The Villa Sonnenberg residency

The sponsor of the Villa Sonnenberg is the «Villa Sonnenberg Foundation», which is committed to preserving and revitalising the listed property. This also includes art and cultural projects as well as an «Artist-in-Residence» programme for professional artists.

Through the residencies, the foundation promotes intercultural exchange and international networking. The artistic work of the studio guests should experience new impulses and find time to develop further at Villa Sonnenberg. As an artist in residence, you will have the opportunity to realise a project related to the annual theme and to participate in everyday life at Villa Sonnenberg. The estate with its historic buildings and picturesque garden has been recently renovated.

Annual theme 2025:
Inter Generation
«I hope I die before I get old! » sang The Who in their 1965 song My Generation, capturing the defiantly rebellious spirit of their generation. Today, as the baby boomers retire, we read almost daily about «Generation 2», described as media-savvy, eco-friendly, but also rather noncommittal and work-shy.
Does it have something to do with the attitude to life of an entire generation, or are these characterizations merely gross simplifications? What defines a generation, and what is the point of categorizing people by age? Or does it divide us unnecessarily? Do we have to feel that we belong to our own generation, or is it just a concept that we can safely ignore?

What could a more intergenerational relationship look like? And how do other cultures deal with this issue and how does it evolve?
These questions can also be linked to Villa Sonnenberg and artistic expression. The 250-year-old Villa Sonnenberg has been a country estate, a family residence, a restaurant and, most recently, the artist’s residence of the composer. painter, and writer Peter Mieg. Several generations have lived under the same roof. exchanging experiences, ideas, and perspectives.
Through this dialogue, the house has been constantly filled with new ideas and revitalized so that it is still with us today. This process should continue and develop.

For our Artist in Residence Programme 2025, we are looking for artists who explore the theme of generations in their work, and who challenge and rethink social beliefs.
The Villa Sonnenberg Foundation’s Open Call
« InterGeneration» is addressed to professional artists of all disciplines with a project proposal that has the potential to question existing concepts on the subject of generations, to create new approaches and to appeal to people of different age groups and inspire them to participate.

Residencies 2025
Studio residencies at Villa Sonnenberg usually last three months:
→ Mid-January to mid-April 2025
→ Mid-May to mid-August 2025
→ Mid-September to mid-December 2025
Please indicate all time slots that are possible for you in your application. Attendance of at least 80 % is a prerequisite.

Application documents
→ CV with work history as an artist
→ Project outline with reference to the annual theme incl. motivation for the stay
→ Proposal for your contribution to the daily operations of Villa Sonnenberg (optional)
→ Examples of your work
→ Proof of insurance in case of illness or accident (at the latest upon acceptance or agreement)