Organizer Information
The O Castro Art Village is an interdisciplinary Residency and cultural research initiative located in Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain. The project is situated within a restored abandoned rural settlement surrounded by forests, stone architecture, and ecologically rich landscapes. It functions as a site for experimental production, encouraging artists to engage directly with memory, landscape, and material environments.
The program is supported by Culture Moves Europe, a mobility scheme funded through Creative Europe and the European Union. Its mission is to foster artistic mobility, cross-border collaboration, and the development of site-responsive creative practices across Europe. Through a combination of financial support, accommodation, and mentorship, O Castro Art Village enables artists to produce context-specific works deeply embedded in place.
Title & Description
Open Call for Visual Artist Residency Spain 2026 – O Castro Art Village (Spain)
The Visual Artist Residency 2026 at O Castro Art Village invites one visual or mixed-media artist, with a strong focus on video or expanded image practices, to develop a site-specific permanent installation in Galicia, Spain.
This Residency is based in O Castro de Mourelos, an abandoned village defined by stone ruins, forest ecosystems, and layered historical traces of depopulation. The site is treated as both archive and material: a landscape where absence, memory, and ecological transformation coexist.
Selected artists will develop a permanent installation integrated directly into the ruins of the village. The work is expected to respond to the material and conceptual conditions of the site, translating its history and physical environment into visual form. Collaboration is central to the process, with direct interaction with a sound artist, architect, and artistic director Davoud Gerami.
Artists are encouraged to engage with reclaimed materials, natural elements, and site-specific methodologies. The final installation will remain permanently installed in the village, becoming part of its evolving cultural and environmental identity.
During the 30-day residency in October 2026, artists will live and work on-site, developing their project in dialogue with the landscape, seasonal change, and the broader artistic community of the residency.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Video/Film
- Installation
- Mixed Media
- New Media Art
- Photography
- Site-specific Art
- Land Art
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Multimedia Art
- Public Art
- Environmental Art
- Experimental Image Practices
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to professional artists who meet the following criteria:
- Must be a legal resident of a European country other than Spain
- Must be available for the full 30-day residency period without interruption
- Must demonstrate a professional practice in visual arts, media-based practices, or related disciplines
- Must be able to work in a site-responsive, collaborative environment
The residency is particularly suited to:
- Visual artists
- Video artists and filmmakers
- Installation artists
- Photographers
- Mixed-media practitioners
- Artists working with landscape, memory, and material culture
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected artists will receive a fully supported production environment including:
Financial Support
- Travel allowance of €400 per round trip (€800 for long-distance travel over 5,000 km)
- Daily Stipend of €30 throughout the residency
- Accessibility support available upon request
Accommodation
- On-site accommodation in a furnished geodesic dome
- Private or shared living arrangements depending on availability
- Full immersion in a forested creative environment
Artistic & Professional Support
- Dedicated Mentorship throughout the residency
- Collaboration with other resident artists (including sound, architecture, and design disciplines)
- Integration into an active interdisciplinary residency ecosystem
Artistic Outcome
- Development of a permanent site-specific installation
- Long-term public visibility through installation in O Castro Art Village
- Inclusion in the ongoing artistic identity of the site
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- Short letter of interest (max 400 words) outlining motivation and project intention
- Portfolio or documentation of recent work (PDF or link, max 10 pages or 10 minutes video)
- Brief CV or biography (in English)
- Proof of legal residence in an eligible Creative Europe country
Accepted proof includes:
- Passport or national ID
- Employment or housing contract
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Insurance document
How to Apply?
Apply via O Castro Art Village Residency Email Submission: info@ocastroartvillage.com
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 5 July 2026
- Residency Period: October 2026
- Duration: 30 Days
Location
O Castro Art Village – Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
Additional Details
This Residency emphasizes site-specific artistic production rooted in memory, materiality, and environmental transformation. Artists are encouraged to treat the landscape not as backdrop but as active material in the creation of their work.
The program prioritizes collaboration across disciplines, with artists working alongside peers in sound, architecture, and environmental practices. The resulting installation will remain permanently in the village, contributing to a long-term evolving artistic ecosystem.
The residency supports experimental approaches including video installation, reclaimed materials, ecological processes, and hybrid visual methodologies. The emphasis is on creating work that could only exist in this specific context.