Organizer Information

Founded in 1987, ACC Galerie Weimar operates as an autonomous cultural center housed in two interconnected Renaissance buildings in the historic city center of Weimar, Germany (site of Goethe's first apartment). Administered in partnership with the City of Weimar since 1994 and supported by the Thuringian State Chancellery, the International Studio Program (IAP) provides international artists with a platform for critical practice, interdisciplinary discourse, and urban engagement in a city steeped in both rich humanist culture (Goethe, Schiller, Bauhaus) and complex historical legacies.

Title & Description

33rd International Studio Program of the ACC Galerie Weimar and the City of Weimar: "On Absence" — Open Call

The ACC Galerie Weimar and the City of Weimar have officially launched the open call for the 33rd International Studio Program. Centered on the thematic framework "On Absence", the program invites visual artists worldwide to submit proposals that explore absence, the non-present, gaps, and echoes as tools for aesthetic experiment, existential inquiry, or social critique. Three selected artists will each receive a 4-month residence period in Weimar during 2027, featuring a €1,100 EUR monthly stipend, a free studio and apartment, curatorial support, an artist talk, and potential inclusion in a group exhibition at ACC Galerie.

Thematic Focus: "On Absence"

The 33rd edition invites artists to interrogate what "absence" means in a hyper-visible, digitally overloaded world. Proposals may address absence as an existential state (gaps, loss, loneliness), an active resonance, an ecological reality (imaging futures beyond ecological collapse), a structural/aesthetic tool (silence, omissions, spaces between), or a historical condition deeply tied to physical sites like Weimar itself.

Residency Periods (2027–2028)

Selected artists will be assigned one 4-month work period:

  • Period 1: February 1 – May 31, 2027
  • Period 2: June 1 – September 30, 2027
  • Period 3: October 1, 2027 – January 31, 2028

Eligibility

  • Demographic Scope: Open to visual artists, duos, and collectives of any nationality living anywhere globally.
  • Age & Academic Status: Open to all ages; currently enrolled students are strictly ineligible.
  • Language Requirement: Solid grasp of English or German (proposals must be submitted in English; jury evaluations take place in English).
  • Collectives: Artist duos and collectives may apply, but the total stipend remains €1,100 EUR per month and the studio accommodates a maximum of 2 people.

Program Benefits & Provided Facilities

  • Financial Stipend: €1,100 EUR per month for the 4-month stay. (Artists must reside in Weimar during their period to receive the stipend).
  • Studio & Living Accommodation: Free rent-free, furnished ground-floor apartment and a well-lit 30 m² (323 sq ft) studio in the historical Municipal Studio Building (Städtisches Atelierhaus Weimar).
  • Cultural Perks: Free admission to public municipal institutions (City History Museum, Goethe National Museum, Bauhaus Museum, Duchess Anna Amalia Library).
  • Exhibition & Public Engagement: Participation in an end-of-residency artist talk at ACC, and potential inclusion in a curated group exhibition at ACC Galerie Weimar in 2028 (with potential public space interventions).
  • Expenses Borne by Artist: Travel expenses, medical insurance (e.g., Mawista), personal telephone bills, and special studio equipment/materials are the responsibility of the artist.

Application Fee

Participation in the application process is 100% free of charge (€0 entry fee).

How to Apply

Email your single PDF proposal directly to the program director Knut Birkholz.

  • Submission Email: studioprogram@acc-weimar.de

Key Dates

  • Application Submission Deadline: November 22, 2026 (End of day, Central European Time / UTC+01:00)
  • Jury Evaluation & Results Notification: End of November 2026 (Acceptance/rejection emails sent to all applicants)
  • Residency Implementation Runs: February 2027 – January 2028

Location

Initial application uploads, jury reviews, and email correspondence take place Online. The physical 4-month residency stays and exhibitions take place live in Germany at:

Städtisches Atelierhaus Weimar & ACC Galerie Weimar

Burgplatz 1+2, 99423 Weimar, Thuringia, Germany

Website Link: https://acc-weimar.de/atelierprogramm/?utm_source=gemini

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