Spreepark Art Space Open Call

Spreepark Art Space facilitates the artistic transformation and exploration of a unique, green, urban space within Berlin: the former "Kulturpark Plänterwald", an amusement park that was open from 1969 until 2001. After its closure, known then as "Spreepark", the sidebecame derelict and was reclaimed by nature. Now it hosts exhibitions, open-air installations, and educational programms that investigate the close relationship between people and nature, art and forest.

Just next door to the Spreepark, four apartments with adjoining studios have been created for a group of four artists. They are housed within the historic Eierhäuschen - a newly renovated and re-opened building dating back to the 19th century. There is a shared spacious common room and communal kitchen, located directly above the exhibition spaces and offices of the Spreepark ArtSpace as well as the adjacent beer garden and restaurant. The close neighbourhood enables a lively exchange with the curatorial team and the broad audience.

In 2025, the residency space will host four resident groups for approximately 3 months at a time. In addition to the complimentary accommodation, they cover the costs of travel and provide a fixed financial contribution to the living costs of EUR 3,600 net per person.

The focus of the programme is the sustainable connection between art and nature for a varied audience. They would like to welcome a diverse collective that explore these topics and consists of visual artists and members of non-artistic disciplines. The organisers are particularly interested in the fields of urban development and planning, architecture, urbanism and all ecological disciplines. The group can also form specifically for the residency programme, but the members should already know each other well enough to be comfortable working and living together for the residency period. It is important that all members of the group do not live in Berlin or the state of Brandenburg at the time of application and residency.

They look forward to welcoming applications from BIPoC and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Also, in individual cases, they are happy to offer advice on possible alternatives if you need accommodation for your children, as the Eierhäuschen unfortunately is not able to accommodate children. For applicants from non-European countries, they will assist in arranging entry visas for the duration of your stay. They also warmly welcome people with impairments or disabilities. In each case, they offer a safe space to discuss and provide individual considerations and special requirements.

The focus of this residency is on analysing and exploring the Spreepark as a living space of transformation. Therefore, the cultural and ecological environment of the park should be at the center of the artistic project. While they are already welcoming visitors to the exhibitions and restaurant in the Eierhäuschen, they are still planning and building in the Spreepark. They encourage interdisciplinary methods and approaches and enable the residents to exchange ideas with Berlin artists and cultural professionals. They see this way of thinking, working and communicating creatively as "artistic research".

The form of the results of the artistic research is left up to the group at the end of the residency. This can be a research report, a video, an installation, a performance or any other type of presentation. Part of the residency programme is an exhibition in the public exhibition spaces in the Eierhäuschen in the year following the residency together with the other residency groups from 2025.

Applications are accepted online, with a deadline 26 July 2024.