Time to apply for IASPIS residency and submit proposals for international residents

IASPIS, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s International Programme for Visual and Applied Arts, is now opening the application for residencies in Stockholm and proposals for international artists in residence.

IASPIS Residency in Stockholm: Application deadline 2 December at 2 pm
The IASPIS residency programme in Stockholm has eight places: four for Sweden-based artists and four for international artists within visual and applied arts. A residency in Stockholm can be applied for by all professional visual and applied arts practitioners whose main practice is based in Sweden.

Propose international artist for residency: Application deadline 5 December at 2 pm
Foreign artists are invited by IASPIS through proposals from fellow artists, curators, critics, and other actors within the visual and applied arts field. Proposals can be submitted continuously using the form below.

Proposals submitted between 16 December 2024–5 December 2025 will be processed in February 2026 for residency periods mainly between November 2026–November 2027.

Residencies are approximately 3 months long (provisionally November–January, February–April, May–July, August–October). The residency includes accommodation, studio space, and a grant (20,000 SEK/month).

Submitted proposals are saved for one year.

Residency report by Christopher West

In 2025, Christopher West was one of the Sweden-based IASPIS artists in residence. Below, he tells us about his experiences and reflections from his time as a resident.

Why did you apply for a residency at IASPIS in Stockholm, and what were your expectations?
I applied because I wanted to create an opportunity to pursue my project. IASPIS gave me the chance to do that. I come from a Stockholm-based artist family, so I was well aware of what IASPIS was. The only issue I saw during the application period was that I was absolutely certain I wouldn’t get it.

What did you work on during your time at IASPIS in Stockholm? Did the context and setting influence your artistic work or process in any way?
I drew typefaces. It’s a research based project where I digitalize a collection of American stencil typefaces from the mid-1950s. Over several years, I have gathered material that has gradually grown, and from it a fairly well defined project has emerged. I am starting a type foundry called Living Mirror.

IASPIS has helped me in every possible way: I have worked, presented, discussed, and challenged my project, my working methods, and my abilities. It’s not always easy or “fun”, perhaps, but it has been an invaluable experience.

What would you say to other artists considering applying for a residency?
Above all, I want to say: GO FOR IT! Whatever you feel you might want to do, do it. And if you (like most IASPIS artists in residence) aren’t from Stockholm: give the city a fair chance. It has more to offer than you might think. But you can skip complaining about the weather, the light, or the hills, those things cannot be changed.

Which benefits do you think they shouldn’t miss? What do you take with you from your residency period?
I mainly take with me a huge amount of impressions and experiences, new contacts and friends from all over the world, and a great deal of accomplished work!

For six months, Sweden-based artists are offered the opportunity to work in their own studio, meet colleagues from Sweden and around the world, and take part in the full range of IASPIS activities. The grant holder has access to a studio and receives a stipend to cover living costs, housing, and project expenses.

The grant amount is 25,000 SEK/month. The stipend is intended to cover living costs, accommodation, and work-related expenses. For residents living outside Stockholm County, an additional housing supplement of 5,000 SEK/month is offered.

The purpose of the IASPIS residency is to support artists’ opportunities to create, develop, and deepen their artistic practice and to expand their international networks.