detail the following: why a residency would be suitable at this time in your career; the aim of the residency; and the benefits the residency would have for your professional and creative practice;
• Preliminary work schedule for the residency period;
• Resume detailing your education history, work experience, honours, awards and exhibitions;
• Public activities: We highly value public engagement, and we expect you to have ideas on the most effective methods or activities for outreach to communities. We expect you to describe how you would engage with the public throughout your residency and what audiences might benefit from your work.

Deadline 8 September 2024

Please note that only applications containing all six documents described in the list above will be considered.

Read more here about the program, contact details and how to apply