Organizer Information
Rejmyre Art Lab (Center for Peripheral Studies) is an artist-run institution based in the small glass-factory town of Rejmyre in Östergötland, Sweden. Founded by artists Daniel Peltz and Sissi Westerberg, this long-term research project deeply engages with rural, industrial, ecological, and social contexts. Their programming often uses an “ensemble residency” model, where a small group of artists come together to collectively reflect, research, and co-create; they also emphasize relational practices, care, and embeddedness in the local community.
Title & Description
Tropism – International Artist-in-Residence Program
Tropism is a newly launched, international residency program by Rejmyre Art Lab, centered on the concept of growth, orientation, and ecological interconnection. Selected artists will work in the Refuging Pavilion, a transparent dome–greenhouse structure in Rejmyre, to explore how organisms adapt, reorient, and respond to their environments, and to reflect metaphorically on how human social practices can mirror these biological dynamics. The residency is designed as a multi-phase program: (1) an ensemble week with all participating artists doing collective exercises and local site visits; (2) an individual residency (≈ nine weeks) where artists work in close collaboration with local institutions such as the elementary school and the nursing home; (3) a group exhibition in spring/summer 2028 to present the outcomes.
Categories
Visual Art, Bio-Art, Installation, Ecology-Based Art, Interdisciplinary Art
Eligibility
- International: Artists from any country are eligible.
- Professional-level artists working in any medium, especially those engaged with ecological, botanical, relational, or social practices.
- Artists who are interested in working in community settings (with Rejmyre school and nursing home) and in nature-based frameworks.
Program Benefits & Awards
- 50,000 SEK work grant per artist.
- Up to 50,000 SEK production budget to support project development.
- Accommodation in Rejmyre during the residency period.
- Travel reimbursement of up to 10,000 SEK.
- 7,000 SEK exhibition fee for participating in the group show at the end of the program.
- Relational engagement: working with local institutions (nursing home and school) to integrate social ecology into artistic work.
- Collective experience: ensemble week to build community and shared understanding among participants.
Application Fee
No Entry fee
Application Requirements
- Project proposal that articulates how the artist’s work relates to growth, ecological processes, or relational ecologies.
- Work samples/portfolio (images, video, documentation of prior work) relevant to the proposed project.
- CV/résumé/artist biography (to demonstrate professional experience).
- Motivational statement/letter explaining interest in the residency, especially regarding working with local communities and ecology.
- A timeline/work plan for the residency period, possibly including milestones.
- Budget plan showing how the production grant would be used.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline December 2025
- Ensemble Week: April 6–12, 2026
- Individual Residency: April 2026 – August 2027
- Group Exhibition: Spring/Summer 2028.
Location
Rejmyre, Östergötland, Sweden
Additional Details
- The residency is curated by Jonatan Habib Engqvist.
- Collaboration with Bergården nursing home and Rejmyre elementary school is central: artists are expected to engage socially and relationally with these local institutions.
- Attendance policy: artists must be present for the full ensemble week
- Absence limits: during the individual residency, artists may be absent a maximum of 5 consecutive days, and up to 14 days total.
- The pavilion workspace (greenhouse) invites experimentation with plant life, both literal and metaphorical.
- The program is deeply tied to ecological and social transformation, asking artists to reflect on growth not just of plants, but of human relationships and collective care.
Website Link: https://rejmyreartlab.cargo.site/eng-tropism
