Organizer Information
Sixi Museum is a non-profit art institution based on three founders' art collections and artistic ideals, integrating the functions of collection, exhibition, academic research, and public education. Since its inauguration in 2023, Sixi has established itself as a new presence in the art ecology of the Yangtze River Delta Region of China, offering artistic activities to the public and placing particular emphasis on collaborating with young artists from home and abroad. The museum is situated in the Jiangsu Intelligent Manufacturing New City Park in Nanjing, China, and works through multicultural interactions to explore the sustainable development of contemporary art. Its Sixi International Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Project, launched in 2024, extends this mission by supporting emerging artists through structured residencies designed to facilitate cross-cultural exchange.
Title & Description
Sixi International Artist-in-Residence Project — 2027 Spring & Autumn Open Call
Launched in 2024 to support young emerging artists, the Sixi International Artist-in-Residence Project is committed to facilitating exchanges between artists from different backgrounds and helping them achieve creative breakthroughs and personal growth in their creative work. The Sixi AiR Project provides living and working space, financial support, and other necessary assistance, with an apartment in the city center and a loft studio on the outskirts of Nanjing available depending on the research and production needs of artists across different disciplines. Beyond hardware facilities and staff assistance, the programme helps artists establish contacts with the local art scene, and by the end of the residency period, artists have the opportunity to showcase their outcomes in an exhibition. The residency is framed around Nanjing itself — a city the organizers describe as combining traditional and contemporary culture — with the programme positioned as one of the few local art residencies in the city, aiming to contribute to international cultural exchange in Nanjing and the diversification of China's contemporary art ecology.
Theme
Applicants must address one of two stated open call themes:
- Flux and Imprints: Contemporary Echoes of Migration History — focused on cross-regional mobility, cultural reconstruction, and memory. This includes research and artistic projects exploring topics such as the family histories of overseas Chinese, the legacy of colonialism in Asia, and identity formation within global geopolitical frameworks, examining the tension between historical archives, oral histories, personal memories, and grand narratives.
- Folds of Text: Cross-Media Intertextuality and Intervention — conceptualizing "text" as a fluid, dynamic medium extending beyond literal signs, inviting interdisciplinary explorations spanning literature, linguistics, music/sound, and the visual arts, through deconstructing, rearranging, or translating varied medium languages.
Categories
- Residency
- Visual Arts
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Research
- Multiple Disciplines
- Literature
- Sound/Music
Eligibility
- Artists from all disciplines and cultural backgrounds are welcome to apply
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of applying
- Applicants must be fully capable of completing the entire residency programme
- No restrictions on nationality
- Sufficient Chinese Mandarin or English language skills in speaking and writing, for research and communication purposes
- The application must address one of the two stated open call themes
- The applicant must demonstrate a compelling rationale for the residency, a concrete residency plan, and the capability to execute the project
Program Benefits & Awards
- Coverage of visa application costs
- Coverage of round-trip travel expenses (flights)
- Insurance for the duration of the stay
- Accommodation: one private apartment or one private loft studio
- Residency personnel assistance and technical assistance
- Material allowance
- Personnel assistance including airport pickup, a welcome packet (local maps, SIM card, etc.), orientation, a welcome dinner, translation (English–Mandarin), project liaison, facility assistance, and notification of local art events
- Opportunity to establish contacts with the local art scene
- Opportunity to exhibit outcomes at the end of the residency, at Sixi Museum
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted by email to: info@siximuseum.com, with "Residency Application" indicated in the email subject line.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 November 2026
- Final response to applicants: no later than mid-February 2027
- Residency Periods: 2027 Spring (March–May) and 2027 Autumn (September–November); specific dates finalized based on selected artists' preferences and the Sixi Residency Project's schedule
Location
Nanjing, China
Additional Details
- International artists should allow sufficient time for visa processing at the time of application, usually at least 2–3 months in advance
- Upon receipt, applications are assessed by the Sixi AiR Committee; a video interview may be conducted if necessary
- Application materials that do not meet the specified requirements will not be reviewed
- Working languages at Sixi Residency are Chinese Mandarin and English
- During the residency period, residents are expected to participate in events including an artist talk, a workshop, and an open studio
- At the end of each residency, Sixi AiR Project expects a tangible and presentable outcome; residents have the opportunity to have an exhibition at the end
- The artist is expected to donate a selection of the artworks created during the residency to Sixi Museum
- The programme can accommodate two artists concurrently
- For questions, contact info@siximuseum.com with "Residency Inquiry" indicated in the email subject line