Organizer Information
The residency is coordinated by Pro Progressione, a Budapest-based cultural management organisation specialising in international artistic collaborations, EU-funded cultural projects, and interdisciplinary programming. With extensive experience in artist mobility and socially engaged art, Pro Progressione works across sectors including visual arts, performing arts, and community-based cultural initiatives.
Through its MON-ART programme, the organization supports artists in developing context-sensitive, research-driven practices that engage with local communities, heritage sites, and ecological systems. The initiative emphasizes sustainability, regeneration, and inclusive participation, positioning art as a catalyst for dialogue between tradition and contemporary culture.
Title & Description
MON-ART Residence Programme – Tihany Benedictine Abbey
This residency takes place at the historic Tihany Benedictine Abbey, an 11th-century monastic complex overlooking Lake Balaton. The programme invites artists to develop site-specific, research-based projects engaging with Benedictine heritage, ecological systems, and the cultural landscape of the Balaton region.
Artists are encouraged to adopt slow, process-oriented methodologies that respond to the abbey’s spiritual rhythms, historical layers, and contemporary function as a cultural and touristic site. The residency supports artistic exploration at the intersection of heritage, ecology, and community life, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, ethical engagement, and regeneration.
Projects may involve subtle interventions such as land art, participatory practices, sound works, storytelling, or interpretive installations that integrate with existing spaces rather than imposing new structures. Artists will interact with diverse audiences, including monastic communities, local residents, and seasonal visitors.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Installation
- Performance Art
- Socially Engaged Art
- Sound Art
- Interdisciplinary Practices
- Research-based Art
Eligibility
- Open to international artists
- Artists may apply to a maximum of two residencies (ranking preference required)
- Emerging and established artists are eligible
- Working language: minimum English B2
- Knowledge of Hungarian (recommended but not mandatory)
- No explicit age restriction
Program Benefits & Awards
- Artist fee: €1,000 per month
- Accommodation: Guesthouse apartment at the abbey
- Travel costs: Covered
- Production costs: Covered
- Access to historic and cultural spaces within the abbey
- Opportunity to engage with local communities and visitors
- Participation in public programming (workshops, presentations, exhibitions)
- Integration into long-term cultural programming and archives
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- CV
- Portfolio (max. 10 pages or links)
- Residency proposal (max. 10,000 characters), including:
- Title of proposal
- Concept and artistic idea
- Objectives
- Relevance to the residency context
- Planned activities (methods, workshops, outputs)
- Community engagement strategy
- Expected impact
- Technical and logistical requirements
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 3 May 2026
- Shortlist Announcement: 11 May 2026
- Results Notification: 18 May 2026
- Interview Notification: 19 May 2026
- Residency Period: 1 August 2026 – 30 April 2027
- Residency Duration: 3 or 6 months
Location
Tihany, Hungary
Additional Details
- The residency operates within a sensitive heritage and religious context, requiring respectful engagement with liturgical spaces
- Artistic interventions should be low-impact, site-responsive, and sustainable
- Strong emphasis on community interaction, including collaboration with:
- Monastic community and staff
- Local residents
- Schools and youth groups
- Tourists and pilgrims
- The program includes:
- Process presentations and workshops
- Outdoor and site-specific practices (e.g., walking-based works, ecological gestures)
- Participation in cultural events such as concerts and seasonal programs
- Selection Criteria:
- Artistic quality (40%)
- Relevance to MON-ART values (20%)
- Community engagement (20%)
- Feasibility (20%)
- Selection Process:
- Written application review
- Shortlisting (top 5 candidates)
- Final online interview
- Final Outputs:
- Site-specific artworks
- Participatory projects
- Documentation (photo, video, text)
- Public presentations (open studios, workshops, exhibitions)
- A final restitution event will present outcomes to the public, with potential long-term integration into the abbey’s programming and archives.