Organizer Information:

KUĆĆA is an independent art organization based in Zagreb, Croatia. They are organizing the fifth edition of the LIVING ROOM residency, offering a platform for curatorial collaboration, mentorship, and active local and international networking.

Title & Description:

Applications are open for the LIVING ROOM Residency: CUTE BUT PSYCHO.

This program invites artists to develop their research in dialogue with the KUĆĆA curatorial team. Under the 2026 thematic framework CUTE BUT PSYCHO, the residency seeks research-based and interdisciplinary proposals that critically engage with contemporary technological, social, and political phenomena. The theme explores the emotional, superficial, and seemingly superfluous intensities of contemporary culture: the cute, the cringe, the zany, and the weird.

Artists are encouraged to explore the gendered, racialized, and political dimensions of softness and excess—how vulnerability functions as both a tactic and a trap. The selected artist will present their research process at the 28th Media Mediterranea in Pula and finalize the outcome in a solo exhibition in Zagreb.

Category:

Multidisciplinary / Artistic Research.

Eligibility:

  • Who: Open to artists based in Europe.
  • Scope: International (European focus).

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Artist Fee: €1,000.
  • Production Budget: €2,800 for artistic research and presentation.
  • Workspace: A 25 m² studio space at KUĆĆA in Zagreb.
  • Travel & Accommodation: Fully covered for the Zagreb residency, the Pula presentation, and the autumn solo exhibition.
  • Exhibition: A solo exhibition at KUĆĆA (Autumn 2026) and a presentation at the 28th Media Mediterranea in Pula.
  • Support: Close curatorial collaboration and mentorship.

Application Fee:

Free.

Application Requirements:

Applicants must submit a research proposal that aligns with the 2026 thematic framework (CUTE BUT PSYCHO). The proposal should demonstrate how the artist plans to engage with the theme's exploration of vulnerability, online culture aesthetics, and corporeality.

How to Apply?

Submit your application via the official KUĆĆA web portal.

Key Dates:

  • Application Deadline: March 23, 2026.
  • Zagreb Residency: April 24 – May 25, 2026.
  • Pula Presentation (Media Mediterranea 28): May 25 – May 30, 2026.
  • Solo Exhibition: Autumn 2026.

Location:

Zagreb and Pula, Croatia.

Contact Information:

Email: hello@kucca.hr

Instagram: @kuccccccca

Website: KUĆĆA Open Call