Organizer Information
The O Castro Art Village is an interdisciplinary artist residency and cultural initiative located in the historic Ribeira Sacra region of Galicia, Spain. Set within a restored abandoned village surrounded by forests, stone ruins, and natural landscapes, O Castro provides artists with an immersive environment for experimentation, research, and site-responsive creation. The organization supports international artistic exchange by inviting artists, architects, musicians, designers, and researchers to develop projects that engage with the cultural memory, ecology, and physical characteristics of the site.
This residency opportunity is supported through Culture Moves Europe, the mobility program funded by the European Union under Creative Europe. The initiative aims to encourage artistic mobility, cross-cultural collaboration, and the development of new creative works across Europe. Through mentorship, accommodation, and financial support, O Castro Art Village offers artists the opportunity to create meaningful projects deeply connected to place, landscape, and community.
Title & Description
Open Call for a Sound Artist in Residence at O Castro Art Village 2026
O Castro Art Village invites applications from one sound artist or musician for a unique month-long residency in the atmospheric landscape of Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain. Taking place during October 2026, this residency offers the selected artist the opportunity to create a permanent site-specific sound installation that responds directly to the acoustic, historical, and environmental qualities of the village.
The residency centers on listening as an artistic practice. O Castro de Mourelos consists of abandoned stone houses, forested terrain, water sources, and architectural ruins whose acoustic characteristics have been shaped by centuries of human habitation and natural transformation. Artists are invited to investigate the sonic identity of the site and develop a new work that emerges from direct engagement with the landscape.
The resulting installation will become a permanent component of O Castro Art Village. Visitors will access the work through QR codes placed throughout the ruins and surrounding environment, creating a layered sonic experience integrated into the physical site. Rather than functioning as an audio guide, the project is envisioned as an invisible artistic presence embedded within the landscape.
During the residency, the selected artist will collaborate with other resident practitioners, including visual artists and architects, while receiving mentorship from artistic director Davoud Gerami. The program welcomes a broad range of sound-based approaches, including field recording, sound composition, spatial audio, experimental music, generative sound, environmental listening practices, and hybrid sonic methodologies.
The residency emphasizes artistic sensitivity to place, encouraging participants to respond to the unique atmosphere, history, ecology, and acoustic memory of the village rather than imposing predetermined concepts. October offers a particularly rich environment for sound exploration, with seasonal changes, migrating birds, rainfall, fog, and shifting natural rhythms influencing the sonic landscape.
Categories
- Sound Art
- Music Composition
- Experimental Music
- Audio Art
- Site-Specific Art
- Interdisciplinary Art
- Environmental Art
- Field Recording
- Spatial Audio
- Sound Installation
- Acoustic Research
- Multimedia Art
- New Media Art
- Public Art
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a legal resident of a European country other than Spain.
- Be eligible under the Culture Moves Europe mobility framework.
- Be available for the entire 30-day residency period without interruption.
- Demonstrate a professional artistic practice in sound art, music, field recording, acoustic research, or related disciplines.
The residency is particularly suited to:
- Sound artists
- Musicians
- Audio researchers
- Experimental composers
- Site-specific practitioners
- Artists working with landscape, memory, and environmental sound
Program Benefits & Awards
The selected artist will receive comprehensive financial and professional support, including:
Financial Support
- Travel allowance of €400 for a round trip.
- Increased travel allowance of €800 for travel distances exceeding 5,000 km.
- Daily allowance of €30 per day throughout the residency period.
- Accessibility support top-ups available when required.
Accommodation
- Accommodation in a furnished geodesic dome located within the forested residency site.
- Access to a private bathroom.
- Immersive living environment integrated into the artistic setting.
Professional Development
- Individual mentorship from artistic director Davoud Gerami.
- Collaboration opportunities with visual artists and architects in residence.
- Integration into the artistic and community life of O Castro Art Village.
Artistic Outcome
- Creation and presentation of a permanent sound installation.
- Long-term visibility through the ongoing public presentation of the work at O Castro Art Village.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following materials in English:
- Short letter of interest (maximum 400 words) explaining their motivation and connection to the residency site.
- Audio documentation or links to recent artistic work (maximum 20 minutes total).
- Brief CV or professional biography.
- Proof of legal residence in one of the eligible Creative Europe countries, showing full name and address.
Accepted residency proofs may include:
- Passport
- National ID card
- Employment contract
- Housing contract
- Utility bill
- Insurance documentation
- Bank statement
If requesting accessibility support, applicants should also provide appropriate supporting documentation.
How to Apply?
Applications should be submitted via email to: info@ocastroartvillage.com
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 5 July 2026 (before midnight)
- Residency Period: October 2026
- Residency Duration: 30 Days
Location
Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
Additional Details
The residency offers a rare opportunity for artists interested in the relationship between sound, memory, architecture, and landscape. Rather than creating work for a temporary exhibition, the selected participant will contribute a permanent artistic intervention that becomes part of the evolving cultural identity of O Castro Art Village.
The program values attentive listening, environmental awareness, and site-responsive practice. Artists are encouraged to approach the residency as a process of discovery and dialogue with place. The resulting installation should emerge organically from the village's acoustic qualities, historical layers, and contemporary atmosphere.
Because only one artist will be selected, the residency provides a highly focused environment with extensive mentorship, research time, and opportunities for deep engagement with the site and its community.