Organizer Information
EMMA – Kreativzentrum Pforzheim, in cooperation with the City of Pforzheim, Pforzheim University and Design Center Baden-Württemberg, organizes the annual Designers in Residence scholarship. The program has been running since 2016 and brings international emerging designers to Pforzheim for an intensive three-month working period. EMMA is a 3,000-square-meter creative center housed in a former Art Nouveau bath, providing workshops, coworking spaces, studios, offices and exhibition facilities.
Title & Description
Designers in Residence in Pforzheim 2027
Designers in Residence Pforzheim 2027 is an international residency scholarship for emerging designers who want to develop and realize a self-directed project in Pforzheim. Three selected designers will spend three months at EMMA – Kreativzentrum, working on a project proposed in their application.
The program encourages interdisciplinary approaches and provides an environment for concentrated creative work, experimentation and exchange with other designers, professors and members of the jury. The completed projects will be presented in an exhibition at EMMA at the end of the residency.
Categories
- Jewellery Design
- Fashion Design
- Accessories Design
- Industrial Design
- Communication Design
- Graphic Design
- Other Design Disciplines
- Interdisciplinary Design
Eligibility
The open call is international and intended for young/emerging designers. Applicants must have completed university or university of applied sciences studies.
Applicants must either:
- Be 35 years old or younger, or
- Have graduated no more than two years before the application.
Applicants must submit a project proposal that can realistically be developed during the three-month scholarship. Interdisciplinary proposals are welcome. German or English language skills are required, while the application itself must be written in English.
Program Benefits & Awards
Three scholarships will be awarded. Each selected designer receives:
- Fully equipped workshop and coworking workspace at EMMA
- Free accommodation for the three-month residency
- €1,000 monthly support
- Travel-cost reimbursement for travel to and from Pforzheim
- Additional support for material costs
- Potential access to workshop facilities at Pforzheim University
- Opportunities to exchange ideas and network with jury members and professors at Pforzheim University
- Presentation of the completed project in an exhibition at EMMA – Kreativzentrum
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 2 November 2026
- Selection Notification: Mid-December 2026
- Residency Period: April 1 – June 30, 2027
- Residency Duration: 3 months
Location
Emma-Jaeger-Straße 20, 75175 Pforzheim, Germany
Additional Details
The selected designers are required to be resident in Pforzheim during the scholarship and may be absent for a maximum of 10 days. The scholarship does not guarantee selection rights to applicants, and the jury's decision is final without an obligation to provide reasons. The program is supported by Sparkasse Pforzheim Calw, C. Hafner and Rotary Club Pforzheim-Schloßberg.