The Saari Residence in Finland

The Saari Residence, maintained by Kone Foundation, is a residence located in Mynämäki, Southwest Finland, for artists of all disciplines and nationalities. At the Saari Residence, artists and researchers can focus on their work in a peaceful rural environment and share their thoughts and experiences with colleagues. The residence’s long-term activities and thinking are underpinned by an ecological approach, which also covers social and psychological sustainability. Its keywords are slowness, insight and change.

Our next annual open call is from 1 March to 31 March, 2024 at 4 p.m. Finnish time (EEST, GMT +3). The open call in March 2024 is for residency places in 2025.

The application period for Saari Residence takes place annually in March. The open call in March 2024 is for residency places in 2025. All applications must be submitted by using the online grant service during the application period. Please read the information and guidelines carefully before applying!

WHO CAN APPLY

The residency places are intended for individual professional artists, fiction writers, poets and novelists, translators, composers, sound artists, curators and critics and artistic collectives (i.e., a workgroup or established organisation with a Business ID) of all disciplines and all nationalities for the purpose of carrying out a project proposed in advance.

Individual residency can be applied for with a work partner in a joint application; the details of both applicants must be included in the same application.

Non-fiction writers and researchers are not eligible for a residency.

An individual residency spanning two months includes accommodation, a workroom and a monthly grant, the sum of which is determined by the applicant’s experience. The purpose of the grant is to cover the cost of living, travel and other expenses.

Workgroups can apply for a grant for a work period of two to four weeks.

As part of the Saari Residence’s social sustainability, accessibility and diversity, artists arriving from Global South can apply for support for the flights and the fees for a visa.

We encourage applicants to apply for support for ecological travel. You can apply for the support if you are coming to the Saari Residence from outside of Finland and travelling out of Finland when leaving. If the journey takes more than a week in total, it is possible to apply for a work grant for the journey. Ecological travel refers to ecologically sustainable means of transport and avoidance of air travel. For more info, please read Support for Ecological Travel below.

In addition to the grant, the Saari Residence provides three studios, a dance studio and workspaces for writers. Each individual residency guest has their own apartment with basic amenities and their private workspace that they do not have to share. During summer group residencies, groups stay in more shared accommodations, but each is provided with a private workspace.

Read more about Accommodation and workspaces

MONTHLY GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCIES

Individual residency spots include a monthly grant, the size of which varies according to experience. The grant is intended for living and travel expenses and other costs. Working and living at the Residence for the duration of the residency period (42 days) is a prerequisite for receiving the grant.

Individual residency grant classification:

Grant 1: early career – €2,500 / month
Grant 2: mid-career – €3,000 / month (min. 10 years of artistic work)
Grant 3: experienced artist – €3,600 / month (min. 20 years of artistic work).

If you apply for grant 2 or 3, please describe your career phase on the application form. For example, the grant classification cannot be justified to cover the cost of supplies or travel.

Work partners apply in the same application but in individual sections and choose their own grant category.

GRANTS FOR GROUP RESIDENCIES

The group residency grants are awarded based on the number of persons and the plan presented in the application. The group must comprise a minimum of three people and a maximum of 18 people. Each member of a group working at the Residence receives a grant. The funding covers the cost of living and travel, calculated according to the number of weeks they spend at the Residence.

The workgroups arriving from Global South may apply for travel support for all modes of travel, including flying and the fees for a visa. They need to attach a separate breakdown of costs in the application.

To reduce environmental impact, we recommend that workgroups travelling from outside of Finland apply for ecological travel support and a more extended group residency period. If the journey takes more than a week in total, it is possible to apply for a work grant for the journey.

Working and living at the Residence for the awarded residency period is a prerequisite for receiving the support. We do not offer a daily allowance, salary or support for travels (unless the artist arrives from the Global South) or supplies.

Working grants for workgroups: