Short Description
WIP Lab is seeking proposals for its upcoming residency program in Cyprus. Under the theme “Invisible Waters”, we welcome creative practitioners working at the intersection of art, design, technology and science, to engage with one of the most pressing environmental issues of our region: water.
Cyprus faces acute challenges — from recurring droughts and diminishing groundwater to inefficient irrigation and water pollution. The residency invites you to critically and creatively engage with water’s materiality, its politics, its absence or abundance, and the stories it carries. Whether you’re interested in experimental practices, community-based work, design interventions, or speculative futures, we are looking for ideas that provoke, connect, and inspire.
Residency Focus
Water shapes our landscapes, cultures, and daily practices — yet in Cyprus, it also reveals deep environmental tensions: aquifer depletion, recurring drought, salinization, unsustainable land use, and the impacts of climate change. This residency invites creative and scientific practitioners to respond to these conditions, engage with place-based knowledge, and develop new modes of thinking or making around water.
We’re looking for proposals that explore or give solutions (but are not limited) to:
- Drought resilience and sustainable water practices
- Aquifer depletion and invisible hydrological systems
- Agricultural water use and inefficiencies
- Urban water infrastructures, flooding, and rainwater management
- Traditional knowledge and community-based practices
- Water as memory, ritual, or cultural resource
- Water contamination and citizen science
- Artistic or scientific methods to visualize, sense, or narrate water flows
What is expected from the Selected Artist/Designer
The selected resident artist will be asked to:
- Have a clear direction for their project or artwork, including the intended format or medium they wish to explore, research and implementation plan.
- Engage in close collaboration with the selected scientist throughout the residency, including site visits, information exchange, and shared research.
- Develop and implement a research-informed artistic project, using the facilities and equipment of Thinker Maker Space (e.g., digital fabrication, prototyping tools).
- Be present on-site Monday to Friday, 08:30–16:00, for the duration of the residency
(reasonable exceptions for external research, fieldwork, or community engagement are acceptable and encouraged). - Deliver a public talk and a workshop during their stay, engaging local communities, peers, or audiences
- Present their work in a final exhibition/showcase hosted at the exhibition space of Thinker Maker Space and at WIP Arts & Technology Festival 2026)
(The exhibition will be co-curated by the WIP team).
We’re looking for resident artists who are open to interdisciplinary processes and committed to producing thoughtful, site-aware work that bridges art, science, and public engagement.
Eligibility
Designers, Artists, Architects, Makers, Engineers, Creatives and Cross-Disciplinary thinkers.
Submission Requirements
- Personal Info
- Short Bio
- Residency Proposal
- Short residency plan
- Portfolio Upload
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
- 2-3 months residency (October to December)
- 1500 euros per month (stipend allowance)
– This covers traveling to/from Cyprus, accommodation, and other expenses - Additional production cost upon discussion
- Residency support including mentorship, workspace, and access to local networks
- A collaborative working environment with other residents and WIP partners
- Opportunities for public engagement and co-creation with local communities
- Production support for presenting the outcomes (exhibition, event, prototype, or publication)
Entry Fee
None
Location
Cyprus
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 18 July 2025
- Residency Period: 01.10.2025 – 01.12.2025
Website Link: https://wip.cyens.org.cy/wiplab2025/opencall/
