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OPEN CALL 2026

wpZimmer is hosting a residency program focused on the development of performative practices. The application is open for collectives of artists/artworkers based in the Benelux.

Criteria

  • you are a collective(1) of artists/artworkers based in the Benelux(2);
  • you are looking for a space to experiment with different ways of working together and sharing practices;  
  • you are developing(4) a performative practice(3);
  • you have a process-oriented approach so you don’t have a project but do have a practice. 
  • your practice moves between disciplines or contexts.
  • your practic aims to bring people together in non-traditional or inventive ways (meaning not the classic black box or exhibition)
(*)

(1)what do we mean by ‘collective’? 
 We invite already existing, new and temporary collectives to apply for this open call. A collective consists of min. 3 artists that have a shared practice, a common practice or individual practices related to each other. Do you want to come together to share a space and experiment collectively.

(2)what do we mean by ‘based in the Benelux?
 You are based in Belgium, The Netherlands or Luxemburg. 

(3)what do we mean by ‘performative practices’? 
 Performative practices work with and through, responding to and affected by communities, worlds, realities and surroundings. Performative practices are living relationships.

(4)what do we understand by ‘development’? 
 By ‘development’, we understand: 
 a) development can be a phase within an artistic project, a phase within a linear trajectory towards an end result (research and development, production, presentation…);
 b) development can be an integral ongoing/continuous driver within process-based practices that have a circular trajectory.
 During the development phase a form (either as a discipline or a medium) does not have to be predefined. Instead, it can emerge/appear, or deviate, change and transform from the initial artistic

What we offer

  • 4 residency slots, each of 5 weeks per collective
    Residency slots: 
    • 1) 25 MAY – 28 JUNE
    • 2) 25 AUG – 28 SEPT
    • 3) 5 OCT – 8 NOV
    • 4) 16 NOV – 20 DEC
  • 2 workspaces
    • A technically-equipped studio space of approx. 18m x 17m (*1)
    • A medium sized atelier space with limited technical equipment, also adapted to physical practices of approx. 4m x 13m

(The collective will be responsible for the assignment of the spaces according to their schedule and practices, please make the division of spaces clear in your planning within the application)

  • shared accommodation for max. 6 people per residency slot.
  • A financial contribution of €5000 excl. VAT per collective. (This budget is managed by the collective).
  • Beyond the workspace, accommodation and financial contribution, wpZimmer opens up its community as well as its knowledge. We value a reciprocal way of working between artists and team.  

How to apply?

  • On July 14th 2025 we will open a registration form for submissions. The open call will be closed on the 30th of September 2025. We will allow a maximum of 150 applications, we will update online when the registration form reaches 50% capacity.
  • Please use the registration form to submit your application via our website (active from 14.07 until 30.09). This can be in English or Dutch. Applications that are sent by e-mail will not be taken into consideration.
    We advise you to prepare your application in advance, as the contents of the form cannot be saved before submission.

In the application form you’ll be asked to submit/fill in the following:

  • Personal information of each member of the collective indicating who’s the representative for the follow-up communication (names, pronouns, city and country of residency, phone number)
  • In which one of the residency slots are you available (we advise you to select as many as you can)
  • A biography of the collective with a small introduction of the members of the collective, in the registration form (max. 1000 characters incl. spacing)
  • A maximum of 10 images with short description
  • Your artistic proposal in the registration form  answering the questions below. (max 1000 characters incl. spacing):
    • Describe your individual and/or collective practices.
    • Explain clearly why you want to work collectively.
    • Give us an insight of your planning for this residency (per week for example).
    • What kind of exchange with wpZimmer do you envision? 

If you have any questions prior to the deadline, please contact wpZimmer at info@wpzimmer.be.

On July 1st we organize an infosession at wpZimmer regarding the open call from 16h00-18h00. 

*You’ll be able to find the link to the registration form on this page as well as through Instagram and Facebook and Mastodon on July 14th at 09h00 (CET, Central European Time).

Selection process and deadline

The deadline of the call is 30/09/2025 at 23h59 (CET, Central European Time). You can expect an answer about your application in November 2025. The external jury members will be announced on the website and social media channels of wpZimmer in September.
The external jury will consist of 3 artists/artworkers who will be guided by a member of our artistic team. After a shortlist is made by the jury, the wpZimmer team makes a final decision together with the external jury.

wpZimmer is structurally supported by the Flemish Government. Open Call residencies are realized in partnership with C-TAKT.

FAQ

How many people in the collective need to be based in the Benelux?
At least one person needs to be living or working in the Benelux.

Is 6 people the maximum of people that can be in this collective?
No, there are sleeping spots for 6 people in the wpZimmer building. So, if you have a big collective but not everyone needs a place to sleep that’s totally fine.

Can I work with international artists (ex. Invite them during my residency)?
Definitely! But be aware of your budget, wpZimmer will not be accountable for travel costs, insurance etc.

What do you mean with ‘artworkers’?
Artworkers can be anyone who works in a creative field.

What if I don’t have a collective yet, but want to build one during the residency?
That is definitely possible, you can dedicate your residency to building a collective? ‘Building a collective’ can for example be your research question to work on. It is advised to state clearly in the application how you then will work on building this collective during your stay.

Will we have to clean up the studio spaces after we leave every day?
No, during these 5 weeks the rooms are your playground. Ofcourse the communal spaces are expected to be kept tidy, but your atelier/bedroom is yours to work in (day, night, weekends).

Do we need to be present every day of the 5 weeks at wpZimmer?
No, you decide when you’ll want to work at wpZimmer and how you’ll fill in your days. On Tuesdays we have a communal lunch where we have an informal conversation between the team and the collective, but if for example you have a job on Tuesdays there’s no pressure to adjust your schedule.

Can wpZimmer provide an audience if I want to share something?
If you want a big audience to come and see your work, you’ll need to activate the neighborhood yourself. If you’d need external communication we can add it to our newsletter and socials but can’t promise a big turn-out.

 How many applications will be selected?
4 collectives will get a residency at wpZimmer.