Berlin Residency Program 2025-2026 Cycle Open Call

Four selected artists will be awarded one of four residency slots at Künstlerhaus Bethanien as a grantee of Contemporary at Blue Star.

Each artist receives a $2,000 stipend to aid with travel to residency and living costs.

The Contemporary covers costs of all program fees associated with residency: studio and living space, inclusion in the internationally-distributed BE magazine, curatorial visits, workshop access, etc.

With support from the City of San Antonio’s Global Engagement Office. resident artists will also travel to Darmstadt, Germany (a sister city of San Antonio) to meet with fellow artists and cultural leaders and visit cultural institutions. An additional stipend is provided for this trip.

Each selected artist will participate in a public program following the completion of the residency.

Artists reside in individual live-work studio spaces and have shared bathroom and shower facilities on each floor and shared laundry. For questions about building accessibility please contact KB. More information about Berlin Alumni HERE.

Eligibility

• Must currently reside in Bexar County and conduct a significant portion of your artistic practice/outreach in San Antonio.
• Artist must have established residency for 12 months prior to application period.
• Must have at least five years of relevant work experience and/or specialized arts training, such as a degree or certificate, or intensive period of time developing their skill and knowledge base.
• Demonstrate a clear investment of time and resources into your artistic practice and/or derive a portion of individual earned income from your artistic practice or areas related to the field.
• Have a professional portfolio that includes publicly displayed and possibly published works.
• The four residency cycles are July 15 – October 8; October 15- January 8; January 15 – April 8; April 15 – July 8. Applicants must be able to attend during ANY of these time periods. Artists should not apply if their schedule does not allow them the flexibility to attend during any of these time periods and/or for the duration of the residency. Cycles are assigned after residents selected and through group dialogue.

• Students are not eligible to apply.
• Artist collaborative teams/collectives not eligible to apply.
• Literary artists are not eligible to apply
• Curators, arts writers, and critics are not eligible to apply

The Berlin Residency application consists of:

• CV/resume
• Artist statement
• Letter of interest
• Letter of recommendation
• and a portfolio of 20 images
• There is no application fee

How many alums are parents?

25% of Berlin alum are parents. Of the 40 selected for the residency, 10 are parents. At the time of their residencies, their kids ages have ranged from toddler through high school age.

What if I have a day job?

30 of 40 alum artists had day jobs/full time jobs when they applied and were in residence. It takes some conversations, but working through the logistics of putting day to day responsibilities on hold or tending to them remotely has been possible for many past artists. Artists have taken sabbatical or temporary leave from their day jobs, taught an online class remotely, etc. The Contemporary has also written letters of support for selected artists to share with their employers and institutions.

Is the residency only for mid-career or more established artist?

Alum represent a wide range of seasons in life and careers with a diversity of life styles. The residency is ideal for artists who are serious about their practice and in need of focused time for research and development who will benefit from the context of Berlin.

Does the residency align with my teaching schedule or my kids school schedule?

The residency is approximately 3 months and due to its length none of the slots align with academic schedules or school breaks.

Can I miss part of the residency?

Residents are permitted to arrive a few days late or leave a few days early. They cannot miss more than 1/4 of residency or they forfeit their slot. Not being able to attend the residency for an extended period is not in the spirit of the opportunity or a good use of resources. We encourage you to apply when you can attend the residency for its full length. Artists confirm their travel itineraries with the Contemporary and KB.

How many artists are in residency at KB?

There are more than 20 residents from around the world in residence at one time at KB. Their residencies range from 3 months to 12 months.

What is the live-work studio like?

The live work studio is equipped with a single twin bed, kitchenette, and open studio space connected to the small living area. Bathroom and shower facilities are shared on each floor. Studios are not designed for artist teams, couples, families, etc. Alum artists who had family stay for visits, extended stays, or their full residency rented apartments close to residency. This is also what artist families from other countries in residence do.

Do I need a visa?

At this time U.S. residents to not need a visa to travel to Berlin for the residency. The residency is under 90 days which falls within the tourist time allowed for no tourist visa. More details on visas here.

Passport

Artists are required to maintain an up to date passport which must be valid for their date of return and have at least 2 blank passport pages.

A non-profit organization that has earned a worldwide reputation for its international residency studio program, Künstlerhaus Bethanien gives 25 artists from around the world up to yearlong residencies at their fully-appointed facility in the heart of Berlin’s vibrant art scene. It aims to establish a lively dialogue between artists from various backgrounds and disciplines and the public at large. Artists attend residencies as a grantee of various partner institutions. More at http://www.bethanien.de/en/residency.

Exterior view of Künstlerhaus Bethanien