The Schaufler Residency@TU Dresden is an Artist in Residence programme for the promotion of artistic research, which gives international artists the opportunity to become part of TUD’s scientific community for a period of six months. The programme is intended for visual artists from the fields of performance, installation, media art (video, sound, etc.) who understand their artistic practice to be time-based art. The projects of the Schaufler Residency@TU Dresden with the annually varying Artists in Residence are closely connected to the topics of the Schaufler Kolleg@TU Dresden, for mutual benefit.

The Residency is located in an Open Studio on the campus of TUD Dresden University of Technology , in the immediate vicinity of the Kolleg. At the same time, the Open Studio serves as a spatial interface between the Kolleg and artistic scientific research. Additionally, the Studio provides a forum for the encounter between the University and the general public. This is where workshops, lectures and presentations take place.

The Residency is directly connected to both the Schaufler Kolleg@TU Dresden and TU Dresden’s Office for Academic Heritage, which has been initiating and accompanying artistic research at the University for many years with its exhibition formats of the Art Science Labs.

The final exhibition of the Residency will be presented in the Galerie of the Office for Academic Heritage in the Görges-Bau. The Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden will issue a publication series to complement the exhibitions, symposia, and dissertations.

What is the theme of the 2026 call?

The 2026 call builds on the guiding theme of the current funding period (2024–2027): Data↔Worlds. Sociotechnical and Cultural Syntheses of New Realities. It focuses on artistic projects that address the cultural, societal, and technological dimensions of data production, processing, and visualization.

Who can apply?

Applications are open to professional, internationally recognized artists and collectives from all disciplines who have a clear artistic research interest, bring experience in interdisciplinary work, and wish to develop their project in cooperation with researchers at TUD.

What does the residency offer?

• Monthly stipend of €3,000 net for six months
• Production budget up to €10,000
• Studio space at TUD
• Support in finding accommodation in Dresden
• Academic and artistic networking opportunities
• Final exhibition in autumn 2026 at the Kustodie Gallery in the Görges-Bau, TUD
• Artist book documenting the residency, published by Sandstein Verlag

What is expected?

• Independent artistic research in line with the guiding theme
• Active participation in public and internal formats of the Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden
• Presence in Dresden for regular events of the Schaufler Kolleg@TU Dresden
• Participation in all Schaufler Lab@TU Dresden events, including presentations of one’s own artistic work such as artist talks, lectures, and workshops
• Willingness to cooperate with the Dresden University of Fine Arts (HfBK)
• On-site participation in discussions with research partners
• Attendance periods to be coordinated closely with the residency’s curator

How does the application process work?

Applications are submitted online and must include:

• Application Form
• Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
• Portfolio of relevant works
• Project description (max. 10,000 characters) including schedule and budget plan
• Indication of potential cooperation partners (institutes, chairs, etc.) at TUD
  Note: Prior contact with potential research partners is not desired. Questions should be directed exclusively to the contact person named in the call.
• Short video (max. 3 minutes) introducing the applicant and the proposed project
• Letter of recommendation (no older than 6 months)

All documents, including the application form, must be submitted as a single PDF file (max. 10 MB).
Application deadline: 2 November 2025

How are the artists selected?

Selection will be made by an interdisciplinary committee in December 2025.
The selected artist or collective will be announced before the end of 2025.

tu-dresden.de