Organizer Information
The Baltic Contemporary Art Gallery in Słupsk (BGSW) is a self-government cultural institution organized by the Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. The gallery supports contemporary visual art through exhibitions, artistic projects and programmes for artists and cultural professionals. The “Kurort Ustka” residency programme is supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage through the Visual Arts 2026 programme.
Title & Description
Kurort Ustka — Regenerative Residencies 2026–2027
Kurort Ustka 2026–2027 is a regenerative residency programme designed for people working in the visual arts sector. Rather than requiring participants to produce a new artwork, exhibition or public project, the programme focuses on rest, recovery, reflection and independent work.
Selected residents receive a 10-day stay in Ustka, Poland, with free accommodation, a financial honorarium and access to selected BGSW resources. The programme aims to provide time away from professional pressures and create conditions for participants to reconsider their artistic or professional practice and exchange experiences with another resident.
Each participant will create an author postcard—a visual or visual-textual trace of their residency experience—and participate in a recorded conversation or podcast discussing their practice, working conditions in the arts, rest and regeneration.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Contemporary Art
- Curating
- Art Criticism
- Art Education and Mediation
- Artistic Research
- Cultural Production and Coordination
- Exhibition Technical Work
- Cultural Institutions
- Independent Art Sector
- Other professional activities within the visual arts field
Eligibility
The programme is open to adults professionally connected with the visual arts sector, regardless of career stage, educational background or employment status.
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years or older and have full legal capacity.
- Live in Poland.
- Communicate in Polish or English.
- Hold citizenship of an EU or EEA member state or Switzerland, or, if a citizen of another country, hold appropriate legal residence in Poland and have the legal authorization necessary to agree with the organizer during the residency.
- Demonstrate professional involvement in the visual arts sector.
The programme does not prioritize seniority, awards, exhibition history or length of CV. Applications are assessed particularly according to the applicant’s need for rest and regeneration, the potential importance of the residency for their professional/artistic practice, their professional/material/life situation, and access to other opportunities for rest and support.
Program Benefits & Awards
- 10-day regenerative residency in Ustka.
- Free accommodation at BGSW in Ustka for the entire residency.
- PLN 2,000 gross honorarium.
- Access to studios and selected BGSW resources, subject to individual arrangements.
- Organizational support.
- A programme coordinator during the residency.
- Opportunity to focus on rest, reflection and independent work without a production requirement.
The programme selects 16 residents, with two residents for each of eight residency periods. Eight additional applicants will be placed on a reserve list.
Residents must remain in Ustka for the full 10-day period, participate in the programme podcast/conversation and create the author postcard.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application deadline: 13 September 2026
- Results announced by: 18 September 2026
- Residency periods:
- I: 8–18 October 2026
- II: 12–22 November 2026
- III: 3–13 December 2026
- IV: 14–24 January 2027
- V: 4–14 February 2027
- VI: 4–14 March 2027
- VII: 1–11 April 2027
- VIII: 6–16 May 2027
Location
Ustka, Poland
Additional Details
Applicants may indicate individual accessibility and organizational needs without providing medical diagnoses or documentation. Additional childcare may be arranged for residents travelling with children, depending on organizational and financial possibilities.
A companion may stay with a selected resident for up to seven days with prior approval, subject to accommodation availability. The fee is PLN 150 gross per night, and companions do not receive programme benefits or honoraria.
Only one application per person is permitted. Jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed. Selected participants must sign an agreement with BGSW covering the residency conditions, honorarium and relevant copyright and image-rights arrangements.