Organizer Information
Ubah Rumah Residency is a long-term artist residency and research project developed in partnership with Nikoi Island, a private island off Bintan, Indonesia. The project is inspired by the nomadic culture of the Orang Laut of the Riau Islands and the Malay concept of “Ubah Rumah,” meaning “Home of Change.” Its programme explores hospitality, ecology, community, and the ways artistic practice can respond to changing environments. Ubah Rumah also maintains a Collective Archive containing text, photography, and audiovisual materials generated through its residency activities.
Title & Description
Ubah Rumah Residency Open Call 2027/2028
Ubah Rumah Residency Open Call 2027/2028 invites artists from or based in Southeast Asia to develop artistic projects at the intersection of art, ecology, and hospitality. The residency takes place at Ubah Rumah’s Living Studio on Nikoi Island, where each resident is expected to activate the space through bespoke engagements or experiences for island guests.
The programme provides artists with an opportunity to conduct research, develop new work, and respond to the island environment and its cultural and ecological context. Ubah Rumah’s wider programme considers hospitality as a creative practice, including ideas of sharing space, knowledge, shelter, nourishment, and experiences.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Installation
- Performance
- Photography
- Video / Audiovisual Art
- Design
- Craft / Textile Art
- Participatory and Community-based Art
- Interdisciplinary / Transdisciplinary Practice
- Artistic Research
- Ecology-related Artistic Practice
The call is open to artists whose practices engage meaningfully with art, ecology, and hospitality.
Eligibility
The opportunity is regional rather than worldwide. Artists must be from or based in Southeast Asia. The application form specifically lists eligible Southeast Asian countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
No specific age restriction or requirement for emerging artists is stated in the published call.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected artists will receive:
- Artist fee
- Accommodation during the residency
- Round-trip travel within Southeast Asia
- A 4–6 week residency at Nikoi Island
- Access to the Ubah Rumah Living Studio
- An environment for artistic research and project development
- Opportunities to engage with island guests and the residency context
The call does not specify a separate cash prize or competition award. The principal benefits are the artist fee, residency, accommodation, travel support, and opportunity to develop work within Ubah Rumah’s artistic and ecological context.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 November 2026
- Residency period: 4–6 weeks during 2027 or 2028
- Notification: Only shortlisted artists will be contacted.
Important: The residency webpage currently gives a different submission period of 1 September–30 November 2026, while the linked application form states 10 September–15 November 2026. Applicants should follow the deadline shown on the active application form unless Ubah Rumah confirms otherwise.
Location
Nikoi Island, Bintan, Indonesia
Additional Details
Applicants should prepare a 300-word artist statement and 300-word project proposal describing the work they wish to develop during the residency. A CV and portfolio link are also required. The application asks applicants to propose two possible residency periods of between four and six weeks.