PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This is a project based on the question:
How to use creative processes to actively shape and partake in democratic life?
It interacts with art, community and political discourse. And many other things – it is constantly shifting and growing as a concept.
We envision it in three phases:
1] The first phase is a residency (01.-14.09.2025) – the way it’s understood in artistic contexts. This means that there is a space where we will gather for a period of time (two weeks, in this case), and co-create processes of discourse, experimentation and creation. There will be around 15 people. Throughout those two weeks, a lot can happen while we research our question.
2] During this time we will also organise an event we call Blüte (12.09.2025), in Carinthia | Koroška. Here we will share the processes that went on throughout the residency. This will be entirely co-created throughout the first phase, so we cannot tell what it will look like as of yet.
3] The last phase of the project will be the Fruit (11.01.2026), taking place in Vienna. This is an event where we will harvest the ripened fruits of the creative processes that took place throughout the residency, reflect and share.
Our intention is to edit the research question in a community process and elaborate possible answers to it, in creative ways. We want to connect people and create a platform to share thoughts, ideas and dreams.
DATES
1.-14. September, 2025: Keimling Residency Wasserhofen, Carinthia | Koroška
12. September, 2025: Blüte Event Wasserhofen, Carinthia | Koroška
11. January, 2026: the Fruit Event Vienna | Dunaj
WHAT WE OFFER
The space and its comforts.
The Residency, as well as Blüte Event, will partake in a little castle in Wasserhofen, Kärnten | Koroška. It can only be accessed through stairs and an uneven pavement. Wildflower meadows, lots of trees and a fresh-water stream coming directly from a nearby source make up the surrounding environment. It is very likely that a lot of time will be spent in nature. The Fruit Event will take place in a suitable location in Vienna.
For sleeping in the castle, mattresses and beddings are provided in several shared sleeping rooms. A FLINTA* (female, lesbian, intersex, nonbinary, trans, agender, * everybody who doesn’t identify as cis gender male) room is available as well. Additionally, there is the option to sleep in your own tent. For this, we don’t offer any equipment and you would need to bring your own. There are bathrooms with warm showers and toilets with running water. It is good to know that there is a sweet, calm dog named Chilly in the residency space.
There will be food and drinks. The communally-prepared meals will be all vegan with vegetarian options. Please let us know beforehand, if you have any allergies.
THE PROGRAM
The work.
It is an intention of ours to edit the research question in a community process and elaborate possible answers to it. Skill-sharing among the participants will be a key element in this. Here we provide professional facilitation and space-holding. We also welcome other kinds of non-formal learning methods.
The space-holding.
Instead of preparing a pre-fixed schedule, the idea is to hold a space in an open format – where participants of the residency all have the same agency to shape the schedule and programme in a way that suits everyone’s needs.
This will already bring topics of democratic processes into the present of our every-day lives, merging in with our meal-planning, our creative processes and our general organisation. It enables us to spend the two-week stay in a communal, yet need-oriented, more inclusive way. More infos about the open space format can be found here.
As this residency is a space for experimentation, we will also provide diverse art equipment, taking into account the needs of the participants. Whatever will emerge from the 14 days of residency, can be publicly shown and shared at two events:
- Blüte Event: September 12th 2025 in Wasserhofen, Carinthia
- the Fruit Event: January 11th 2026 in Vienna
Awareness concept.
We stand strongly against all forms of discrimination and stand in solidarity with anyone affected by the ongoing global crises, and the way these become present on the individual level. Should any situation arise where boundaries are crossed, our team is prepared to be present for the situation and provide the support needed, as deemed necessary. We will also provide a calm space within the residency, for anyone to be able to take personal space.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- Travel expenses to the residency and back (inside Austria / please keep all the bills)
- Local, Organic and Saved Food
- Accommodation in shared spaces
- Some art materials for creation
- Instruments, including a piano, drums, flutes, a trumpet and guitars
- A shared studio-space for solo and group movement practices
- A lot of time to share and to learn from each other
- Spaces for creation, reasons for experimentation and settings for conversation
- Two possibilities for sharing works with the public (Blüte Event / the Fruit Event)
- Time to rest, beds to lay in the sun, space for nature walks and swims
- Facilitated moments – holding of group processes
- Gaps and spaces to contribute and to shape our time together
- Access to our small vegetable garden and to a wide array of wild herbs
WHO IS IT FOR?
This open call is for anybody living in Austria and between the age of 18-30. We are happy to receive many different kinds of applications and we aim for a diverse group constellation.
Nevertheless, we have some expectations of the participants. Because of transparency reasons, we will list them in the following:
- To be present for all days of the residency, as well as the follow-up event the Fruit.
- To actively engage in and support the creation of the two public events
- To take part in one zoom call before the residency
- To be based in Austria (because of our current funding stream)
- To partake in the group activities during our events (e.g. morning circles)
- To be aligned with our awareness concept