Open Call: 2025 RaumArs Residency, Rauma, Finland

OPEN CALL 2025 FOR ALL ARTIST; RaumArs Residency, Rauma, Finland

Application deadline: 9.5.2024

RaumArs A-i-R works with the aim of bringing the art world and the community closer together. We select artists for community/participatory art or self-directed work. There is also an interesting collaboration within the World Heritage combining art projects.

City of Rauma has two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Old Rauma with wooden houses and Sammallahdenmäki, which is a Bronze Age burial cairn area 20 km east of the city.

The residency is ideal for creative work and exhibitions, research or artistic work as well as collaborative projects. Families and small working groups can also apply for a residency. The residency includes accommodation (free or for a small rent), use of the garden and, if you wish, we can help you to reach out to local networks.

Duration of residency

Work periods in residence can range from one to five months. Community art projects in spring season and fall/winter (during the school year).

The application for the 2025 residencies is open 1st April – 9th May 2024. 

Please note that our operations will expand and we will be able to move to new premises next to the library at Alfredinkatu 3 in early 2025. Due to this, the planning of the residency and exhibition periods is still in progress and the periods in the application form are indicative. We apologize for the incompleteness of the situation, but now you can also apply for an exhibition time.

January–May 2025: only residencies
July–December 2025: residency and possible exhibition

The application for exhibition period only will be opened later this year.

Accommodation

RaumArs A-i-R will be moving to a new space from the beginning of 2025. Rauma city is renovating on old wooden house, which dates to 1925, for the residency artists and exhibitions. The art house is located next to the city library and in the immediate vicinity of the theatre and the new school, cultural and sports centre.

There will be two bedrooms (one for a couple or a working couple and the other for one artist) with private bathrooms, a small work space (not for painting) and a shared kitchen. The rest of the house will have an office and three rooms for exhibitions, workshops or meetings.

As the house is undergoing a major renovation (including water, electricity and heating), we unfortunately do not have photos yet. For years we have organized exhibitions in the premises, so you can view old photos of exhibitions held in the house in 2015 from www.sepantalo.fi > kuvia. We apologize that this site is only in Finnish, but the information will be included to raumars.org site later this year. The rooms with white walls in the photos, (numbers 1 and 2) will be the bedrooms of the residence. Please note that the floor plan is indicative and new residency rooms are separated with private bathrooms. There is also a big garden. Sepän talo (sepantalo.fi)

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance

All field of art and art research. Our partners have possibilities for textile, handicraft and woodwork spaces. If you wish, we can help you to reach out to local networks. The residence has some small tools, lots of paper, yarn from previous art projects, fabrics, etc. that can be used.

Studio / Workspace

The Art House will have a small work room and in some cases artists may work in one of the exhibition/multipurpose rooms. Very often artists work in partner’s spaces, e.g. at the schools.

Fees and support

Fees range from 300€ to 550€. Artists pay a registration fee 150€ (per room) after they have been selected to the residency and a refundable deposit 120€.

Community residencies 3–5 months

For the community artist(s) RaumArs offers free accommodation (value approx. 1200€/month) and in addition RaumArs participates in the project's travel expenses (maximum 300€), material costs (maximum 100€/month) against receipts and helps with practical arrangements. You can also apply for the residency as a working couple, but then the artists share the expenses and the residency room.

In the residency at the beginning of the year we especially encourage working with children and young people or a project that connects children and the elderly.

Independent / self-directed work residency 1-5 months

Rent from 350/month ->

World Heritage Residency 2 or 3 months

• Rauma has two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Old Rauma ja Sammallahdenmäki, which is a Bronze Age burial mound area 20 km east of the city. We especially encourage projects related to Sammallahdenmäki.
• both residence types have an interesting opportunity for collaboration and workspace in the Renovation Center in Tammela.
• 2 months residency is mainly intended for archaeologists, architects or researchers. In return, we expect a lecture, performance or other similar event accessible to the public at the end of the residency period. Reimbursement of travel expenses up to €300.
• 3-month residency for artists of all fields who implement a community/participatory art project. Reimbursement of travel expenses up to €300 and material reimbursement up to €300 against receipts.
• the research or community art project must belong to one of the following topics: world heritage, cultural environment, cultural heritage, archaeology, wood construction or traditional construction.
• Wi-Fi and social facilities are available in Tammela's office premises. The staff of the Tammela and Rauma City Culture and Museum Services help to create contacts with public administration organizations and local residents and entrepreneurs.
• the applicant pays the residence rent, but has the opportunity to apply for a scholarship for accommodation costs from Old Rauma Foundation. 

Expectations towards the artist

During the residency stipend artists create communal/public/environmental/site specific artworks, an exhibition and/or lead workshops. In applications, we particularly value collaboration and interaction with the local community and other actors in the area, as well as with other creative professionals/researchers.Artists working independently can give an artist talk or a presentation, but it can also be a short performance (dance, music, poem…)Very often shows, performances or events happen in unconventional spaces, although now we will have a space of our own. Please read about the old projects from our ‘Art Projects’ or ‘Previous Artists’ and create one of your own :).

Application information

Internet application form on our web site. Please read carefully instructions on our web site RaumArs: Association, Residency: Apartment / Rauma town / Archive, Info for artists: Applying / Residency Instructions / Application form.

raumars.org - Taiteilijavierasohjelma

We are waiting for your application!