Organizer Information
Radio28CS is a dynamic contemporary cultural platform and highly equipped maker space based in the heart of Mexico City, Mexico. The studio functions as a localized collaborative network to bridge independent international creators with local artists, experienced technicians, fabricators, and commercial industrial resource suppliers to strengthen the city's diverse culture of physical making.
Title & Description
Radio28 International Program (IP) 2026–2027.
Submissions are open for this rigorous five-week project-based production residency. Designed specifically to foster material innovation, physical experimentation, and technical skill refinement, the residency allows participants to execute a complex individual project or manifest a brand-new body of work. The curriculum bypasses generic institutional constraints by providing heavy, practical studio assistance and direct structural immersive access to Mexico City’s contemporary art scene.
Category
Visual Arts / Interdisciplinary Practices
- Sculpture / Spatial Installation
- Woodworking & Fabrication
- Mold-Making & Technical Casting
- Printmaking & Engraving
- Industrial Design & Material Crafts
Eligibility
Open to domestic and international contemporary visual artists, creators, product designers, and multi-disciplinary craft practitioners aged 18 and older.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Selected fellows receive an itemized network of structural, technical, and professional resources designed to elevate their contemporary studio practices:
- Mentorship Infrastructure: 3 personalized individual and group mentorship sessions with established designers and curators, paired with 3 structured curatorial feedback sessions led directly by the exhibition director.
- Exhibition & Documentation: Inclusion in a curated final group exhibition hosted at the program’s commercial gallery in Mexico City, accompanied by high-resolution professional exhibition photography and documentation.
- Technical Fabrication Support: Dedicated conceptual assistance and twice-weekly technical production guidance on-site from studio specialists, supplemented by 2 to 3 specialized practical technique workshops.
- Field Research Assets: Access to a guided material research trip, a customized directory of local fabrication suppliers, a studio visit with an established Mexican artist, and tours across 3 local gallery or artist-run spaces.
- Institutional Amenities: Continuous 24/7 access to shared studio workspaces, specialized machinery, communal kitchen facilities, an official certificate of completion, and an institutional Student ID card providing free or discounted entry to regional museums.
Fees
Application Fee: None (Completely free to compile and submit the initial evaluation dossier).- Program Fee: 25,000 MXN total program cost, payable across a strict three-part financial installment schedule:
- Installment 1 (Registration Fund): 7,000 MXN due immediately upon formal acceptance to lock the slot.
- Installment 2: 8,000 MXN due prior to the secondary interview stage.
- Installment 3: 10,000 MXN due exactly 15 days before the session start date.
- Cancellation Clause: All payments made are entirely non-refundable under any circumstances.
Application Requirements
Applicants must compile a single, consolidated PDF document (maximum 20 MB) written in English or Spanish. The dossier must contain:
- Session Priorities: Explicit indication of your preferred primary residency month block and your alternative choice.
- Personal Metadata: Full name, email, telephone number, Instagram handle, web URL, and complete physical address.
- Biographical Statements: A short artist bio (maximum 200 words), a first-person artist statement, and an updated professional CV.
- Project Proposal: A text overview (maximum 300 words) detailing exactly what you want to create, your raw material needs, and your intended techniques, accompanied by 3 to 5 optional sketch visualizations and a statement of studio machinery requirements.
- Letter of Intent: A short text detailing "Why Mexico?" (maximum 200 words).
- Visual Media Portfolio: 5 to 10 high-resolution images of previous works complete with itemized technical specification sheets.
How to Apply?
You may submit your application by:
- Email: Send the PDF file to residencyprogram@radio28cs.com
- Use the subject line: Creative Studio Program Application + [months of your selected period]
Key Dates
- Open Call Launch: June 1, 2026
- Application Submission Deadline: July 5, 2026
- Finalist Admissions Notification: Within a maximum of 2 weeks post-deadline.
- Active 2026–2027 Production Session Cycles:
- Cycle 1 (Autumn): October 5 – November 7, 2026 (5 weeks)
- Cycle 2 (Winter): February 6 – March 13, 2027 (5 weeks)
Location
Mexico City, Mexico (Physical shared studio workspaces, industrial workshops, and gallery).
Additional Details
The program budget operates on a concentrated scale of 5 to 6 artists accepted per session block. The base program fee explicitly does not cover raw personal art materials, residential housing accommodations, international flights, or daily per diems. However, the studio coordinates affordable community rates with partner local material suppliers and third-party workshops to minimize fabrication overheads for participants. Physical workshop zones include:
- Wood Workshop: Table/jigsaw/circular/miter saws, welding machines, routers, and drill presses.
- Mold-Making & Casting Workshop: Ventilation bays, heavy compressors, and compound scales.
- Printmaking Workshop: Etching/paper presses, aquatint boxes, typography inks, and screen printing rigs.