Short Description
Music Biennale Zagreb (MBZ) invites individual artists and artistic duos from South East and Central Europe working in sound and music to join MBZ LAB, a ‘project incubator’ experiment. MBZ LAB reimagines how festivals commission and produce new works, particularly collaborative, sound-based projects designed for unconventional spaces. We are seeking bold, imaginative, and process-driven artists who want to activate public spaces or unusual sites and reimagine the audience experience.
Stage 1 – Expression of Interest & Research Visit
Individual artists or artistic duos submit a portfolio and an expression of interest. At most, five applications will move to the next stage.
Each selected application will receive:
● Travel and accommodation for up to two people (if applying as a duo) for a site visit (3-4 days) to Zagreb
● A seed development fee of €1000 (note that this amount will be the same for individual artists and artistic duos)
The research visit will take place in the last week of October 2025 (27-31 October), enabling artists to connect with the MBZ team and local partners, explore potential locations, and develop their concept into a full proposal, which should include at least one other LAB artist.
Stage 2 – Commissioning & Production
Final projects will be selected in early 2026 and co-produced by MBZ for presentation in April 2027 as part of the 34th Music Biennale Zagreb.
MBZ LAB production budgets and timelines for each selected project will be developed in close collaboration with the chosen artists to reflect the specific needs and scope of each project.
Eligibility
We welcome applications from composer-performers, sound and installation artists, improvisers, new-media artists, instrument makers, as well as visual, multimedia, and/or performance artists whose work engages with sound and music in expanded or non-traditional ways. Applicants should be in the early-to-mid-career stage, with a developed body of work and some public presentation history, but are not yet regularly commissioned by major institutions or festivals (approximate age range: 25-35 years old). An ongoing collaborative practice is essential. While priority is given to those based within approximately 500 km of Zagreb, we also welcome applications from artists with strong contextual ties to the region (e.g. origin, language, or past collaborations).
Artists must be available for a 3–4 day research visit in Zagreb, scheduled between October 27 and 31, 2025. Core activity days are October 28, 29, and 30, with October 27 and 31 intended as travel days.
Please note that applicants must be able to work legally in Croatia independently, as we are unable to provide a visa or work permit support at this stage.
Submission Requirements
● CV of the artist or creative team (up to two pages – if applying as a duo, include both individual and joint achievements)
● Portfolio of selected works (up to three works / five pages total maximum. May include photos, text and links to video/audio.
● Artistic statement addressing the following three questions (1000 words max / 6000 characters):
1. How does your work engage with sound, music, or acoustic practices in unconventional spaces?
2. What is your collaborative practice?
3. What kind of experience do you aim to create for your audience?
Please ensure your statement communicates your creative methods and vision in relation to these themes.
How to Apply
Online Application
Entry Fee
None
Location
Croatia
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 September 2025
Website Link: https://www.mbz.hr/en/news/call-for-artists-mbz-lab-sonic-collaboration-in-unconventional-spaces
