artist-in-residence
EKWC’s international artist-in-residence programme offers creative professionals from all disciplines the opportunity to concentrate entirely on a challenging plan, project or research in ceramics.
Each year, our residency programme welcomes over 60 creatives from all over the world. EKWC provides accommodation and studio space, workshops, basic and advanced equipment, guidance from our experienced advisers and support from our staff.
EKWC runs two residency programmes: the well-established EKWC Classic development residency and, since 2025, the EKWC [Co]Lab programme. You can read more about both programmes below.
ekwc classic
The EKWC Classic programme offers creative professionals from all disciplines the opportunity to concentrate entirely on developing their personal practice. You will spend three months at EKWC researching, experimenting, and carrying out your workplan. The residency also offers a unique opportunity for exchanging knowledge and experience with colleagues and the EKWC advisers.
On average, there are fifteen residents working at EKWC at the same time, with new residents starting and completing their residency every week, so that you always get to meet new people and steadily expand your creative network.
More about living and working >
As an EKWC Classic resident, you work independently. Our technical advisers do not carry out your workplan. They do, however, offer options, provide guidance, and help you make practical choices. They also monitor your work process to prevent complications or suggest solutions. Residents can hire additional staff for labour-intensive projects.
Who is this residency for?
EKWC Classic residents are creative professionals working in a wide variety of practices in art, design and architecture. In the evenings, you might find yourself sharing dinner with a landscape architect, composer, context designer or circus artist; or you might be one yourself. Although prior knowledge of or experience with ceramics is not required, we do expect you to have an academic background, professional experience, and an open, experimental attitude.
In our selection process, we place great importance on equal opportunities and strive to create an open, inclusive, and equitable environment in which everyone can thrive. We warmly encourage people of all ages, social and ethnic backgrounds, cultures and physical characteristics to apply.
Costs and funding
EKWC provides applicants selected for an EKWC Classic residency with a stipend to cover 75% of their actual costs. The remainder of the costs and the costs of materials are paid by the residents. Various funds and organisations, both in the Netherlands and abroad, support creative professionals to make an EKWC residency possible. EKWC has close working relationships with a number of these funding bodies.
More information about the costs of an EKWC Classic residency can be found here >.
For more information about funds and collaborations, click here >.
ekwc [co]lab
Not all plans for a creative or research-based ceramics project fit within a three-month EKWC Classic residency. Some projects, such as specific material research or the production of a unique commissioned work, don’t require as much time. Others take longer or are far more complex. These include work for public space, multidisciplinary projects or collaborations with one or more clients such as a company, university, museum, collector or government body.
For such residencies – which may be considerably shorter, or require far more time, research expertise and organisation – we have created the EKWC [Co]Lab programme. Each year, this programme welcomes a number of short-term projects, and one or two larger multidisciplinary projects centred on a specific research question.
In an EKWC [Co]Lab residency, the focus lies on realising projects that also present EKWC with a major technical or artistic challenge. Our advisers work closely with the resident(s) on material research and the development of new techniques. As with EKWC Classic, they won’t carry out the project for the resident, but will be closely involved throughout the work process.
[Co]Lab residencies do not have a fixed duration, and the residents don’t necessarily stay at EKWC.
Who is this residency for?
EWKC [Co]Lab residents are creative professionals working in a wide variety of practices in art, design and architecture, who have experience with larger, complex projects. Although prior knowledge of or experience with ceramics is not required, we do expect you to have a hands-on mentality and good communication and organisational skills.
We accept applications for EKWC [Co]Lab year-round, but the number of available places on our programme is limited. Applications are assessed in the order in which they are received.
Costs
The costs of a [Co]Lab residency are based on the actual costs of the residency period. EKWC does not provide a stipend to cover these costs.
