Short Description

TIDAL ArtS is a project offering grants to artists, collectives, and creatives to support the European Union’s Mission to Restore Our Ocean and Waters by 2030 (“the Mission” or “Mission Ocean and Waters”). The Mission focuses on protecting and restoring the health of our ocean and waters. TIDAL ArtS seeks those who can combine art, science, and citizen engagement to connect communities with their ocean and waters through innovative artistic expressions and co-creation activities – thereby raising awareness, inspiring change, and promoting action on behalf of the challenges facing our waters.

Through the Residency Call, TIDAL ArtS will award four Residencies in Portugal, Italy, Finland, and Hungary that come with financial grants of 50,000 Euro each. These Residencies are open to artists, collectives, and creatives who can inspire and engage people in the Mission through their unique artistic creations and community engagement activities. These artworks will connect communities to their local waters, celebrate that connection, reflect the Mission’s themes, and highlight the four key ocean and water basins that serve as regional hubs for inspiration and action. These four hubs are known within the Mission as “Lighthouses”, and they include the geographic regions around the:

Atlantic-Arctic Mediterranean Baltic-North Sea Danube-Black Sea

Apply for a chance to participate in a TIDAL ArtS Residency in:
São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal | Venice Lagoon, Italy | Turku Archipelago, Finland | Danube River, Ráckeve, Hungary

Eligibility

The TIDAL ArtS program welcomes applications from individual artists, collectives (comprising up to five members), and creatives of all disciplines.

Applicants are expected to possess a portfolio that demonstrates a professional practice of five or more years, with work relevant to the program’s core themes: aquatic ecosystems, aquatic science, and citizen or community engagement through creative means.

TIDAL ArtS is fundamentally committed to the principles of Gender, Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). Diversity and inclusion are core values upheld by all participating institutions. The program strongly encourages applications from individuals of all ethnicities, genders, identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. Furthermore, proposed projects should actively promote social inclusion, engage diverse participants, and consider the perspectives and involvement of underrepresented communities.

Those who apply must meet the following criteria:

  • Have the legal right to reside and work in the Residency location where the project is implemented (UK and non-EU citizens will therefore be excluded if they do not have the appropriate work/residence permits)
  • Implement the project in the Residency location and spend at least six weeks on-site*
  • Be able to communicate in English (the application must be submitted in English)
  • Be able to communicate in the local language of the Residency location or have a plan to engage local communities in their language
    – Applicants should address any foreseeable translation expenses in their proposed
    budgets.
  • Have and regularly use one or more social media accounts to document the artistic process and drive engagement
  • Commit to the Make Europe Blue Campaign, a Climate Pact pledge leading to carbon neutrality, and comply with ethical and sustainable standards, such as sustainability (the artwork should be sustainable, including the use of recyclable materials and circular solutions) and the No Harm Principle.
    – Article 17 of the EU Taxonomy Regulation stipulates that projects seeking alignment with the EU Taxonomy must avoid causing significant harm to the environmental objectives outlined in the regulation. TIDAL ArtS fully adheres to this principle as it is dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity and ecosystems, sustainable use of marine resources, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
  • Have not had a Residency at the location (specific hosting organisation) before
  • Have not been granted funds from TIDAL ArtS or its sister project PartArt4OW
  • State all conflicts of interest you may have with TIDAL ArtS. Should a conflict of interest exist between a member of the Selection Committee and an applicant, the application in question will not be evaluated by the Selection Committee member with a conflict of interest.
  • Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) are not eligible to participate as recipients of FSTP.

The program recognizes and values artistic works and creative practices that fall within the established definition of the cultural and creative sectors as outlined by the European Union. This encompasses the development of artistic outputs across a wide spectrum of disciplines, including but not limited to:

  • Visual, literary, performing, fine, and digital arts
  • Music
  • Design
  • Architecture
  • Any interdisciplinary combination of the above fields

The artistic medium is for the artist to define, allowing for interdisciplinary approaches. Projects can include one or more of the following activities:

  • Exhibitions, expositions, installations
  • Workshops
  • Visual, literary, performing, and/or digital arts
  • Architecture and design
  • Artistic debate
  • Public art displays
  • Art/ocean awareness-raising activities

Submission Requirements

  • Stage 1: Open to All Eligible Applicants
    • Draft concept of the project (maximum of one page, minimum font size 11)
    • Artistic Portfolio (maximum of four pages total, 5 MB)
  • Stage 2: Open to Invited Applicants Only
    • Project Proposal: The proposal includes a description of the project, budget, and information on how the project will meet the Call’s objectives and make an impact on the public.
    • Two Letters of Recommendation
    • Interviews with shortlisted Candidates

How to Apply

Online Application

Program Benefits & Awards

  • A €50,000 grant to support the project
  • A project contact and monthly check-in meetings for support throughout the project. Connection with the site via the Interspecies Assemblies and Co-creation Workshops with scientists, educators, and community leaders
  • A unique opportunity to create place-based art responding to local communities and environmental realities
  • Networking opportunities with fellow artists, researchers, TIDAL ArtS alumni, and other communities
  • The chance to expand your portfolio and gain international exposure on social media, in publications, via networking events, and across EU platforms (e.g., Mission Ocean and Waters events) for personal and professional growth
  • The opportunity to know and genuinely connect with a unique European community on a deeper level
  • Resources, such as a list of scientific institutions for better collaboration as well as a communications toolkit to help spotlight the artwork and project
  • Invitation to the final celebration and other Mission Ocean and Waters events

Entry Fee

None

Location

Berlin, Germany

Timeline

  • Application Deadline: 15 November 2025

Website Link: https://tidalarts.eu/residency-call/

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