Supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, and carried out in collaboration with Anadolu Kültür / Depo, nGbK, and Kunstquartier Bethanien, the Istanbul–Berlin Artist-in-Residence Program 2026–2027 offers professional visual artists living in Istanbul the opportunity to undertake a five-month period of production and research in Berlin. As part of the program, two artists will be awarded artist-in-residence grants, with the application deadline set for December 31.
As part of the sister-city relationship between Istanbul and Berlin, the Istanbul–Berlin Artist-in-Residence Program has opened applications for the 2026–2027 period. Supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, the program offers professional visual artists living in Istanbul the opportunity to pursue artistic production and research in Berlin.
The program is carried out in collaboration with Anadolu Kültür / Depo in Istanbul, and nGbK (Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst) and Kunstquartier Bethanien in Berlin. The grants aim to support the artistic development of professional artists.
Program Scope and Duration
The artist-in-residence program seeks to enable artists to gain a closer understanding of the host country’s culture, engage with the local art scene, and carry out artistic production in Berlin.
Within the framework of the program, two artists will be awarded five-month grants across two separate periods, as outlined below:
Application Requirements
The fund is intended for professional artists who have exhibited work in the field of visual arts, have reached a certain level of professional achievement, and wish to further develop their artistic practice. Applicants are expected to explain how an international residency experience would contribute to their career development.
Applicants must be able to speak German or English at a minimum A1 level and are required to reside at the accommodation assigned to them for the duration of the program.
Allocation of the Grant and Artist Selection
An independent jury formed upon the invitation of Depo will select a shortlist of 10–15 candidates from among the applications. The two artists to be awarded the grants will then be selected by a jury composed of the partner institutions in Berlin.
This year’s Istanbul jury consists of Dilek Winchester, Mert Sarısu, Merve Elveren, and Serdar Darendeliler. The names of the Berlin-based jury members will be announced at a later date. Shortlisted artists will be notified in January 2026, and those awarded the grants will be informed in February 2026. Grant recipients will be publicly announced.
Application Method
Applications may be submitted in Turkish or English. Artists selected for the shortlist will be required to provide an English version of their application for evaluation by the Berlin jury.
Applications will be submitted via the link provided. For inquiries, please contact [email protected].
